Rhinebeck Crew Needs Your Support

Dear Friends,

Rhinebeck Crew had a great 2021 Spring Season! We started later due to the pandemic but still had a fun and challenging rowing experience with daily practices on the Hudson. We competed in weekend Regattas at the boathouse and finished in June with the annual Row for the Cure breast cancer fundraiser.

Even with the support of the school for busing and coaching, our annual expenses are upward of $12,000 before we even put our oars in the water. Our student fee for rowing is $600 plus the cost of uniforms. For many families, this cost prevents them from experiencing this wonderful sport.
Our fundraising focus this year is building a need-based scholarship fund that can help lower the cost of entry for students who need assistance. Your gift will mean more than ever this year with our expenses on the rise.

It’s easy to donate online or use this form to mail a check.

Do you know a family or business that would like to support our program? Please forward it to them.

We’re grateful for your support of our program and the students it serves. Thank you for your generosity and kindness. We wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. 

With gratitude, 

The Rhinebeck Crew Board

Paul Beichert  president@rhinebeckcrew.org

Peter Szwed   vicepresident@rhinebeckcrew.org

Isabel Poletta  secretary@rhinebeckcrew.org

Tom Voohis     treasurer@rhinebeckcrew.org

Season Race Schedule

Hello Crew family,

As some of you may already know from your rowers, we finally have a season schedule - AND we have the ability to view the races from Waryas Park!

We've added these dates to the Calendar section of our website.

VARSITY

• 5/9 - 8am - Rhinebeck / Arlington / Lourdes

• 5/16 - 8am - Rhinebeck / Spackenkill

• 5/30 - 8am - Rhinebeck / Lourdes / Newburgh

• 6/6 - 6am - Rhinebeck / Arlington

• 6/13 - 7:30am - Rhinebeck / Spackenkill / Lourdes
  

NOVICE

• 5/23 - 8am - Rhinebeck / Arlington / Lourdes

• 6/6 - 6am - Rhinebeck / Spackenkill / Arlington

• 6/13 - 7:30am - Rhinebeck / Spackenkill / Lourdes

Please note that these are RACE START TIMES. Rowers will need to be at the boathouse earlier to get equipment set up. Your coach will let you know what time to be there. With the small size of our team this season, it's likely that many novice rowers will put into varsity boats so make sure you have all dates in your calendar.

Changes may be made to this schedule and we will do our best to let you know as soon as we can. In most cases, your coaches will be the first to know about the changes and they will communicate those changes to the rowers.

Very important information:

1. Rowers should come race and, after your time slot, teams should leave. HRRA needs to keep the number of rowers at the boathouse down as much as possible.

2. There will be no changing areas in the rest rooms. Rest rooms are only allowed to have two people in at a time, the locker room part is closed.

3. No Spectators at the boathouse teams and coaches only.

4. We will be running South from the boathouse. Boathouse being the starting line and the finish line will be at the Waryas Park Dock where the Clearwater boards. Spectators can watch from Waryas Park or the Walkway Bridge.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions. Thanks!

Paul Beichert

Rhinebeck Crew President

845-532-5018 Mobile

Help Us Return to the Water With Strength

Dear Crew Community,

Like the rest of the world, 2020 was a challenging time for our rowers, their families and for the Rhinebeck Crew organization. It was the first time in our 20 year history without a season on the river.

Yet we still managed to attain success (our 1 and only erg race) and stay connected to one another. See these 2020 photos for a few highlights.

Now, having made it through a year turned sideways, our boats are back on the water. Our student athletes are very excited, and we are looking forward to a safe and vibrant season.

Last year, community members helped us purchase a new food trailer and a new 4-person rowing shell, and celebrate our graduating seniors and send them off to future success.

This year, we're again asking community members like you to support our student athletes, so that we can get back on the water with strength.

