2026 Laurie McHugh “Be the Blue” Award Recipients

Laurie McHugh was more than a co-founder of Bucks Dragon Boat; she was the heartbeat of this club. When we lost Laurie in 2023, we lost a leader, a cheerleader, and a dear friend. But her joy, her fire, and her fierce loyalty did not disappear. It lives on in our paddlers, the culture of our club, in the way we welcome new members, and in the grit we show every time we dig our paddles into Lake Luxembourg and Lake Galena.

Laurie lived her life with an unmistakable energy and generous heart. She showed us what it meant to be the ultimate cheerleader, to pull for the person next to you, to lift the team up when the water got heavy, and to show up with unwavering positivity. She believed in the power of the dragon boat to transform people, to build lifelong bonds, and to bring out the absolute best in each one of us. Laurie was the kind of person who made an immediate impact. Warm, exceptionally loyal, and deeply dedicated to everyone around her. For those who knew her personally, her presence was a constant source of support and encouragement, the sort of friend and teammate who always showed up, always cared, and made every practice and race a little brighter with her beautiful smile and positive attitude.

For those who didn’t have the pleasure of knowing her, Laurie embodied pure heart and steadfast integrity. She brought out the absolute best in people, leading with kindness, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to the dragon boat club she helped create. Laurie was genuinely wonderful in every sense of the word, and her legacy continues to touch all of us, whether we were lucky enough to stand alongside her or only knew her through stories told.

So, to honor her memory and ensure her spirit remains in our dragon boat club forever, we are presenting the inaugural Laurie McHugh “Be the Blue” Award.

The 2026 Award Recipients are:

Fusion: Cindy Manzo

Firestorm: Matt Harris

Ascent: Eileen Matthews

Fury: Nancy Cook

Freedom: Kelly Gustovich

Force: Melanie Reshetar

“Be the Blue” isn’t just about athletic performance or crossing the finish line first. It’s about who you are both in and out of the boat. It’s about quiet leadership, selfless sportsmanship, genuine kindness, and the constant effort to elevate everyone around you. It’s about bringing positive energy to grueling practices, offering an encouraging word when someone is struggling, and carrying passion into every single stroke.

As we present this award for the very first time, we celebrate Laurie’s lasting legacy and the dragon boat club she helped create for all of us. We recognize these people within our club who truly embody Laurie’s spirit, who lift our club higher, and who remind us every day what it truly means to “Be the Blue.”