Prairie Dragon Paddlers

What Prairie Dragon Paddlers does

Prairie Dragon Paddlers (PDP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 in Illinois, operating the state's first breast cancer survivor dragon boat team. The organization serves breast cancer survivors in the Champaign-Urbana region through a twice-weekly paddling practice program (April-October at Homer Lake), participation in regional and international breast cancer survivor (BCS) division races, and a portfolio of wellness, educational, and survivorship support services. The team operates two dragon boats — the original 'Hope' (a 42-foot, 900-pound vessel) and the newer 'Inspire' with custom graphics — and also distributes Comfort Kits to newly diagnosed or in-treatment patients. The competitive core is complemented by an annual breast cancer speaker series, lymphedema education sessions, and a Flower Ceremony tradition.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit funding structure combining annual participation fees ($80 per year for both Paddlers and Prairie Partners), a tiered corporate sponsorship program (Pink Paddle $500 through Platinum $10,000), donations, merchandise sales through a third-party storefront, and event-based fundraising (plant sales, the Pink Paddle Pickleball Tournament, and the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend charity partnership). In 2018, PDP established the first named breast cancer research fund at the Cancer Center at Illinois (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), supporting research on triple-negative breast cancer and combination therapies. The organization's customer base spans three segments: breast cancer survivors (primary), volunteer Prairie Partners (support), and corporate sponsors (Kirby Medical Center as Title Sponsor, Illini4000 at Platinum, Gibson Area Hospital and Mettler Center at Gold).

The organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors with multiple committees (Wellness, Boat, Marketing, Travel, Survivor Support) and staffed by a small operating team led by Founder/Coach Kelly Bradham and Executive Director Vanessa Faurie. PDP's strategic posture centers on deepening its healthcare provider network (Carle Cancer Institute, Mills Breast Cancer Institute, Mettler Center) and its regional identity rather than geographic expansion; evidence of any national scaling ambition is absent. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the enterprise operates at a small scale consistent with a community-rooted nonprofit mission.

Name

Prairie Dragon Paddlers

Legal name

Prairie Dragon Paddlers

Website

https://prairiedragonpaddlers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Prairie Dragon Paddlers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating Illinois' first breast cancer survivor dragon boat team, serving survivors in the Champaign-Urbana region through paddling practices, regional and international races, wellness programming, and a named breast cancer research fund at the University of Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Breast Cancer Survivorship and Wellness Services

NAICS

Marinas (713930)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Whitewater & Paddle Sports Centers (Rafting, Kayak, SUP, Canoe) (THAAAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

Keywords

• Breast cancer survivorship programs
• Dragon boat racing
• Nonprofit wellness services
• Cancer survivor community support
• Community fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Savoy

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Participation Fees: Members pay an annual fee to join as Paddlers or Prairie Partners, covering team activities, races, equipment use, and storage.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, corporate sponsorships at various tiers (Platinum through Pink Paddle), and proceeds from fundraising events including plant sales, pickleball tournaments, and race weekend partnerships.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship tiers include Title Sponsor, Platinum ($10,000), Gold ($5,000), Silver ($2,500), Bronze ($1,000), and Pink Paddle ($500) levels.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online store selling Prairie Dragon Paddlers merchandise including branded apparel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Prairie Dragon Paddlers operates a breast cancer survivor dragon boat team in East Central Illinois, providing twice-weekly paddling practices at Homer Lake from April through October and participation in regional and international BCS-division dragon boat races. The organization supplements paddling with public wellness talks, survivorship support (including comfort kits for newly diagnosed patients), a breast cancer research fund at the Cancer Center at Illinois, and an online merchandise store. Members join as either Paddlers (breast cancer survivors) or Prairie Partners (volunteer supporters) via an $80 annual fee.

Product overview

Prairie Dragon Paddlers offers a unified suite of programs centered on dragon boating for breast cancer survivors. The core offering is participation in the dragon boat team as either a Paddler (active survivor member) or Prairie Partner (support volunteer). Supporting services include educational wellness events, breast cancer research funding, comfort kit distribution, and merchandise sales. The organization operates two dragon boats named Hope and Inspire, and conducts practices at Homer Lake with participation in regional BCS division races throughout the Midwest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dragon Boating Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Supporting research on triple negative breast cancer gene roles and combination therapies to increase survivorship
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Kirby Medical CenterflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle Sponsor of Prairie Dragon Paddlers. PDP Vice President Miriam Garrett serves as physical therapist at Kirby. The organization participates in Kirby's annual Row-A-Thon fundraising event and hosts informational events with their support.
• Illini4000coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Sponsor of Prairie Dragon Paddlers.
• Gibson Area Hospital (GAHHS)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Sponsor of Prairie Dragon Paddlers.
• Champaign JewelersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPink Paddle Sponsor that has designated Prairie Dragon Paddlers as recipient of their monthly charity collection for three consecutive years.
• Cancer Center at Illinois (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of the Prairie Dragon Paddlers Breast Cancer Research Fund established in 2018. The fund supports breast cancer research including studies on triple negative breast cancer and combination therapies. This was the first designated, named fund created at the engineering-driven cancer research center.
• Mettler CentercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPDP sponsor that provided certified lymphedema therapist Jami Kohlman for a virtual information session on lymphedema for the team.
• Country Arbors NurseryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for spring plant sale fundraiser. Orders placed online with proceeds supporting Prairie Dragon Paddlers.
• Bodyworks of ParisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOwner Keith Rice provided free repairs to the dragon boat 'Hope' after storm damage at no cost, ensuring the boat was safe to return to the water.
• Champaign Public LibraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for free wellness talks and speaker events on breast cancer research, treatment, and survivorship.
• Christie Clinic Illinois Race WeekendcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrairie Dragon Paddlers served as Charity Running Partner for the Illinois Marathon and Race Weekend events in 2025 and 2026, raising funds through participant fundraising.
• Indy SurviveOarsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSister dragon boat team in Indianapolis, Indiana's only breast cancer survivor dragon boat team. Teams participated together in virtual fitness challenges during the pandemic.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prairie-dragon-paddlers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Prairie Dragon Paddlers