Become a 2021 Rhinebeck Crew, Inc. sponsor today

Operating Rhinebeck’s successful crew program takes more resources than most other sports. Rhinebeck Central School District funds only a portion of our budget — a majority of our funding comes from rower families, and from financial contributions from neighbors and businesses like you.

Your contribution will help offset the costs of equipment, boathouse fees, insurance, regatta entry fees, and uniforms. And, perhaps most importantly, it will fund scholarships to students who would like to participate but are not able to fully contribute, so that any student who wants to row can join our team.

Rhinebeck Crew has been a vibrant part of our community for 20 years. It is an inclusive team, with athletes from all four high school years, which provides unique opportunities for mentoring and teamwork.

With your help, we can offer this unique experience to future generations of Rhinebeck students. Please send your support for Rhinebeck Crew today.

Thank you for your consideration,

Paul, Peter, Kerri and Tom
Rhinebeck Crew, Inc. Board of Directors

P.S. If you prefer to give by check, please download our printable sponsor form (pdf). Mailing instructions are included on the form. Thank you!

UPDATE: Crew Registration Deadline - March 5th!

Good Afternoon!

Thanks to everyone who has pre-registered for the season and attended our Season Kick-Off meeting! Reminding everyone that the March 5 deadline for completed sign-ups is fast approaching.

Next steps:

• Register your rower @ https://www.rhinebeckcrew.org/sign-up-2021 (YOU CAN SKIP THIS STEP if you've already registered)

• Pay U.S. Rowing membership @ http://www.usrowing.org (~$10)

• Pay Season Fee ($400 total; 2 $200 installments available) + Order Uniform @ https://rhinebeckcrew.square.site/s/order

Details about safety and season specifics can be found in our Season Kick-Off Presentation (https://www.rhinebeckcrew.org/2021-season-kickoff...). As we learn more details from the school and HRRA, we will share that info with you. If you still have questions or concerns, please contact me at president@rhinebeckcrew.org or on my cell 845-532-5018.

Thank you for your commitment to Rhinebeck Crew. We'll see you on the river!

Paul Beichert

Rhinebeck Crew President

845-532-5018 Mobile

P.S. We're looking for more rowers! Please help us spread the word by emailing and/or texting high school parents/guardians who might be interested.

UPDATE: Vote For Our 2020 Season Slogan

And the winner is…Pulling Together!

UPDATE: Congratulations to the Class of 2020

2020 Senior Send Off

Rhinebeck crew coaches and board pulled together and delivered signs and gifts and well wishes to our graduating seniors.

Pulling Together

Dear Seniors,

As we near the close of a most unconventional senior year for our Rhinebeck Crew Class of 2020, it’s easy to focus on all that we lost: time with friends, prom, classes, clubs, social events and the sport that we hold dear, rowing. The bond created between a coxswain and the rowers that make up their boat is incredibly strong. No individual can perform without every other member seated fore and aft. It is a true example of a team sport. Communication, synchronization, perseverance, passion, and trust are essential in order to compete and win.

Our seniors have demonstrated these qualities on and off the river for the past 3 seasons. They’ve set a wonderful example for our underclassmen to follow and we can only imagine the success they would have achieved if they could have rowed this Spring.

2020 will be a year you’ll remember - a period when you had time to reflect on what is truly important to you - time with your family and by yourself, taking care of your health, helping others and standing up to ensure that your voice is heard in times of great injustice. How you view your future and your path forward is now up to you. We hope that you remember the lessons that Rhinebeck Crew has taught and all that you’ve experienced during this pandemic. We’re certain that you’ll come out of this experience with a renewed sense of priorities and possibilities for the future.

The Board of Directors and your coaches wish you the best and we’re proud of what you’ve accomplished. We invite you back to river in 2021 for the annual Row for the Cure Event. Stay in touch and let us know what you’re up to - know that you’ll always be part of our Rhinebeck Crew Family!

Sincerely,

The Rhinebeck Crew Board
Paul Beichert
Kerri Karvetski
Debi Palastra
Peter Szwed
Tom Voorhis

UPDATE: 2020 Season Canceled. Board Announces Refund Options.

