The May issue will feature the graduating seniors and their choices for continuing education.

Upcoming Events

National Learn to Row Day
Saturday, 2 June

SumPro - Sweep
Monday, 4 June

SumPro - Sculling
Monday, 9 July

Youth Rowing Camp
Monday, 9 July

United States Navy Week
Monday, 20 August

FrogTown RegattaSaturday, 22 September

Wish List

Loan, Donate, or Sponsor a 1-ton pick-up truck to pull the shell trailers to out-of-town regattas.

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Security cameras for the boathouse

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Classifieds

- Thomas Jefferson

DocksIn

Docks in was accomplished with no mishaps due in part to the Safety briefing held in the Repair Bay before moving one strap or one dock section. There were many more in attendance than could be gainfully employed throughout the whole evolution - and that was intentional. "The more people who know how to do this, the better off the club will be each time the date for Docks In or Docks Out rolls around," Coach McElroy told the group. Docks out in the fall will be the responsibility of teams from the Masters, St. Francis, St. John's Jesuit, and St. Ursula.

Keeping the dock clean: To discourage the geese or, more likely, clean up after they have "dropped by" so to speak, there is a length of garden hose in the Repair Bay. It has a high pressure nozzle on the appropriate end. It can be connected to the sill cock on the water fountain near the top of the Lagoon dock. It can be a very effective method for cleaning both docks.

Spring Regatta Schedule:

3/31
Rust Belt Catholic Championships
Lake Milton, OH (Lake Milton)

4/7
Cincinnati Sprints
East Fork State Park, Bethel, OH

4/14
Lindamood Cup
Marietta, OH

Former SUA Rower at work for the Head of the Charles

Kate Broderick, SUA '07, found the weather in Boston great for moving her "office" onto the deck at Cambridge Boat Club - the headquarters for the Head of the Charles Regatta. Your editor likes to feature pictures likes this.

SEND to newsletter@toledorowing.org.

P-works for Coxswains and coxswains-in-training scheduled for Saturday, 17 March

Saturday morning at 0838, 13 of the 43 participants in the Coxswain clinic held on 7 January came to the boathouse for practical coxswain training; primarily learning how to steer a racing shell. The coaches reviewed some of the documents that were handed out at the classroom session; specifically, Seeing, Safety, Steering; Freighters & Tugboats; and Oversteering with the objective of setting the tone for the students to practice the skills. Two 4's manned by St. John's Jesuit rowers were the training platforms for the coxswains to practice their new skills. The initial exercise was learning the commands for lifting a boat to waist, to shoulders, and overhead without hazarding the shell by hitting it on the boat slings. In the water each coxswain got a chance to shove off, turn in the lagoon, head across the river, turn, head back, and dock his/her boat. The reports were favorable.

You know you are a rower when...

Your vision of going away for a weekend is other people's
vision of Hell.

Recruiting successes

Coaches McElroy and Heppner went to Clay High School and 4 youngsters signed up. Coach went to Cardinal Stritch and 19 signed up. Coach and Tom Broderick went to Bowsher and 31 signed up. Coach and Nick went to Waite and 9 signed up. Coach called Maumee Valley Country Day School AD and was told "No interest". Northview H.S. AD "Yes, I want to talk to you and learn more about rowing so I can tell our youngsters about it" or words to that effect. Southview H.S. AD "Not only no, but goodness me, no." (Do you believe that is really what he said?) "I was AD at Marietta High School before I came here and I know there is a great program there, but I won't have it at SouthView" or words to that effect.

Recruiting Coaches and Adult rowers

Coach/Adult Recruiting Flyer

Each of us has met someone who has rowed in the past - high school, college, club - here in Toledo or elsewhere or who is a prime candidate to enjoy the sport of rowing. Tell them about Toledo Rowing Club, National Learn To Row Day (2 June), SumPro (starting 4 June), Youth Rowing Camp (starting 9 July), and FrogTown Regatta (22 September). Print out the flyer and post it at your workplace, the fitness facility, and wherever else it will have some visibility.

2012 Schedule for Learn to Row:

National Learn to Row Day - Saturday, 2 June, 0838 to 1218
SumPro/Sweep - Monday, 4 June to Friday, 6 July
SumPro/Sculling - Monday 9 July to Thursday, 26 July
Summer Youth Rowing Camp - Monday, 11 June - Friday, 22 June

Another anecdote from the annals

When TRC was located in 3000 square feet of what is now the Metropolis (or is it?), the "boathouse engineers" were able to gain valuable space for our expanding inventory of equipment by very carefully, deliberately and no more than a half a foot at a time moving the "portable wall" that separated the club from the storage area for all the city's yellow rolling stock; i.e., graders, front end loaders, back hoes, dump trucks, and the like. Eventually, the city built a concrete block wall - which today separates Metropolis(?) from Tango's - and that expanded our usable space to 9600 square feet - a big improvement.

Accomplishments toward 2012 Goals

The search for a Head Coach/Program Director is well underway. Letters and e-mails are circulating to Bowling Green State University, Findlay University, Lourdes University, Owens Community College, and the University of Toledo seeking those who might just like to resurrect participation in the sport they once enjoyed. The idea is to remind the populace of the existence of the Toledo Rowing Club and the multitude of opportunities it presents - still seemingly an all too well kept secret. We have also reached out to all the coaches who brought their clubs to the FrogTown Regatta in hopes that some of them have "graduates" who may have moved to the Greater Toledo area and may just have a few embers still smoldering.

We have managed to connect with the Department of Health and Exercise Sciences at Owens Community College which is sponsoring three training sessions in mid-April instructed by former Olympian and Concept2 certified Master Instructor, Terry Smythe.

Click here to open the flyer. If you are nearby Toledo, you may want to drop in to one of these sessions.

Virginia Keller, Don Rettig, and Tom Broderick have developed a list of opportunities and ideas to present to potential sponsors, decided to whom this information will be presented and who will make the presentation, and when. This should help with increasing the value of the FrogTown and potentially adult rowing programs in the summer. The presentations will commence at the end of March (this month). If you know of someone to whom the opportunity to help with Toledo Rowing programs might sound like a good idea, contact Tom Broderick at tbroderick2003@yahoo.com, Virginia Keller at svkeller@bex.net, or Don Rettig at don.rettig@owenscorning.com.

And finally, Coach McElroy and Bill Walker (Club Treasurer) have pulled together the financials for the past five years with the objective of evaluating the fee structure for membership. This effort ties in with the overall effort to diversify and increase sustainable funding revenue dollars to help support the Learn to Row programs, Adaptive Rowing, and yet to be formalized outreach programs.

From an Historical perspective:

The First meeting of TRC

The first meeting of Toledo Rowing Club took place 18 May 1982. Elections were conducted: Jerry Brown, Sr. was elected President; Leo Meidler, Athletic Director; Bill Haskins, Secretary; and Phil LeBoutillier, Jr. Treasurer. The first regatta was held in 1985 when Phil encouraged his college roommate, Bill Coors (Yes, of Coors Brewing) to bring some samples of his product and help sponsor the first Toledo International Rowing Regatta. The rest, as the saying goes, is history! Any readers who know some other historical bits about Toledo Rowing, please submit them to newsletter@toledorowing.org.

Masters Rower Cindy Dana honored

At the 2012 YWCA Milestones 17th Annual Awards Luncheon, 15 March 2012, Cindy Dana was one of seven women honored for their contributions to the empowerment of women, living the mission of the YWCA, and being the embodiment of the YWCA and its ideals. Cindy was honored in the Volunteerism category. The other categories were Arts, Business, Education, Government, Sciences, and Social Services. The start of the write-up in the program stated that Cindy has a sense of community involvement, philanthropy, and the desire to make a difference. Her many volunteer roles in our community exemplify the true meaning of "advocacy.

During Cindy's emotional acceptance "speech" - it was more akin to a really well done chat - she shared with the substantial audience her wish to engage the entire community on one theme - to nurture and raise socially, emotionally, and physically healthy children who will succeed academically, graduate from high school, and be prepared to enter either a college or trade school that greatly increases their chances for lifelong financial stability and success. When Cindy finished her acceptance she repeated a statement she had made earlier: "Give, advocate, and volunteer; work as if it were your job." We can all take a lesson from that. Congratulations to Cindy Dana.

A couple more quotes from acceptances speeches were: "The only thing that leads to failure is to try." Dr. Patricia Hogue, Education Honoree. And "Work hard, work together, love one another, and get as much education as you can." Margaret Danziger, Sciences Honoree. That's the kind of event it was!

You Are Here Toledo Project

Toledo Rowing Club is #16 of 100 locations chosen by AIGA - American Institute of Graphic Arts - as a location for a 36" diameter full color dot to be in place by Friday, 25 May for the entire summer. Three other locations in International Park will also have dots: SS Colonel James M. Schoonmaker (nee: SS Willis B. Boyer), International Park Boat Basin (We call it the Lagoon.), and Rails to Trails Walkway (under the High Level Bridge). Check out the web site at www.youareheretoledo.com/dots to find out about the other 96 locations. We won't know until the dots are in place exactly where they will be installed (glued, pasted, tacked?) Hooray for Toledo Rowing for getting that recognition! Talk it up, folks!!!

Who should get credit and kudos in your organization?

It is easy to tell which clubs are submitting articles, photos, outlines for articles, or just ideas for articles by noting which clubs "get some ink" in the newsletter. Don't get left out! Why not let the editor know how many of your rowers are National Honor Society members; who among your rowers has already been accepted for college and for which college(s) or where each of them is applying; which rowers were letter winners for their efforts during the fall season? Submit ideas, requests, photos, and/or comments to newsletter@toledorowing.org

Receiving two or more copies of each issue?

If you are getting two or more copies of each issue, it is because we have more than one e-mail address for you. Please advise the editor at newsletter@toledorowing.org which e-mail address you would like us to use. We will delete the other(s). Appreciate your help.

Please consider a donation to the Toledo Rowing Foundation.

Your contribution provides college scholarships as well as support for youth and adult rowers. The foundation is a 501 (c) 3 organization, so all gifts are tax deductible.

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