Dear Friends of Cape Cod Rowing,

            I would like to introduce you to our non-profit organization, Cape Cod Rowing. In 2008 we are entering our tenth year and operate as a 501(c)(3) non-profit club with both youth and adult participants. We row on Lake Wequaquet in Centerville, MA and our $60,000 per year operating budget is overseen by a dedicated Board of Directors. Our income source is solely derived from membership dues and fund raising efforts. We have sent rowers to numerous colleges and universities such as Yale, Northeastern, and UMASS where they have received partial and full scholarships. At the high school level our club has historically had a stronger contingent of girls over boys. In the past our girls have participated in international competitions as close as Canada and as far away as South Africa. However, due to our limited resources we stopped the boys program several years ago.

            As a Probation Officer in Barnstable County I have the unique opportunity to meet with a broad spectrum of men and have seen first hand the ill effects that an upbringing without structure, discipline and accountability can have on a young man. Out of a desire to make a difference in our community I decided to resurrect the boys program just over a year ago. The boys who have since joined the team have shown themselves to be committed and hard working with aspirations to continue to row in high school and beyond. They have developed a desire to be competitive, to be fast, and ultimately they want to win. At the public high school State Championship Regatta in the Spring of 2007 the novice boys received first place and this past Fall they received fifth place on the varsity level. We are a brand new varsity and the competition is intense. We will be engaging in Winter training during the course of the next few months but an area that is posing us significant limitations is with our equipment.

            The boys and men that participate in the club do not have adequate equipment to suit their size as our boats have been purchased over the years to benefit the predominantly female contingent. This past summer the men were in one of those boats when it flipped. Because the shoes were too small several of the men were unable to release their feet and it was a harrowing few moments as they tried to free themselves from the overturned boat.

            On behalf of the boys and men in the program we have dedicated ourselves to taking time to raise awareness of the rowing opportunities on the Cape along with our desire to be competitive athletes. Therefore, we are seeking support from the community to help raise money toward the purchase of new boats dedicated specifically to the boys and mens team. Based on our present numbers our first priority boats would consist of two new racing quality fours followed by a racing quality eight. A fully outfitted four with oars has a cost of $25,000 and the same for an eight has a cost of $30,000. The proper equipment not only brings increased levels of pride and effort on the part of the rowers it also propels you farther per stroke thus helping give the crew the winning edge. The positive momentum that would be generated by having new boats would greatly strengthen the program by allowing us to draw in more numbers and consequently be even more successful. If you would like to make a donation please visit us at capecodrowing.org. By clicking the donate tab you will be able to learn more about this drive including viewing a video put together by the boys that highlights who we are and what we do on the water.

            The sport of rowing is a valuable asset to the lives of the youth and adults in our community. If you have any questions in regard to the programs offered through our organization or our future aspirations please feel free to contact me directly at 508-395-4563. Thank you in advance for your consideration of a donation as we endeavor to continue our passion of connecting oar to water.

Sincerely,

Coach Alyse Demary