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Sep '04 (pdf), Aug '04(pdf), July '04(pdf), June '04 (pdf)
ORRA BOARD MINUTES
2004- Are available for viewing at the ORRA Boathouse. The folder is
located at the sign-out desk.
LOCAL PAPER
The Oak Ridger
Knoxville News-Sentinel
TELEVISION
WATE -ABC
CBS
NBC
FOX
January 30 ORRAcle Newsletter-
Dues - First of all, I have attached the letter about 2004 dues. Some of you have already seen it (and paid, thanks!), but for all of you who may have missed it, or had an email bounce, here it is....
Tonight, (Friday January 30th) you are invited to meet your fellow rowers at Fazolis at 6:30 pm. It's the eve of the Indoor Regatta ...Contact Patty Wilson or Stephen Spooner if you need more information, otherwise just show up.
Tomorrow , is the Indoor Regatta in Chattanooga. Good luck to the club and all the members bravely climbing aboard the ergs in the quest for their personal best...
E-Mail Addresses - I have been busy trying to get up-to-date email addresses for all members, (not an easy task). You will find your fellow rowers' emails listed in this mailing. I hope this helps you communicate more easily. If you do NOT want your email shared with the other club members, please let me know.
Work Day - It has been several months since the club had a work day, and the boathouse is badly in need of some TLC. Please come and spend a few hours sharing the load. Some facts to know:
Work Day is Saturday, Feb 7th, from 12-3 pm (at the boathouse, naturally). Painting and spring cleaning are the agenda...
I will be collecting membership dues at that time.
KEYS will be given out at this time to all paid members (remember, the locks will change on Monday, February 16th). Please bring your old keys for return.
Membership Information - At this time, we are still in the process of working through our new software (Regatta Master) and determining what information we are going to collect from each of you. So, it may be a month or so until ask for completed membership forms. Meanwhile, you will be asked to sign waivers. (You should not have to do it annually, just now so we can get all "our ducks in row").
Masters "Club Within a Club" -There has been much interest in the forming of some "clubs" for regular rowing and socialization. Currently, some of the members are meeting for Saturday Lunch. Other proposed clubs are The Breakfast Club and Brunch Club. The status of each group is as follows:
1. Saturday Lunch Bunch - several members meet regularly on Sat morning. Open Row is at 10 am (or you can erg, whatever). Then, however wants to go to lunch will group and decide on a place to go and eat. Steve Spooner sends his invitation to all of you to come down on Saturday and join them....
2. Breakfast Club - this is a proposed club. Tentatively scheduled for MWF, 5:30-7:00 am, starting the beginning of March. This club will be whatever the members want it to be, i.e. working out, dedicated crews, etc. It needs a coordinator. If you would like to be in this group, email me. I will try and let all of you know who's in the group.
3. The Brunch Club - this is very similar to No. 2 above, a proposed club that will become whatever the members want it to be. It is tentatively sheduled to begin on March 2nd, Tues and Thurs, from 10 am to 12 noon. It also needs a coordinator. If you are interested email me.
"Hot" Volunteer Jobs - As the saying goes "many hands make light work". The club could use your help with the following activities:
1. Web site development - Allen has been diligently updating our website.(check it out www.orra.org). However, some of the planned improvements are out of his field. The club would like to be able to communicate via a "bulletin board" (for example, who can row an eight on Tues evening..., who has a shell for sale, etc.). Also, if member information could be obtained securely through the site (with password for example), it would be a big help. (ok you lab guys out there??)
2. Newsletter - Coordinate input from Board Members and Committee Chairs into one document. (monthly/quarterly?).
3. The Next Social Event - someone to brainstorm a social BBQ or party, perhaps the night before a regatta or other event, such as a Work Day. Steve Spooner has suggested that the club try to plan one event in the near future, as see how it goes.
Learning To Row Classes - Please pass on to anyone who might be interested in learning to Row. Coach Allen Eubanks will be teaching Learning To Row, starting Tues February 24th, from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. The class will meet on Tues and Thurs evenings for four weeks.
Boathouse: 482.6538
Mary Jane Sill
Membership Chairperson
The Presidents of the East Tennessee rowing clubs; Jerry Riley (Clinton Rowing Club), Mary Pom Claiborne (Knoxville Rowing Association) and Steve Spooner (Oak Ridge Rowing Association) gather with TVA Director Bill Baxter and Oak Ridge Mayor David Bradshaw to celebrate the ongoing work during a brief ceremony next to the dredging site to improve the rowing venue on Melton Lake in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
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Oak Ridge and TVA's Version of the "Big Dig" to upgrade rowing course
By BOB FOWLER, fowlerb@knews.com
January 11, 2004
One of the nation's premier venues for rowing regattas is being improved in a partnership between the city of Oak Ridge and TVA. Using a TVA barge and a backhoe, more than 281 truckloads of Melton Hill Lake bottom muck are being dredged up and hauled away. The result, said officials, will be deeper channels at the start of the rowing course and the addition of an eighth lane for competitions. TVA Director Bill Baxter and Oak Ridge Mayor David Bradshaw celebrated the ongoing work during a brief ceremony next to the dredging site Wednesday. The city and Oak Ridge Rowing Association asked TVA for help in the project, and the authority responded with the equipment loan. TVA and Oak Ridge are splitting the total cost, estimated at $100,000. Even the mud scooped up from the lake bottom will be "recycled," Baxter said, noting that it will be used as fill for soccer fields planned at the city's nearby Haw Ridge Park. With the dredging, the Melton Hill Law rowing course will qualify as a championship venue for various regattas. The lake has already been a Mecca for rowers because of its calm waters and sparse motorboat traffic. Already, seven regattas are scheduled there this spring. Those events are expected to have an estimated economic impact of $3.1 million for the Oak Ridge area. The dredging work will enable Oak Ridge to keep two regattas that would otherwise have gone elsewhere, officials said.
Bob Fowler, News Sentinel Anderson County editor, may be reached at 865-481-3625.
Copyright 2004, Knoxville News-Sentinel Co.
Aug 11- Fall Learn-to-Row Class set for Sep 8 call for details.
July 10- OR rower in Pan American Games (The Oak Ridger)
June 17-Oak Ridge a "Rowing Mecca". (The Oak Ridger)
June 11- OR rowers have mixed outing in Cincy (The Oak Ridger)
June 3- OR Jr. Rowers head to nationals (The Oak Ridger)
May 12 - Oak Ridge hosts annual Lexus Central/Southern Sprints (The Oak Ridger)
May 9 - Southeastern Youth Championships (The Oak Ridger)
April 20 - Melton Lake Drive Closed for Juniors (Knoxville News-Sentinel)
April 20 - SIRA Coverage (Knoxville News-Sentinel)
April 17 - SIRA comes to town (The Oak Ridger)
April 1 - Tim Searles' (Member) business allows rowers to "get up to speed." (The Oak Ridger)
February 24 - Oak Ridge Junior Rowing Team
February 1 - Oak Ridge falls by 16 points to UTC to place 2nd at the Tennessee indoor regatta. Results