DENVER, CO -- The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival Board of Directors announced the selection of Dr. Susanna Choi as Honorary Chair and Jimmy and Linda Yip as Honorary Patrons of the 7^th Annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival (CDBF).  The 2007 festival will be held July 28-29 at Sloan’s Lake Park.

Dr. Choi heads an ob/gyn medical practice in Greenwood Village.  Specializing in holistic concepts and advanced diagnostic techniques, she attracts patients worldwide for her medical expertise, which spans 23 years.  Working through Jeremiah’s Hope, the Denver-based Christian medical ministry to Cambodia, she volunteers as a medical missionary providing care and educating young medical students.

Jimmy and Linda Yip founded the Nathan Yip Foundation after their son Nathan, 19, was killed in a car accident.  Nathan often traveled abroad with his parents and participated in many philanthropic projects--most notably--Future Givers, of which he was vice president.  Future Givers is a youth organization started in 2000 created to give kids practical experience with fundraising and to raise money for Project PAVE (Promoting Alternatives to Violence through Education).

His death inspired Jimmy and Linda to establish the Nathan Yip Foundation, fulfilling his dream of helping impoverished children worldwide.  Formed in 2003, the foundation has raised more than $200,000, providing welfare, schools, and educational resources for children in China, Mexico, and the construction of an orphanage in Rwanda. 

The Honorary Chair position was established in 2001 and is nominated by the Asian Pacific American (APA) community.  The Honorary Chair is a member of the APA community, and because of their achievement, serves as a positive role model either through their public position, volunteer work, and/or level of social activism.  Past Honorary Chairs are Stan Matsunaka, Bill Hosokawa, Jaime Yrastorza, John Yee, Donna LaVigne, and George and Helen Yoshida.

The Honorary Patron position was established in 2006 and is selected by the CDBF Board of Directors.  The Honorary Patron is an indivdual(s) or entity with a proven record of philanthropic and charitable efforts that support awareness and betterment of both the APA community and communities throughout Colorado.  Past Honorary Patrons are Anna and John J. Sie.

The 7^th Annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is presented in association with Coors Brewing Company, Kaiser Permanente, SCFD Tier III, State Farm, 101.5 FM Martini on the Rockies, Comcast, FOX 31- KDVR and The Denver Post.  Supporting Sponsors of the event are AARP, American Family Insurance, Colorado QuitLine, MoneyGram International and PEPSI BOTTLING GROUP.  Corporate Patrons include Premier Bank, Raytheon and Wells Fargo.

Founded in 2001 to celebrate Colorado’s diverse Asian Pacific American (APA) communities, the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival has become the region’s fastest growing fun, family-friendly summer festival.  Named "Top Annual Festival" by the Rocky Mountain News and a "Best of Denver" event by Westword, CDBF offers festival-goers the opportunity to explore APA culture through performances, educational programs, arts and crafts, shopping, dining and the exciting athletic competition of dragon boat racing.

For information about the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival visit www.cdbf.org.