Canada Day in Portage la Prairie will once again see dragon boat racing on Crescent Lake.

It's the third year for the event, which is a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, and they're looking for teams to compete.

Coordinator Dave McKnight acknowledges it's also to raise awareness about the Society, calling it a little "unsung".

Dave McKnight and Jennifer Roy from the Canadian Cancer Society

"Because we mainly do research, and behind the scenes clinical trials, service and support programs," he says, "Because we don't do treatment, sometimes people don't realize that we're here. But we were formed by a group of physicians about 78 years ago, who realized that the best way to fight cancer was through research."

He says anyone 14 and older can participate in dragon boating.

"We will do practices in the morning (at Stride Place)," he says, "Each team gets a practice session with an experienced coach, then we'll race in the afternoon. Tons of fun. You need 10 paddlers on the boat, plus a drummer. Maybe register up to 14 or so, if you want to have some spares on the team."

McKnight adds paddlers have a role to play in the fundraising effort.

"We, of course, ask each paddler to help raise money,' he says, "The Canadian Cancer Society has been partnered with dragon boating for 16 years in Manitoba, and over the course of that time, our paddlers have raised almost 3.75 million dollars for the cancer fight in Manitoba."

The last two years in Portage saw $32,000 and $28,000 raised, respectively.

You can register here.