The Ford Canoe & Kayak Club, and the Motor City Dragons (FCKC) has a mission to give members opportunities for a fun & healthy lifestyle usually outside and, but not limited too, on the water through human powered propulsion.  There are no fees for becoming an FCKC member, but we do need a valid CDS ID (confirmed Ford retiree is OK too) because the majority of our communication is through email.  Our distribution list is kept private (no “Reply-All’s).  Typical paddles happen after work in the Detroit Metro Area.  Members are encouraged to suggest new outings.  In previous years, members have proposed and made trips happen including overnight camping, out to Turnip Rock in Lake Huron, and moon lit paddles with dinner & a symphony.  Boat rentals vs. bringing one’s own depends on the trip.  More detail about our club or networking with other paddlers can be done at our online location:   https://thehubat.ford.com/groups/fckc-ford-canoe-and-kayak-club

FCKC Contact Lead:  Brian Bialk, email:  BBIALK@ford.com

The Motor City Dragons is a Dragon Boat Team paddling a 40’ dragon boat with 20 paddlers (10 rows of 2) a drummer in the front and a stern steering the boat while standing in the back.  We have a dragon boat named Mustang Patty and we paddle in the Detroit River/Trenton Channel on the south tip of Grosse Ile (island) at the Ford Yacht Club.  Our practices are June, July, August (sometimes May & September depending on weather) once a week after work. We meet at 6 pm and push off the dock at 6:30 pm with our coach leading the hour-long practice.  We paddle in ~ 3 dragon boat festivals/races per year.  Previously we’ve raced in the Midwest (MI: Lake Orion, Lansing; OH:  Cleveland, Akron, Sandusky; IL: Chicago), Wallaceburg & Toronto Canada and Florence Italy.  We have a composite team of breast cancer survivors and co-ed supporters.  Regular exercise is recommended to reduce the occurrence of cancer and is recommended (prior to, during, after treatment).  Paddling a dragon boat is a full body exercise for your core, legs, and upper body.  It also requires teamwork to paddle in synch, meaning 20 paddles blades enter & exit the water at the same time.  Medical research has shown that for breast cancer survivors, dragon boating is beneficial as it stimulates the lymphatic system and doesn’t result in lymphedema while improving range of motion and strengthening the upper body.  Support and comradery was so great that the 26 research participants in A Breast In a Boat never disbanded upon completion of research in 1996 in Vancouver Canada.