Local high school rowers work to raise $15,000 for the Tulsa Rowing Club.
On January 28th, 2012 the Tulsa Rowing Club Juniors will hold their annual 12-hour Row-A-Thon fundraiser at their boathouse located at River West Festival Park. The rowers will start rowing at 7am in the morning and row throughout the day trying to record as many meters as possible. If weather and river conditions are agreeable the student athletes involved with the event will row on the river in shifts, otherwise the students will use indoor rowing machines to complete their distance quotas. Each rower in the club is required to row a minimum distance of 30km and in turn raise a minimum of $250 by collecting pledges as a contribution to the club. The juniors rowing club hopes to raise $15,000 during the course of the day.
The funds raised will contribute towards purchases of rowing shells, oars, rowing machines and a scholarship fund that provides financial assistance to students who require some support to be a part of the program. In addition, the juniors program is currently fundraising for a potential trip to the United Kingdom to race at Henley Royal Regatta.
Last year’s event raised $15,239 for the program.
“It is truly remarkable how hard these student athletes work at this event. It is not uncommon for most of our rowers to record distances over fifty kilometers”, said Tulsa Rowing Club Juniors Head Coach Neil Bergenroth. “These athletes care deeply about our program and recognize the calling to give back to something that they are benefiting from, it’s a great learning experience.”
The Tulsa Rowing Club Juniors competes at the regional and national level and is currently recruiting for the spring 2012 season. For more information on the club please visit www.tulsarowing.org or contact Head Coach Bergenroth at coachb@tulsarowing.org.