The Strawbridge Lake Beautification Committee (SLBC) will host the fifth annual Moorestown Paddleboard and Kayak Races on Saturday, June 10, with proceeds benefiting maintenance for the waterway.
“It is, really, a fun time,” said Amy Gravenstine, co-founder of the SLBC. “Everybody does what they need to do, and they have a great time doing it. It’s just a great community effort, and it would be wonderful if people just want to come out and see what this event is all about.”
The event will include activities for kids, a silent auction, craft vendors, live bands and more. Prizes will be awarded for categories such as distance, gender and age, and microbreweries, food trucks and Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard will be on site.
Races begin at 9 a.m. at the corner of Haines Drive and Kings Highway, with two options available, one mile or four. The event will include kayaking, paddle boarding, touring kayak and tandem kayak.
“I look forward to getting there and seeing the excitement of everybody that’s there,” Gravenstine said. “I like seeing when the winners are announced and they get to come up on stage and have their name announced and get their awards, especially the kids.”
“It’s really satisfying to see everybody out there enjoying Strawbridge Lake.”
A limited number of free kayaks will be available for racers, who must register online by Wednesday, May 17, to guarantee a loaner. Kayaks and paddle boards will be available to rent after the races are complete, and racers must register by Wednesday, May 17, to receive a free T-shirt, finisher medal and to be eligible for an award.
This year’s event will also have professional timing, provided by TNT Event Management. The SLBC – comprised of board directors Amy Gravenstine, George Gravenstine, Lisa Petriello, Doug Maute, Chet Dawson, Lenny Wagner and Jennifer Baxter – and many residents volunteer for the day, including the high-school’s students.
“We’re just always working; pretty much, the switch goes off in January and we’re all doing what we can,” Gravenstine noted. “ … We really do count on the volunteers to help us and they are a huge help. We could not have this event if it wasn’t for the success of our volunteers.”
According to the SLBC’s website, last year’s races raised more than $16,000 that was used to install a second floating dock closer to Pleasant Valley Avenue. The second dock, installed last September, is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible.
“We’re happy to have it out there and have people out there enjoying it and using it,” Gravenstine said of the second dock. “ … We see a lot of kids out there fishing and kids with their parents and adults and community members enjoying them (both floating docks) … It’s really great.”
Whether they race or not, Gravenstine hopes people see Strawbridge Lake from a different point of view.
“Being out there in the middle of the lake and looking around and just taking in what’s happening around you, I think would be a really cool thing,” she said of the racers.
“As far as any other attendees that are there, I just hope they feel the community spirit while they’re there and that they can appreciate what we have, and they can appreciate how that all feels.”
To register for the races or for more information, visit https://www.strawbridgelakebc.org/copy-of-race-2023 For a race day schedule, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/Info/NJ/Moorestown/TheMoorestownPaddleBoardKayakRaceFamilyFestival.
