The city may have mothballed Echo Park Lake's paddle boat fleet, but this Sunday the boats will be made lake-worthy in time for the Second Annual Echo Park Paddle Boat Regatta. The charity event, organized by 826LA, is straightforward enough. Crews vie to see who are the best paddle boat racers — while also seeing which team can raise the most money for the Dave Eggers-founded nonprofit whose aim is to develop the writing skills of local youth, ages 6-18. (The group currently has a volunteer base of about 550 tutors, operating out of Echo Park's Time Travel Mart and Venice's SPARC Building.)

Donations can either be solicited between now and Friday night by the crew members, or simply contributed by spectators who want to help out their favorite crews — which need to raise a $100 minimum to compete in the regatta. (Starting positions are determined by the size of the contributions raised.) While this year's race permits two or more sailors per boat, only four crew members can sail in the parade that follows the race. Door — I mean, port prizes include Most Valuable Pedaler, Pedal Boat Maneuvering and Team Spirit. The regatta winners' booty includes a pair of $100 Book Soup gift cards and a trophy. Other prizes include gift cards from Hive hair salon, a tote bag with loot from

Unique LA, plus gift cards from Masa restaurant.

All participants will receive a gift bag with goodies from Filter,

Izze, Flora and Fauna Press.

Registration and fundraising end July 24, 11:59 p.m.: Regatta Sunday,

July 26, 4 p.m. Free parking behind the Time Travel Mart, 1714 W.

Sunset Blvd.  Lake headquarters: (213) 847-3281.

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