If Paul Chow had his way, he would be volunteering at the 23rd annual Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival’s beer garden at Ship Point today.
Unfortunately, the 83-year-old has some urgent work to attend to elsewhere, though he still plans to attend the traditional eye-dotting ceremony at 1 p.m.
It’s not as if Chow has anything to prove after 22 years of service to the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival Society, which recently recognized him as a lifetime member.
Chow, who owned the Golden City Restaurant before he retired, is the first person to receive the honour recognizing distinguished service.
The veteran volunteer and longtime board director was described as “a consummate community citizen and leader” by chairman Sinclair Mar, who praised Chow’s quiet efficiency.
“Constantly contributing his wisdom and volunteering in whatever capacity he is needed, he has helped tremendously in making our various communities better, and in doing so has enhanced the lives of many in our community,” Mar said. “He is a great ambassador for our Chinese community.”
As president of the Victoria Chinese Commerce Association, Chow was instrumental in bringing the annual racing event to Victoria. He was part of a group that brought dragon boats into the Inner Harbour during Hong Kong Days at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.
“Hong Kong gave us some money to do that because it was the last time Hong Kong was in the Commonwealth Games before it reverted back to China,” he said.
The first dragon boat festival followed in 1995. Chow was part of the organizing committee and was one of the first directors for the society when it was formed in 1997.
Chow stepped down from the board last year.
“I was involved in quite a few organizations and I thought I should let some younger people get involved as well,” he said.
During his tenure, he took on a range of responsibilities, including running the VIP tent and ordering alcohol and other refreshments.
He has also been heavily involved with the event’s charitable component, raising funds for the B.C. Cancer Foundation with an army of volunteers.
Chow’s lifetime membership marks the third time he has received such an honour. The others came from the Better Business Bureau and the Canada-China Friendship Association.
“I was surprised that the dragon boat society gave me their first one as well,” said Chow, who is still involved with the Rotary Club and the Victoria Hoi Ping Association.
His passion for volunteering and community involvement in a dozen organizations, including the Chinese Benevolent Association, has been inspired in large part by gratitude, he said.
“The community has been good for me,” Chow said. “Now I’m retired and I want to give back.”
The only downside to his decades of community involvement? “My wife always complains I don’t do enough at home,” he said with a laugh.
The three-day festival gets underway today at 1 p.m. with the eye-dotting ceremony, in which Taoist priests paint eyes on a dragon boat, signifying the awakening of the sleeping spirit of the dragon and the beginning of the racing regatta.
Races run Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 8 a.m. each day. Cultural events and live performances are scheduled to take place throughout the weekend, with an awards ceremony at Ship Point on Sunday at 3 p.m.
For more information, go to victoriadragonboat.com.
