History of the Oriental Dragon*
*To the best of our knowledge, please send additions and corrections to perry@orientaldragonsociety.org
*To the best of our knowledge, please send additions and corrections to perry@orientaldragonsociety.org
old Tumble Inn on the waterfront in Oriental. With Joe’s guidance, and the help of some old blankets and tin cans, she took form. Then on New Years Eve she marched the streets, bothering dogs and delighting the neighbors. She even made an appearance at the Rotary Club's New Years Eve Dance.The Dragon enjoyed her New Years dance with the humans of Oriental so much that she returned each year. There was always a small group of citizens that would help Joe Cox spruce up his creation and continue the tradition.
Sometime in the mid 1970’s Joe’s original dragon disappeared. Perhaps she was washed away in a storm. But by that time, the tradition of running the dragon could not be stopped. So Joe, with the help of Betsy Cox, Charlie Kahn and others, built a new dragon more colorful and outrageous than before.By the mid 1990’s the dragon was getting a bit tattered and worn, so a diverse group of talented people, led by artists Bonnie Kendall and Charles Bird, lent their skills, materials, imagination and time to create a new dragon.
This new high tech dragon, built entirely from recycled materials, was bigger, lighter, and faster than its predecessors. But the most outstanding innovation allowed the lead dragon dancer to actually see where they were going.
In 2007 the dragons body, which was made of wool and starting to become rather aromatic, was replaced by a new, more colorful body made of spinnaker cloth. Susan Cheatham, her husband Perry and Toni Leavitt spent most of the month of December at Camp Don Lee’s dining hall, sewing the new body.
New Years Eve 2008 got a little out of hand. Our dragon broke a rib and lost a few teeth. But thanks to the efforts of local sculptor Gary Gresko and the support of the citizens of Oriental, she underwent a complete dental implant procedure. She then went on to have a one of her most spectacular runs on New Years Eve 2009.
A few Oriental Dragon Society Members, past and present:
Joe and Betsy Cox, Charlie Kahn. Turtle Midgette, Alan Arnfast, Danny and Sharon Foreman, Grace Evans, Bonnie Kendall. Charles Bird, Steve Spicer, Tim Rogers, Janet Alexander, Steve and Alice Wright, Howard and Leah Longinau, Toni Leavitt, Glen Hedrick, Tennessee Ronnie, Steve Hollowell, Perry and Susan Cheatham, Gary Gresko, John Delamar, Sarah Rellinger, The Sailing Morgans, Jason Boudreault, Fred and Beth Shultz, Reuben Maxwell...
There are many many more. Please help us complete the list. Send information to perry@orientaldragonsociety.org.
Thanks to pamlico-nc.com for some of the information and photos
Thanks to pamlico-nc.com for some of the information and photos