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WHY WE GIVE
Greg and Barbara

The first time we saw our son
Austin walk by wearing a shirt that said
United States Rowing, we knew that we were
part of something special. We’ve experienced
every level of the National Team system, starting when
our son was a lanky 16 year-old prospect in Dev Camp in
2008, to the Junior National Team, U23’s, and finally to the Senior
Team level and on to the Olympic Games. We’ve seen the Junior
Women’s Dev Camp in action on our home waters in Old Lyme, CT, as
our club has hosted that camp for a number of summers.

Over the years, we have traveled around the world in support of our son
and his team mates, and the larger Team USA. From Brive la Gaillarde
to Prague, Amsterdam, Trakai, Chungju, Aiguebelette, and Lucerne, our
travels took us to cities and sites that we might never have visited were
it not for our desire to support our athletes. Sitting in the grandstands
at the Olympic Games in Rio while the men’s 8+ raced down the course
at the Lago Rodrigo de Freitas, we reflected upon what an amazing
journey it has been.

A long the way we have made great new friends and shared in the
tremendous joy of victory, along with some bitter disappointments. We
have enthusiastically cheered U-S-A, U-S-A!!! every time an American
boat made its way down the racecourse. We have stood at attention
with tears in our eyes, as our National Anthem was played, our son
having just received a gold medal. It has been a tremendous honor for
our family to be involved with such a longstanding athletic tradition.

At home we have marveled about the incredible dedication and
sacrifice of ourathletes as they strive to be the best they can be. Our

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