Making Waves: The Saline Rowers Hold Row-A-Thon Fundraiser

Saline Rowers host fundraising events each spring, and this spring featured a Row-A-Thon at the Saline Area High School Commons.

Rowing is a family affair for the Dees family, with parents John as Vice President, Ashley as Fundraising Coordinator, and their son Jaxson as part of the Saline Rowing crew.

Row-A-Thon Fundraiser

As the crew is rowing, Ashley Dees explains this year’s fundraiser. “At the Row-a-Thon the crew are using their rowing machines – ‘ergs’ – and rowing 15,000 meters. The seniors wanted to go big and challenged themselves to do a full marathon – 40,000 meters. Since the crew already does exercises like this for practice, I thought, ‘Why not get pledges or donations for going a little above what they would normally do?’”

A full marathon is 42,195 meters. Juniors Carter Smith and Sarah Sahl rowed it in 3:02:25 and 3:12:20, respectively. Seniors Will Maloy and Sean Litchford rowed it in 3:20:06 and 3:34:44, respectively. Average split times ranged from 2:09/500m to 2:32/500m.

While they rowed, the crew was treated to the movie ‘The Boys in a Boat’ – a biographical sports drama depicting the University of Washington rowers at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Fully Self-Funded Sport

John Dees outlines the operating budget for Saline Rowing. “Our dues for the two seasons of spring and fall makes up about 55% and the fundraising covers the balance. As a fully self-funded sport, the team needs to raise $15 to $20K every year minimum. Each fall, we look for corporate sponsors, then focus on other avenues of fundraising in the spring.”

The biggest expense for Saline Rowing is the equipment. They buy used boats called ‘shells’, for singles, doubles, quads, and eights which run as high as $44,000 for the eights to $15,000 for the singles. The oars are extra, about $750 a set.

And Ashley Dees maintains, “We never want to turn a child away if they want to row and they cannot afford it, so we also have tuition assistance.”

Beneficial for Students

Ashley Dees speaks about the benefits of rowing. “It’s not just about the individual, it’s about the team, because once you’re in a boat, you have to be in sync. And that teamwork helps them power through when they’re getting tired. I think working and pulling together benefits them long term and in life in general.”

John Dees adds, “It’s a full body workout. And when they’re on the water and rowing, the rhythm is almost like a meditative state.”

For Jaxson it’s the Simplicity

Ashley Dees talks about how beneficial the sport has been for Jaxson, who has autism, and how welcoming the team has been. “Jaxson has struggled before with other sports, but with rowing, it’s the simplicity of the sport. Once he figures out the routine with the movement of rowing and then being outside on the water and in nature, he’s good to go.”

John Dees sums up Jaxson’s experience with rowing by saying, “He has this smile that hits his face when they’re on the water, and it doesn’t go away until they get off.”
Saline Rowing is open for grades 6-12. For information on the Saline Rowing Club including joining or donating, go to www.salinerowing.org