Lance Rufledt is an assistant manager at Farm & Fleet in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. He also is the proud captain of Blain's Farm & Fleet Paddlers, the company's dragon boat team for the Half Moon Dragon Boat Festival. Rufledt is returning to fulfill his captain duties for a second year.

Blain's Farm & Fleet Paddlers made their dragon boat debut at the 2018 Half Moon Dragon Boat Festival. Rufledt had attended the Half Moon Dragon Boat Festival in the past but as a spectator on the shore of Half Moon Beach. He decided that it would be fun to get a team together and race across the water. Despite having no prior experience and paddling for the first time together, he thought they did really well.

"I got a team together from work, and we won fastest time of the day," Rufledt says proudly.

Rufledt and the Blain's Farm & Fleet Paddlers team are looking forward to returning for the second year. They hope to find success like 2018, but more importantly, they are looking forward to the fun and excitement, team camaraderie, and raising money for a good cause.

"The event is a great team-building activity and, overall, is a lot of fun for a group of people to do," Rufledt says. "It also supports cancer research. And a few of our store associates have been affected by cancer, so this event holds extra meaning for us."

A few new faces will be added to the team this year, but more than half of the paddlers from 2018 will return for another year of competition. Look for the Blain's Farm & Fleet Paddlers on August 3, at the Half Moon Dragon Boat Festival. They'll be wearing patriotic colors as they race across Half Moon Lake hoping to win fastest time for the second consecutive year.

The Half Moon Dragon Boat Festival will be held Saturday, Aug. 3 at Half Moon Beach. More information is available at halfmoondragonboat.org.

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