“Shoes For Strokes” Campaign for Pittsburgh Cancer and Community Dragon Boat Teams

Anyone who has extra shoes can simply contact shoes@steelcitydragons.org to receive simple instructions on dropping off their shoes or getting them picked up. You can also drop shoes off at the Steel City Dragons training facility at the Fox Chapel Yacht Club complex (1366 Old Freeport Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238).

The Steel City Dragons are working with the Funds2Orgs company, which operates many other shoe collections across the country. Fuds2Orgs prepares and ships the shoes to small business operators in developing countries, who then sell them at affordable prices. The buyers benefit from the low prices and the sellers benefit from income that helps their local economy.

This collection also benefits the Steel City Dragons community programs, such as the new Pittsburgh Unity all cancer paddlers dragon boat team and the Pink Steel breast cancer team. Funds2Orgs will pay the Steel City Dragons by the pound for all shoes collected. These funds will be used for cancer group support and wellness programs and for providing affordable fitness-improving dragon boat workouts to more Pittsburgh-area residents.

The Steel City Dragons formed in 2002 when the Urban Redevelopment Authority brought the first dragon boats to Pittsburgh. This charitable organization has grown over the years and now has two boats and three teams, including the Steel City Mixed Dragons team of adult men and women, the Pink Steel breast cancer paddlers team, and the Pittsburgh Unity all cancer paddlers team. These teams compete in four to six out-of-town dragon boat festivals every year and offer three practices a week on the Allegheny River. They provide training and support at their facilities within the Fox Chapel Yacht Club complex near Pittsburgh. The organization is a 501(c)(3) charity operated entirely by volunteers for the benefit of its participants and the community.

The Steel City Dragons’ boats are 46 feet long and have a carved dragon head and tail to resemble traditional Chinese boats from over 2000 years ago. A crew of 20 paddlers propels each boat while a drummer in front beats cadence and a steerer in back directs the boat with a long wooden steering oar.