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athletes, among our nation’s best and brightest, put off their future
professional and career goals in pursuit of their dreams. Our athletes
live in very modest apartments, or with host families, as it is virtually
impossible to pursue productive work while they train full time.

Further, each time we have attended an international regatta, we
have reflected upon the tremendous planning, logistics, and resources
necessary to get our athletes housed, fed, and transported around the
world for weeks at a time. They can’t drive their boats on the trailer
from the Princeton Training Center to Rio!

While our Team USA has had remarkable successes, it also faces
ongoing challenges in terms of financial support. Unlike other
successful rowing nations around theworld, our National Team operates
on a shoestring budget that is literally a small fraction of other national
teams. This often comes as a big surprise to many supporters of
American rowing. We’ve all heard the expression that America doesn’t
send its athletes to the Olympics, Americans do. This is all the more
true for rowing, which is not as high profile as some other sports that
are popular on TV.

Our family is an all in rowing family, and our lives have been greatly
enriched by our invo lvement with the sport. We know that there
are many others like us out there who love the sport, and who are
very involved coordinating rowing activities in your home clubs. The
National Rowing Foundation needs your support.

If everyone who ever held an oar in our country could make a donation
to the NRF every year, the cause for American rowing at the highest
levels would be so far advanced. Won’t you do your part to help our
National Team athletes, and their dedicated coaches and support staff,
achieve on the racecourse at the highest levels? They need our help!

Sincerely,
Greg and Barbara Hack

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