Community Rowing was chosen as a winner of The Rings of Gold by the United States Olympic Committee and was honored with other awardees at the 2012 US Olympic and Paralympic Assembly Sept. 20-21 in Colorado Springs, CO.

Yes, in November again!! We want you ALL to join us - in costume and ready to race!  This year's race will be in honor and remembrance of Jacquie McCarthy, a dear friend, sculler,  and past captain at CRI as well as one of the founders of this fun day.

We will follow the same race course as in previous years - the start is near the HOCR finish line and you'll finish right in front of the CRI docks.  Meet at 8:30 am for last minute info, first boats launch at 8:35, and racing begins at 9am.  This race is open to all - beginners, advanced, adaptive, veterans, tubbies, B boats, singles , doubles, quads, even a few eights and even if you've never raced before!!  The entrance fee is easy also - a costume and something to share at the post race brunch.  There will be several race categories and lots of prizes including Best Costume, Best Rowing Style, as well as 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each race.

To sign up , email me your name, age and boat choice or a private boat at lyns@mindspring.com  

We also need volunteers before and after -  set up and take down for the brunch, and during the race itself as timers, launch drivers, and a few dock hands and a photographer.  let me know at the email above!!

Lynn and Liz

Attention CRI members and friends - this is your chance to take to the shores of the Charles this wekend and inspire others in Boston and around the world to take-up 'rowing for all.'

Thousands of athletes and spectators at the Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR) will wear colorful buttons over the weekend as part of a game designed to spark conversation about positive social and community impact. Seattle-based social enterprise Luum is the game's creator. Luum is championing 6 'hot-button issues' and the organizations that invite real world actions for people to take. One such issue is 'rowing for all, with CRI the issue's crier.

Other hot-button issues include Clean Water, championed by the Waterkeeper Alliance. Waterkeeper Alliance advocates for swimmable, fishable, and drinkable water, and are inviting people to familiarize themselves with water quality in their area through the swimguide app. Also included: local food, civic engagement, active for life, and literacy.

Luum is a new online platform that helps people have a positive impact on the world. Four of Luum's team members are competing this weekend. Luum CEO Sohier Hall, a Dartmouth '92 rower and current Sammamish Rowing (SRA) athlete, explained,  "We hear story after story about individuals who care to make a difference, but feel constrained - no matter what their stage in life. Many don't know what actions to take, or they don't sense progress, yet they'd love to see their involvement open doors to more impact." Hall sees the rowing community as a great starting place for Luum, "We see that rowers' commitment to each-other extends beyond the boat to community involvement. We're having some fun this weekend harnessing this incredible energy, channeling it into relevant issues, and using it as a seed to inspire others in the community to take up their issue through action."

Even if you won't be at HOCR, you can still get involved. Visit Luum's HOCR page and declare your social issue, and if you're a rower, your home waterway. You can also use this page to register for a button in advance of the event.
 
Luum employee entries at the HOCR include Tyler Simpson and Sohier Hall in the men's Master's 40+ under SRA; Jonathan Kallay in the men's Master's 40+ 4 under SRA, and Hans Struzyna in the Men's Championship 1x under SRA.   Watch for the Luum 2x/2- Hudson at a race near you in 2013!