January 19, 2005

Fundraiser assists Habitat for Humanity and Colleges’ crew teams.

GENEVA, N.Y.—On Jan. 26, the Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ crew teams will host the third annual Row for Humanity, which combines the efforts of the crew teams and the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity in a unique indoor rowing marathon. Founded in 1995 by two students from Kansas State University, Row for Humanity is a fundraising event benefiting Habitat for Humanity and the Colleges’ crew teams.

“This is the third year we’ll participate in Row for Humanity,” William Smith Head Crew Coach and Row for Humanity coordinator Sandra Chu said. “Last year, we raised over $30,000 and helped nine other institutions get involved. This year we anticipate adding up to 20 schools due to the hard work we have done teaching people how to run this event.”

The Hobart and William Smith event will take place in the Warren Hunting Smith Library Atrium from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Each participant will row for a continuous hour on the ergometer, raising dollars for their efforts. Anyone in the community is welcome to row and raise money.

Annually, the Row for Humanity fundraiser is the largest one-time donation HWS’s Habitat for Humanity receives. As of Jan. 19, the HWS event has earned just over $20,000 and Chu expects that number to continue to rise.

“We have increased our donation to Habitat every year and look forward to a record-breaking event this year,” Chu said. “We anticipate that the sport of rowing could potentially donate $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity Chapters this year, nationwide. Clearly, that’s very positive growth and we are extremely excited about that.”

Across the nation, HWS will be joined by rowers and participants from: Bucknell, Buffalo, Central Florida, George Washington, Iowa, Miami, Northeastern, Nova South Eastern, Puget Sound, Tufts, and Boston universities, Fairfield, Ithaca, Lewis and Clark, and Mary Washington colleges, Pomfret (Conn.) and Yorktown (N.Y.) high schools, the Cascadilla Boat Club and the Sarasota Crew.

The HWS event has been sponsored annually by clothing manufacturer maax. The company’s support of the event is vital to its success. Other sponsors include the Book Nook, Clemen Sign, Earthly Possessions, Geneva Bicycle Center, Geneva on the Lake, HWS Central Services, Chapman House Bed and Breakfast, Friendly’s Ice Cream of Geneva, Karizma, Kaschper Boats, Kathleen Kubacki Massage Therapy, Mike Barnard Ford, Pizza Hut of Geneva, Regatta Sport, Rubino’s Italian Submarines, Subway of Geneva, Studio Salon, Valu Home Center of Geneva, and Vespoli USA.

Chu is extremely grateful for the community’s continued support.

“Everyone has responded very positively to this project and has helped us be successful,” Chu said. “It is very heartening to have these vendors behind us.”

Anyone interested in assisting Habitat for Humanity or learning to row is encouraged to stop by the event to learn how to row or to just encourage other participants.

Donations can be sent to Sandra Chu c/o HWS Crew, Winn-Seeley Gym, Geneva, NY 14456. Checks should be made out to HWS Crew.

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