Rowing is an expensive sport. In addition to institutional funding, teams rely on the generosity of donors, fundraising campaigns, and athlete dues to make ends meet. Whether you volunteer to let the team spend the night on your living room floor before a race or decide to purchase a new racing shell, we value your contribution.

In our short existence, the team has raised over $60,000 to buy competitive equipment and pay for the expenses of an intercollegiate athletics team. We have been graced to make the acquaintance of a number of very generous individuals who have seen the good work the team is doing, and were able to help out. Without the support of these individuals this team would not have been able to acquire our 4 racing shells and we would still need to borrow boats to race in from our competition.

I wish I could say that the need to raise funds was over, but we are just getting started and the need continues. We have listed our most pressing needs to the right. If you can help with any of these purchases, it will make an immediate and deep impact on our performance. If you would like to discuss how you can assist the team, please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail or phone (360)791-5739. 

Donations made to the team are processed by The Evergreen State College Foundation and are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Click here to go to the Evergreen Foundation web site. At this site you can find addresses, phone numbers, and even donate online via the secure credit card option.

Even though we are a new team, we have developed into a competitive program because of the athletes. Our athletes train as hard as the competition and they want to win just as much as the next team. The disadvantage we face stems from the cost of new equipment. New rowing shells can cost $30,000. The average age of our boats is 25 years old and they were purchased used from our competition when they were no longer useful to them.

Now that we have a boathouse to store our shells, and have a crew that will be held back by our current aging equipment, we need to start thinking about the next set of boats to buy. If you are able to help out on the purchase of a shell, please contact me.

Fortunately, the enthusiasm of our athletes was recognized by individuals with the resources to help us out. Our first Boat, Miss Piggy, was a competitive hull. It was built in 2000. That boat served us very well for the first five years as our top shell. But storing the boat outside took its toll and it is quickly losing it's stiffness.

Some people ask if there is really a difference between the older used shells we have and the newer shells our competition races in. The answer is an emphatic YES! The technology of boat design over the past twenty years has created a considerably faster boat. The wood and fiberglass hulls we row are now replaced by carbon fiber and kevlar. Computer modeling of hull designs and stress loads has replaced intuitive design and artistry. When seconds seperate first from sixth place, boat design does make a difference. For people who have rowed in an older boat and then a new shell, the difference is obvious.

In addition to boats, we need oars, race equipment, a trailer, coaching motor boats, and all sorts of other equipment that you wouldn't normally think about.