Paddles Up for Laurie Marsh!
Laurie Marsh
by Cory Graham
As we each reflect on how to describe what Laurie Marsh has meant to the Dragon Divas over the past decade, I’m reminded of Fred Rogers quote, “Look for the helpers”. Laurie, I think, is the model of who Mr. Rogers was talking about. She has been that helper for many of us as individuals and to our beloved organization as a whole. We offer her our love and gratitude as she ventures forth on the next adventure in her life– moving with her family to North Carolina in just a few short weeks.
As women who have gone through the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, we know what it is to feel vulnerable and seek support and help from others, difficult as that may be. Laurie has been on that journey. When she joined our ranks in 2016, she gracefully accepted the help of veteran Dragon Divas as she learned how to paddle a dragon boat. It can be uncomfortable to learn a new skill and to persevere to the point of mastering it. And as we know, paddling is just a slice of what we learn together as Dragon Divas. Laurie dove right in, joining a crew to both learn new skills and also to offer her support, time and talent to others.
Laurie found her stride as a newbie and lo and behold, became masterful at paddling in several different positions on the boat. And as the student became the master, her paddling skill and more importantly, her kind, helpful demeanor were noticed and appreciated by many. The mentee became the mentor.
Laurie’s phenomenal specialty of ‘rotating’ with each paddle stroke serves as a metaphor for her ability to ‘pivot’ as she adjusts and helps out whenever and wherever our organization needs her. Most notably, with the Grounds Crew and as the lead stern on the Equipment Crew. That’s not all!
Laurie’s empathy toward others is at the foundation of her being. That empathy was critical to the Dragon Divas in 2019 when some of our members branched off to begin a new Dragon Boat team. We very much needed Laurie’s organizational talent and positivity and she responded by graciously accepting a nomination to serve on our board. Laurie was critical to helping us re-envision our Crew norms and develop a standard set of Crew Guidelines. Her strength of character and keen focus on serving the Dragon Diva mission were so valuable to our Board and contributed to the future success of the Dragon Divas.
In closing, I’d be remiss if not mentioning Laurie’s contribution to the Equipment Crew. To be sure, that serves as the capstone of her final days paddling with us on Lake Gervais. How many oar arms, oar locks, paint chips and Nessie heads has she had to help repair? Not to mention the number of sunglasses, lock nuts, dock bolts and wedding bands she’s helped retrieve from the murky water. We will miss you Laurie Marsh, our Diva sister, and keep you in our hearts always; for we are one heart, one beat, one boat. Thank you for showing us how to accept help and become helpers. We carry you with us always.