It was a celebration when a group of Jackson EMC employees from the Gainesville office gathered at the 2014 Dragon Boat Festival held on Lake Lanier, marking the third time the group competed.
Phil Strickland, service representative and team captain, along with his Oakwood colleagues, competed against 53 of the best teams in the country, finishing second in the men’s open division and fifth overall. They enjoyed the fun, fellowship and learning about other cultures with their families and friends, even though their hearts were heavy due to the recent loss of one of their coworkers and friend, Derrick Brinkley.
“We’d taken a break from the event last year, so we were refreshed and ready to participate, plus we wanted to celebrate the life of our friend. We enjoy getting together away from the office, just family and friends,” says Strickland. “The event in its 19th year was an amazing sight to see, with the regatta featuring ceremonies, shows, worldwide food dishes, children’s events and vendors. It was family fun, unique and the best cultural event in our area, steeped in Chinese custom and tradition.”
The team went home without a division victory, but Strickland said winning wasn’t the priority. “The best thing was getting together with everyone, without the ordinary pressures of the job,” he said. “Normally when this group is together, we’re facing inclement weather, power outages or something like that.”
Each team consisted of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steersman. In memory of their fellow associate and friend, the 2014 Jackson EMC team didn’t replace their teammate Brinkley and raced with 19 paddlers wearing shirts in his honor including: Journeyman Linemen Jeremy Adams and Craig Etris; Servicemen Phil Strickland (Captain) and Michael Metcalf, and Phil’s son Cole Strickland; Linemen Darryl Arrowood, Chris Hammond, Wayne Connell, Kevin Grant, Junior Martinez, Kevin Cash, Jason McElwaney, Jose Salgado, Matt Tolar, Scotty Tompkins, John Kesting and Tony Tatum; Wayne’s stepson Brett McKeehan, Scotty’s son Austin Tompkins and John’s son Eli Kesting; and Warehouse Coordinator Tim Neisler.
The festival is one of a series of events held around the world to promote the sport of dragon boating and build bridges of cultural awareness between Asian and local communities by emphasizing artisanship, teamwork and competition. Learn more at http://www.dragonboatatlanta.com