LEHMAN, Pa. — On an unseasonably hot September day, this past Sunday, Sept. 24, on the banks of Wilkes-Barre’s Susquehanna River, a team of 19 people made up of students, faculty, staff, alumni and spouses, pitched their tents. They had been brought together by Penn State Wilkes-Barre Librarian Megan Mac Gregor to row for Penn State Wilkes-Barre in the 7th annual Dragon Boat Races hosted by the Riverfront Parks Committee. Besides Mac Gregor, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Library also was represented in the boat by John Owens, information resources and services support specialist, and Quentin Hugo, library student worker.
Dragon boats were originally used in ancient China as part of religious ceremonies appeasing the rain gods. Later a tradition of racing dragon boats was established as a memorial to the warrior poet Qu Yuan, who committed suicide in the Mi Lo River in protest against the political corruption at the time. The boats are painted to look like dragons — before the race a carved dragon head and tail are attached to the long canoe-like hull, which is painted with dragon scales.