Celebrate with Rowing Club at Annual Dinner

By Martin Taylor

Orcas Island Rowing Club invites all to join with them in their once a year celebration of Orcas and rowing. It’s an evening of good food, good company & entertainment being held at the Orcas Center Saturday May 4th.

There is a “happy hour” starting at 5:30 p.m. with live music, appetizers, a no-host-bar and good socializing. Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m.  Tickets are $35 each. Dinner is a choice of salmon, grilled chicken or vegetarian lasagne. Make your reservations as soon as possible. Given time any special dietary restrictions can be accommodated.

The event is a fund raiser, but there are no auctions or other distracting activities. As much as anything the evening is an opportunity for Orcas Rowing to connect with the broader community. Of course the club appreciates the income from the dinner and any donations. Most particularly this year as, in addition to their usual need for about $5,000 in annual income that is needed to support the junior program, they have a new coxless quad rowing shell on order and they are still short of the final payment. The purchase has been financed by a generous interest-free loan from Becky and Sam Blackadar but the loan must be paid off before the end of the current spring season. The boat will be named after the late Al Ulbrickson Jr. at a naming ceremony on June 1st at the OIR boathouse. All are invited to attend.

The current junior crew is particularly competitive and experienced and has a great chance to medal at the NW Regional and even national regattas this year in more than one category. Such a small club as Orcas placing strongly in regional and national competition is very impressive.

Contact Martin Taylor martin@orcasdigerati.com or 360.376.6935 for reservations and information or buy tickets online at the rowing club’s web site: www.orcasislandrowing.org. Donations are also gratefully accepted at : Orcas Island Rowing, c/o Martin Taylor, 455 Eastsound Shores Road, Eastsound, WA, 98245.