Volunteering -

While most of you already donate many hours to our program, we are asking all of our community members to volunteer at least 6 -10 hours a year (if you’re doing more, thank-you, and keep doing it!).  Our greatest need is at our own regatta, The Head of the Riverfront,  that attracts approximately 500 entries, 2,500 participants, and 10,000 spectators annually. 

If you are able to volunteer at the Head of the Riverfront Regatta on Sunday, September 30, or for other activities like the Row to Middletown, or simply want more information or to engage in a fun activity with our Social Committee, please email our: Volunteer Coordinator

View a list of all volunteer opportunities.

Donating -

In addition to Volunteering, our Community Rowing Program relies on direct donations to purchase equipment that is critical to the success of our program. 

There are a couple of ways you can help, and please remember to use Corporate Matching Gifts that may be available for your donations of money and/or volunteer time.

• Click on the “Donate Now” link above, in the right-hand column, to access the online donation page, select “Other,” and type in “Rowing.”
• You can mail a check to the office, Riverfront Recapture, 50 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT, 06106, write “Rowing” in the memo field
• You can respond to our 7th Annual Capital Campaign or one of the targeted solicitations during the year

Fundraising -

Along with Volunteering and Donating, our rowers also raise funds by participating in the Annual Row-to-Middletown (this year on August 25th) or the Annual High-School Row-A-Thon in November.

9th Annual Row-to-Middletown

Begun as a challenge by Hartford Barge Club rowers in 2003, the Row to Middletown has become an annual tradition.  Each year approximately 50 rowers from Riverfront Recapture’s Community Rowing Program (and other clubs) undertake the 19-mile row to Middletown and gather contributions from friends, family and co-workers to support their participation in the row.  You can sweep or scull at this fun event and we have plenty of room for new participants.  Prizes, including a free year of rowing at Riverfront, will be awarded to those garnering the most donations.

Proceeds have purchased equipment that is integral to the growth and success of Riverfront’s Community Rowing program.

2011 Row to Middletown Fact Sheet and Flyer

2011 Row to Middletown

Click here to register

7th Annual High-School Row-A-Thon

Begun in 2005 to raise money for our truck, the High-School Row-A-Thon has become a fun way for our high-school rowers to finish up the Fall Season, increase awareness about their participation in our unique club team (comprised of 40% urban and 60% suburban kids in 2011), and of course, generate dollars for new equipment .  They collect pledges for their approximately 10-mile row, and in 2010 the Row-A-Thon put the team over the hump to purchase a Vespoli V1 4+!

Riverfront Recapture’s Community Rowing Program is a Volunteer Organization.  Working together we have raised over $290,000 since 2005 through our volunteering, donating and fundraising efforts.  View our annual breakdown and the equipment we’ve purchased.

HISTORY -
Riverfront Recapture is a 31-year-old non-profit based in Hartford, CT that was created to restore access to the city’s riverfront through park construction and planning, and to attract people to the riverfront by offering sporting, entertainment, and cultural events.

Riverfront Recapture’s Community Rowing Program began approximately 20 years ago with two borrowed training singles.  Coaches brought the trainers into city high-school pools to expose and attract urban students to rowing.  In the early 1990’s Riverfront received a grant to purchase two eights to start a high school program; since the equipment lay idle in the morning, adult classes were soon offered before work. The equipment was housed in steel shipping containers and there was no electricity or running water in the park.  A port-a-john was the only “amenity.”

In 2002, Riverfront Recapture completed work on the $3.6 million Greater Hartford Jaycees Community Boathouse and participation in the rowing program grew dramatically.  In 2011, Riverfront Recapture’s Community Rowing Program had more than 540 people row out of the boathouse, including a High School Team comprised of 60% suburban and 40% urban students, numerous scullers, and an adaptive program run in partnership with the Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital. 

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES -
• Head of the Riverfront Regatta (we especially need to increase our number of volunteers for the day of the regatta; this supports our most important fundraiser of the year)
• Social Committee (help plan and implement fun stuff, or just tag along for the beer!)
• Volunteer Committee/Team Leaders (help plan and implement volunteer activity)
• Regatta Committee/Team Leaders (help plan and implement the Regatta)
• Adult Fundraising Committee (help plan and implement fundraising objectives)
• High School Fundraising Committee (help plan and implement fundraising objectives for the high school team, both parents and students are encouraged to join)
• Parents Group (for high school team, help with logistics and bringing food to spring and fall races)
• Adaptive Rowing (row in a two- or four-person shell with our Adaptive rowers, help carry equipment to and from the water)
• Row-to-Middletown (gather registrants, help with fundraising ideas, day of the event communication and logistics)
• High School Row-A-Thon (gather registrants, help with fundraising ideas, day of the event communication and logistics)
• Program Captains (be representatives of our various groups—a.m. Recreational Team; p.m. Recreational Team; Scullers; Men’s Racing Team, Women’s Racing Team —and serve as liaisons from our committees to our rowers)
• Outboard maintenance and repair (previous outboard maintenance and repair experience needed)
• Van Driver (to drive inner city kids to and from practice; background check required)
• Boathouse Set Up (beginning of season, mud removal, power spraying, washing, staging of equipment, etc.)
• Equipment Set Up (beginning of season, putting riggers on boats, washing dust off boats, etc.)
• Boathouse and Equipment Winterizing (end of season dock removal, boat derigging, cleaning, moving items out of boathouse into storage)
• Towel Washing, and baking for the morning coaches (this unique opportunity is currently spoken for)
• Other

FUNDRAISING HISTORY -
2005: raised $25,000 for Rowing Truck from Rower Donations and Matching Gifts
2006: raised $6,500 for Oars from Rower Donations and Matching Gifts
2007: raised $38,250 for the Cimmaron 4+ and the Guidon 8+ from Row-to-Middletown Pledges, High School Row-A-Thon, Rower Donations and Matching Gifts
2008: raised $38,800 for The Hartford 4+ and At Your Leisure 8+ from Row-to -Middletown Pledges, High School Row-A-Thon, Donations and Matching Gifts
2009: raised $57,300 for the 498 8+, Black and Tan 8+, Enterprise 8+ from Row-to-Middletown Pledges, High School Row-A-Thon, Head of the Riverfront Proceeds, Donations and Matching Gifts
2010: raised $62,600 for a new Hudson 4+ The Marfuggi, new Hudson 4x/4-, set of oars, and Vespoli Trailer from Row-to-Middletown Pledges, High School Row-A-Thon, Head of the Riverfront proceeds, Donations and Matching Gifts
2011: raised $64,219 for a Vespoli V1 8+, Vespoli V1 4+, Hudson 2x/2-, ergs, and cox boxes from Row-to-Middletown Pledges, High School Row-A-thon, Head of Riverfront proceeds, Donations and Matching Gifts