14th Annual Lake Worth Great American Raft Race Theme is Reading Is Fun (RIF)!

Mary Lindsey has the latest special report in The Lake Worth Herald on the upcoming Great American Raft Race:

      A theme for this year’s Raft Race has been chosen by the Neighborhood Association Presidents Council, The 14th Annual Great American RIF-Raft Race! RIF stands for Reading Is Fun! Raft entries will select a favorite book, author or literary character(s) as a theme to decorate their homemade rafts for the parade downtown and the raft race at the Boat Ramp on the Intracoastal on the 4th of July. 
     Last year’s Art on the Water Raft Race brought out 26 entries, many for the first time. Neighborhood Associations, other non-profit service organizations, local businesses and even the City of Lake Worth are expected to be among this year’s participants in what can only be described as Lake Worth’s most chaotic and cherished annual event. 
     Rafts are homemade with no manufactured hulls and people powered only, no motors. Huge slabs of styrofoam, plastic barrels lashed together, air mattresses stuffed inside wooden pallets and origami inspired folded coroplast canoes are but a few of the many raft designs used in the past.

[and some history about the Great American Raft Race]

     From 2002 until 2009 each entry chose whatever theme they wanted. Beginning in 2010, an overall raft race theme was chosen and each entry designed their raft accordingly. Here are the Raft Race Winners from every year: 
     2002, 2003, 2004 Bryant Park 
     2005, 2006, 2007 Kiwanis 
     2008, Tropical Ridge 
     2009, Bryant Park 
     2010, “Movies”, Sabal Palm House and Mango Inn with Pajama Game 
     2011, “Nursery Rhymes”, A tie for First with South Palm Park and Tropical Ridge 
     2012, “Broadway Musicals”, Kiwanis 
     2013, “The Lake Worth Centennial”, South Palm Park 
     2014, “Art on the Water”, Kiwanis (with ongoing and everlasting protest by Downtown Jewel) 
     Trophies are also awarded for Best Decorated, Crowd Pleaser, Best First Timer, Best On-shore Performance, and the Run Aground trophy, awarded to the raft team that perseveres in the face of insurmountable odds, like sinking! It’s been rumored that a new Trophy may be awarded this year called The Paddle for the team voted by the crowd who displays unneighborly sportsmanship. Tough call in a race with no rules, but in the Great American Raft Race, the Golden Rule reigns supreme.

You know one of the themes is going to be Fifty Shades of Grey, wonder who will be first to pick that theme? See you at the Raft Race!