Oct 4, 2022 Newsletter

Hello NMRC!

Welcome October and its crisp mornings!  NMRC is still rowing at Solon Township in the bigger boats, so check the iCrew schedule for opportunities to row or contact Mindy at: mindy@northernmichiganrowing.club. and she will help you get in a boat.

Glen Lake Update

That’s a Wrap!  Major shoutouts to everyone who rallied to row/de-rig/store all of the Glen Lake boats on Friday: Rich & Lyn Bahle, Karen Broach, Melissa Dow, Mindy Hawley, Jeff & Diane Hamilton, Annabel Moore, Susan Sunda, Cindy Waldeck, Tom Weber and Wendy Whiteside.  It was a fabulous showing of high-energy teamwork followed by beers, burgers and tots at Arts. Go team!

Solon Township Update

The Oarhouse got a fresh coat of paint since it was originally painted decades ago. Thank you to the volunteers who helped this project get completed last Thursday: Joe Carter, Cindy Opie, Susan O’Connor, Mindy Hawley and Rich and Lyn Bahle. Shoutout to neighbor Randy for his moral support and delicious olives. Many hands made light work! The building really looks great. There is still the block building to paint if anyone is motivated to take that on this fall. Contact Mindy or Susan if interested. 

De-rigging at Solon is still tentatively scheduled for October 29.  We will keep you informed of the details. We’ll likely do one last park clean-up on this day as well, so bring your rakes with you.

If you have any leads on winter storage for the big boats and trailer, please contact Susan O’Connor at 231-218-0774. We’ve had a few leads, but we are still actively looking for affordable winter storage options. Please reach out to friends and neighbors with pole buildings to see if they might be willing to let us park our trailer there for the winter.

We Need You!

Fundraising: The club is in need of a person who can take on the role of Fundraiser Coordinator. We will need a team of at least 3 members to join this team. The club needs ongoing funds to acquire much-needed equipment for the 2023 season as well as to cover operating costs not covered by membership fees. If you have any experience in this area, please send an email to: members@northernmichiganrowing.club and let us know you’d be willing to take the lead on fundraising. We’d like to get the first fundraising meeting on the calendar as soon as possible.

Grant Writer: Do we have a grant writer in our midst? Now that we have a second year of financial records in the books, we are able to apply for specific area and statewide grants that could make a vast difference in our ability to provide affordable rowing opportunities for all. If you have any experience with this, please send an email to: members@northernmichiganrowing.club and let us know. There are grants available right now that we can start applying for; we just need someone, or a team of people, willing to be responsible for this area. Thank you so much for considering this.

Membership: We are also looking for a Recruitment Coordinator to lead a team for membership recruitment. While we hope everyone is planning on rowing with us next year and bringing their friends along with them, rowing clubs need to participate in ongoing recruitment. We want to be able to expand our rowing opportunities by making sure we are filling session slots at both locations. Email: members@northernmichiganrowing.club if you’re willing to help with recruitment.

All of these positions are vital for the sustainability of our club. 

As the leaves begin to change and we get ready to put away our rowing shells, it is hard not to feel a little bittersweet about the end of our rowing season. We are working hard on an end-of-season member survey so we can gather your input on NMRC. We are so grateful for everyone’s participation and enthusiasm. Together, we’ve managed to create a really positive and supportive environment, and we look forward to building on that for next spring.

NMRC’s mission is to promote and provide recreational and competitive rowing opportunities and instruction to people of all ages, income levels, and physical abilities throughout Northern Michigan. If you or someone you know is interested in rowing but feel your income or physical ability may get in the way, please reach out to members@northernmichiganrowing.club

Northen Michigan Rowing
8215 S Lake Shore Dr
Cedar, MI 49621
USA