Canal Days Raises Over $1K For Fellowship Missions

WINONA LAKE – Twenty-one cardboard boats participated in the regatta race during Saturday’s Canal Days in Winona Lake.
The boats were made up of corporate teams, as well as youth, adults and students from Edgewood Middle School and Warsaw Community High School.
Brooke Skeans, development director with Fellowship Missions, said participation is right where they wanted it to be. The majority of the boats Saturday were from the local schools “so we’re really excited.”
“I think the kids are really excited. The schools are getting more involved and having kids do more boats. So it’s a lot of fun,” she said.

    Pictured are the Vitanic and Strawberry Power boat. Strawberry Power won the Titanic Award during Saturday’s Canal Days. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union
  

Before the regatta races started, Skeans said she thought everything was going well and there were a lot of people to see the races. She thinks events like Canal Days brings the community together and helps them know what’s going on in the community as well.
Eric Lane, executive director of Fellowship Missions, said Canal Days is really about community coming together and bringing awareness about what Fellowship Missions is doing with their new building.
Skeans said this is the eighth year a fundraiser for Fellowship Missions has been connected with Canal Days.
The money raised during the race will go toward programs at Fellowship Missions, such as its recovery programs. People were able to donate during Saturday’s events by buying tickets to vote for the Best in Show. People were also able to give straight donations to Fellowship Missions.

    Pictured are the Zebros and Spiderman boats. Zebros were the overall winner at Saturday’s Canal Days. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union
  

Lane said last year they raised about $1,500. Skeans in an email Saturday’s event raised $1,133 for Fellowship Missions.
She said Fellowship Missions has a homeless shelter that serves men, woman and children. There is an addiction recovery program. Fellowship Missions also recently opened a building downtown called The Gathering Place, which is a mental health and recovery resource area for anyone in the community to come in and get resources.
The boats with the best time were Zebros, youth category; Working Dirt, kids category; Rats, Rats, We Are the Rats, corporate category; and Moana, adult category. Unsinkable Titanic won overall fastest time.
Best costumes went to Moana.
Strawberry Power won the Titanic Award. The award is for the best boat that sinks.
The Best in Show Award went to Moana with 236 votes.
The overall winner went to Zebros.

    Pictured are the Rats, Rats, We Are The Rats; Slice of the Lake and Moana boats. Rats, Rats, We Are The Rats won the fastest boat in the corporate boat category. Moana won the fastest boat in the adult category, the Best in Show Award and Best Costumes. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union