Dear Crew Family,

Our season was off to a tremendous start with our fundraising efforts, personal and business sponsorships and a very successful annual appeal. We had a wonderful group of novice rowers that were just getting to know what crew is all about. With the announcement that the remainder of the school year being handled through remote learning, the 2020 Rowing Season has unfortunately been canceled. While this is disappointing, especially for our senior rowers, it's far more important that each and every one of us remains healthy and safe. 

 While we've been asked to isolate, we're certainly NOT alone. As coach Rich always says "WE ARE CREW." We'll continue to look out for each other and apply the teamwork principles we’ve learned to help others in the community. We'll be back next year, stronger than ever. We have used the proceeds from our fundraisers and annual appeal to purchase a new, larger food trailer AND a pre-owned men's heavyweight 4 seat boat.

The board has decided to return the full student fee for the 2020 season.

You have 3 options : 

1. Request a refund - we will issue a check for $600 per student.

2. If your rower plans to return next year, the 2020 student fee can be applied to the 2021 season.

3. You can choose to donate 2020 student fee and be listed as a boathouse sponsor for the 2021 season.

Some good news! We WILL be doing a 2020 T-shirt for our rowers and sponsors. Additionally, any parent donating their 2020 student fee will receive up to 5 T-shirts for their family.

Please use the form below to indicate how you would like Rhinebeck Crew, Inc., to process your 2020 registration fee:

2020 Season Refund Form

We are requesting a decision from each family no later than Friday May 15th so we can expedite the return of funds to those needing them within 2 weeks.

If you have ordered a uniform and or jacket, they will be produced and can be used next season. You may be interested to know that Boathouse, the supplier of our uniforms has retooled and has been making medical masks in the effort to support our frontline workers.

The board is working on a unique way to honor and celebrate our Senior Rowers. Stay tuned for more information to come. Thank you for supporting Rhinebeck Crew during this very difficult time. We are looking forward to the 2021 season!

Sincerely,

Paul, Tom, Peter, Debi and Kerri
Rhinebeck Crew, Inc., Board

UPDATE: Season Postponed

Hello Rhinebeck Crew families and rowers, we hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy right now.

The board met this weekend in order to discuss how to move forward with the current postponement of our season. We will keep everyone updated on any cancellations or schedule changes made. At this time we want to make sure we keep things on track to make sure we have everything in place for a restart of the season.

Rowers have been working so hard to get in shape for the season - coaches want to encourage rowers to continue working out during this time.

Debi Palastra

Secretary, Rhinebeck Crew

UPDATE: Le Petit Bistro Fundraiser

We had great fun at the Le Petit Bistro pancake fundraiser. Thanks to everyone who contributed to such a wonderful event!

On behalf of Rhinebeck Crew, I want to extend our gratitude to the community members, friends and rowing families who came out on Saturday morning to enjoy Pancakes at The Bistro! Your support made this fundraiser an overwhelming success. 

Thanks to all of our rowers, parents and board members who worked as a true team today. 

We're grateful to Jen & Joe Dalu of Le Petit Bistro for making it happen and a huge thanks to their ace staff members Jess and Michael. We couldn't have done it without your help!

Today we raised over $4500 toward our $33,000 goal. We're in need of a new Men's 4+ Rowing Shell and a new, larger food trailer to help us provide breakfast and lunch for our rowers at each regatta. 

Thanks to your generosity, today's event brings our fundraising tally to $22,400! You can help us reach our goal by becoming a sponsor today.

Thank you!

Paul Beichert
President

Registration is Open for the 2020 Season

It was great seeing all the returning and new rowers and their families at our Annual Registration Meeting on Thursday, Jan. 16.

Thank you to everyone who signed up and sent in payment. We’re looking forward to a terrific season with you!

Registration will remain open through February — please help us spread the word by sharing our website.

Register a new rower here:

Pay for your registration, and order a uniform if you need one, here: