Philadelphia City Rowing

This month we’re introducing the ten members of the new PCR Alumni Board. Today we’re pleased to announce our ALUMNI CHAIR: Evan Harper, PCR Class of 2013! At PCR, Evan rowed in the JV 8+ and the JV 4+ his junior year, and the Varsity 4+ high senior year. After high school, Even tried out a few different colleges but ultimately ended up working in property management & hospitality for the last 6 years. Today he works for GY-Properties as the Assistant Property Manager for the...ir Germantown and North East Locations. Evan also manages the restaurant Red Owl Tavern in Old City. When he’s not working, he loves to watch football (GO BEARS) and ride his bike. Evan enjoys hip-hop, video games, and eating delicious food with my friends and family. Are you a PCR alum interested in becoming involved with the alumni board? If so, please reach out to Evan by emailing [email protected]! #PCRAlumni

We are very pleased to announce the launch of the PCR Alumni Board! This month, we’ll be sharing bios from the board members. The alumni board will work to generate connectedness and support among PCR alumni and current PCR athletes. Our ten board members plan to strengthen engagement through volunteering, events and reunions, career development, and more. Today we’re introducing our CHAIR: Stephanie Hodges, PCR Class of 2013!... Stephanie participated in the first PCR class while attending Masterman High School. She found PCR fun and exciting but definitely uncharted territory. After PCR she attended the University of Pennsylvania where she studied Sociology. In 2017, Stephanie moved to Brooklyn and started working at Peloton where she’s been for over 3 years. Stephanie is passionate about improving access to fitness, particularly in Black and Brown communities. Outside of work you can find her creating playlists, learning a new recipe, or trying to figure out what to wear. #PCRAlumni

As this challenging year comes to an end, we wanted to thank you for your outstanding support of PCR and send you our best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year! With just two days left in year-end appeal, we are thrilled to have exceeded our goal, raising a remarkable $25,364! Your support means the world to us and it was critically important to our success this year. Not only did your support allow us to engage more than 150 young people from the Philadelphia School Distr...ict in the life-changing sport of rowing, but it also prepared us to emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever. We are looking forward to flat water and excellent rowing in 2021! Swipe to view some of the defining moments of 2020 at Philadelphia City Rowing If you’d still like to show your support but haven’t had the chance to do so, you can donate here: https://www.paypal.me/PhilCityRow Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia Concept2, Inc. USRowing

For 10 years, PCR has worked to expand access and inclusion for Philadelphia youth who have historically been excluded from the sport of rowing because of their background, family income, or the school they attend. This summer, PCR took on more advocacy work in hopes of further mitigating systemic discrimination in the broader rowing community and creating a more inclusive environment for our athletes, alumni, coaches, and families. We released two resources: 8 Ways to Make ...Your Boathouse More Inclusive (in partnership with Row New York) and our Guide to Making College Rowing More Inclusive. Given the events that have transpired on rowing social media over the past week, we thought this post from our Guide to Making College Rowing More Inclusive would be helpful for all schools and rowing programs looking for ways in which they can improve. This post specifically includes recommendations on reporting and reacting to instances of bias, racism, and discrimination. Racism and hate have no home in our sport. PCR plans to fight for equal opportunities for our student-athletes for as long as it takes for our sport to become an equitable and welcoming sport for EVERYONE. All of us can do better and we should not let our outrage create an environment that discourages people from learning because they fear making a mistake. We must continue learning, improving, and bringing people to the table so that we can all put in the challenging and uncomfortable work to make this sport safe, welcoming, and truly great. Visit the following links or extended advice and additional resources: 8 Ways to Make Your Boathouse More Inclusive (in partnership with Row New York): https://www.philadelphiacityrowing.org/b/black-lives-matter PCR’s Guide to Making College Rowing More Inclusive: https://www.philadelphiacityrowing.org//pcrs-guide-making- Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association USRowing row2k

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at Philadelphia City Rowing! While we await the chance to return to the water, we’ve been so thankful for the ability to successfully hold our fall season from our socially-distanced outdoor training center. What we are most thankful for is our incredible family of supporters and donors. Philadelphia City Rowing would not exist without each and every one of you.... So far, we’ve raised a total of $14,813 (which is over halfway to our $25k goal) in our 2020 annual campaign. On #MakeADifferenceMonday, 79 of you raised a remarkable $5,475! We wish you all a safe and healthy Thanksgiving and can’t wait to see everyone back out on the river soon!

TODAY is #MakeADifferenceMonday! The first 150 donations of $25 or more will earn a PCR buff, and the first 100 donations of $50 or more will earn a PCR buff AND canvas bag. (SWIPE to check it out!) You can donate through Venmo (username: PhilaCityRowing) or PayPal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/PhilCityRow)!... Photo by PCR Coach Gabi Thomas (@getbehindthelens)

THANK YOU to everyone who has supported PCR in 2020! As this challenging year comes to an end, we have so much to be thankful for: the tenacity and resilience of our student-athletes, the dedication of our coaches and volunteers, the generosity of our supporters, and the impact that we all make together. Today, we wanted to highlight the boathouses across the country that have had the greatest impact on our program through contributions from individual members. 1) Vesper Bo...at Club / Philadelphia, PA 2) Riverside Boat Club / Boston, MA 3) Undine Barge Club / Philadelphia, PA Vesper might be on top for the 2nd year in a row, but Riverside and Undine aren't far behind! It’s not too late to make a donation that will count toward our 2020 year-end campaign! You can donate through Venmo (username: PhilaCityRowing) or PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/PhilCityRow. Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia row2k USRowing

On MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD, PCR will be holding a ONE-DAY fundraising event: #MakeADifferenceMonday! The first 150 donations of $25 or more will earn a PCR buff, and the first 100 donations of $50 or more will earn a PCR buff AND canvas bag. (SWIPE to check it out!) Click here to donate and to learn how your donation makes a difference: https://www.philadelphiacityrowing.org/pcr-annual-fund.... Photo by PCR Coach Gabi Thomas (@getbehindthelens)

Congratulations to Kamala Harris, who is the the first woman, first Black, and first Asian-American United States Vice President-elect! #CHANGE

Thank you to our friends from the School District of Philadelphia for sharing these tips for talking it out whenever you're struggling. If you're feeling overwhelmed, don't be afraid to sit down and TALK with an adult you trust. : @maxmester #MentalHealthMatters

It is with great sadness that we address the tragic loss of Walter Wallace Jr., a Black man who was killed as a result of undue violence from the police. We mourn with the loved ones of Walter Wallace Jr. and with our Philadelphia community. To our Black student-athletes and families, please know we stand with you and are here to provide support for anyone who needs it. Portrait of Walter Wallace Jr. created by Micah Bazant, a graphic designer for social change #WalterWallace #WalterWallaceJr #BlackLivesMatter #Philadelphia

The Coronavirus pandemic has interrupted all of our lives, but the consequences are not equal and have fallen heavily along racial and socioeconomic lines. Systemic racism has resulted in generational trauma and poverty, while simultaneously causing higher rates of illness and death in BIPOC communities. According to data from the City of Philadelphia, African-Americans have the highest number of cases (42.2%), hospitalizations (54%), and COVID-19 related deaths (48%) in the ...city. Due to the damaging impact of the pandemic, our fall fundraising event is more important now than EVER before. On MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD, PCR will be holding a ONE-DAY fundraising event: #MakeADifferenceMonday. The first 150 donations of $25 or more will earn a PCR buff, and the first 100 donations of $50 or more will earn a PCR buff AND canvas bag! Click here to donate and to learn how your donation makes a difference: https://www.philadelphiacityrowing.org/pcr-annual-fund.

At Philadelphia City Rowing, we use the sport of rowing as a tool to help our students achieve academic success. While we continuously strive for excellence in rowing, academics will always come first. The School District of Philadelphia is underfunded by over $5,5000 per student, leading to low standardized test scores and high dropout rates. Because of this significant deficit, PCR works hard to fill these gaps by providing the services our students need, but aren’t getting... in school, to level the academic playing field and help them achieve lifelong success. These services include guidance counseling, college prep resources, college counseling, subject-specific tutoring, mentoring, and more. When you support Philadelphia City Rowing, you not only provide a student-athlete with the opportunity to achieve success as a rower, but you also allow them to achieve success in the classroom, in their community, and in life. Click here to learn more about Philadelphia City Rowing and to contribute to our 2020 Annual Fund: https://www.philadelphiacityrowing.org/pcr-annual-fund. Stats from The Pew Charitable Trusts, 2015 & Spotlight PA, 2020.

It's been a busy week at Philadelphia City Rowing! We kicked off the week with our very first alumni board meeting & the start of the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta. Pictured is five of our alumni (Fiona, Julianna, Skyler, Aniyah, & Maya) after finishing 8th in the Women's Novice 4+ at the 2016 Head of the Schuylkill! On Tuesday, PCR supporter, Jake Panasevich took over our virtual practice and hosted an awesome session of yoga for our team! We cannot thank him enough for vol...unteering his time and expertise to help our student-athletes. Last night, we enjoyed listening to a panel featuring Arshay Cooper from "A Most Beautiful Thing." Thank you to the panelists and the HOSR for hosting this wonderful event. It’s not too late to sign up to race in the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta! The proceeds from registration will be donated support our program. TOMORROW is the last day to participate on the erg or water. Want to support PCR but not feeling up to racing tomorrow? You can donate to PCR's 2020 Annual Fund below! https://www.philadelphiacityrowing.org/pcr-annual-fund

From a global pandemic to a national reckoning with racial injustice, this year has challenged us all. While the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic has been frustrating for everyone, the consequences are not equal, and have fallen heavily along racial and socioeconomic lines, devastating more families of color and disproportionately affecting students in lower-income school districts like the School District of Philadelphia. We've gained hundreds of new followers on social ...media over the past several months, so we wanted to take some time to formally reintroduce our program to all of our outstanding followers. Swipe through to learn more about our program! You can also read about our 2020 Annual Fund here: https://www.philadelphiacityrowing.org/pcr-annual-fund

PENNSYLVANIA: Today (10/19) is the LAST DAY to register to #VOTE in the 2020 Presidential Election (11/3)! Earlier this month, Rep. Donna Bullock and City Commissioner Omar Sabir visited PCR (outside) to hold a civic engagement & voter registration drive. If you still need to register to vote, you can do so online by visiting www.votespa.com or www.vote.gov.

Although the PCR student-athletes have been enjoying the wonderful opportunity to safely continue their training this fall, we wish our rowers, coaches, alumni, and friends were coming together to race in the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta next weekend! Since 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of Philadelphia City Rowing AND the 50th anniversary of the Head of the Schuylkill, our friends from HOSR are kindly donating all proceeds from this year’s VIRTUAL regatta to our program! ...Racing kicks off this weekend (and runs through the 24th), and you can compete from anywhere! If you do not plan on racing in HOSR this year, or if you ARE racing and want to take your support of PCR a step further, we kindly ask that you consider making a donation to our 2020 Annual Fund! You can read more about our annual fund and make a donation here: https://www.philadelphiacityrowing.org/pcr-annual-fund Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia USRowing row2k Boathouse Sports Concept2, Inc.

Like for #fishgame, comment for #2k The PCR 8th graders had an awesome first week of training! We're so grateful to have such a spacious area just a few blocks from the river for outdoor, socially-distanced training on the Concept2, Inc. ergs. BIG thank you to USRowing for sending us a full supply of rowing-themed masks! ... Photos by PCR Coach Gabriela Elizabeth Thomas (GET Behind The Lens)

THANK YOU to 2016 Paralympic Silver Medalist, Jenny Sichel, for running a virtual coxswain clinic last night for the PCR student-athletes! Jenny, a 2010 graduate of Bryn Mawr College, has three World Rowing Championships silver medals and one Paralympic Games silver medal in the PR3 Mixed 4+. Image 1: Ed Moran / USRowing... Image 2: Nicholas Hunt / Getty Images North America See more

A message from Stephanie Hodges, PCR '13: "I wouldn’t be where I am today without Philadelphia City Rowing. It’s been seven years since I graduated high school, but it feels like just yesterday I was nervously taking a 2k test, going on a warm-up run on Kelly Drive, and taking a power ten to the finish line at the grandstands. As part of the inaugural PCR class, I really didn’t know what I was signing up for. I didn’t know I would cultivate a strong sense of determination, co...llaboration, and perseverance that I would carry into my professional and personal life. Over the past few months, we have witnessed the power of community across the world. PCR has always been a space that has connected student-athletes from all over Philadelphia and specifically, has empowered black and brown kids on the water. We want to continue to foster a strong sense of community beyond those final strokes on the water. That’s why today we’re excited to announce the launch of the PCR Alumni Board. The goal of the board is to generate connection and support among PCR alumni and current PCR athletes. We want to strengthen engagement through volunteering, events and reunions, career development, and more." If you are a PCR alum and wish to join the alumni board, click here: https://docs.google.com//1FAIpQLSe8AHOyHuvo-gp26E/viewform We look forward to reconnecting with all our alumni!

The PCR varsity and novice squads had a GREAT first week of fall training! We put together a new socially-distanced outdoor home base for in-person workouts, we set up our varsity athletes with their very own ergs so that they can do the majority of their training at home (but together on ZOOM!), and we introduced our novice squad to the awesome sport of ROWING! With the challenging circumstances of this school year, our varsity athletes still have access to virtual tutorin...g and academic services, but they also have the options of a 6am virtual erg session or a 4pm virtual erg session (or both, for those who just can't get enough erging). Our 9th graders were the first to test our hybrid training model this week, and next week we'll be kicking off hybrid training with our 8th graders. We're so grateful to have the resources to continue training and can't wait to keep making progress this season!

We are SO excited to be jumping back into training this week at PCR! Although we still have a bit more time until we can return to the river, we’re grateful to be starting off the fall season with hybrid programming (a combination of in-person and virtual training). We’d like to send a BIG thank you to our incredible friends who helped NINE of our student-athletes participate in a number of development camps over the summer! Cass Cunningham of @powerof3ppp, Julian Stephanski of @jbodyworks, and Mary Whipple of @9thseat truly helped our student-athletes take their rowing and coxing skills to the next level. Seven rowers and two coxswains attended camps, with FIVE rowers setting PRs on their 2ks! Pictured: PCR rising senior, Imani, who participated in the JBodyworks virtual development camp and set a new 2k PR!

It is with profound grief and sadness that we inform you of the passing of a beloved Philadelphia City Rowing alum and friend, Salim Ellis. Salim was tragically killed on Tuesday, September 1, 2020. Salim was a varsity coxswain for PCR who graduated from Parkway Center City School in 2012, and then went on to attend the University of Bridgeport. Salim will be remembered for being a delightful, fun, and caring person. He was both a fierce competitor on the water and an exempla...ry teammate on land. Although Salim will be greatly missed by the entire PCR family, his legacy will live on through the immeasurable impact that he had on our program. He was genuinely the sweetest and most positive kid at PCR. He only wanted to make people laugh. Not a mean bone in him. Anna Kohler, PCR Alumna & Coach My best friend. My coxswain. My boy. All I can think about is the endless memories we had. To hearing you say 'walk!' as we glided past other boats. To you guiding us to victory. We celebrated our wins and cried together after our losses. We shared so many things in common, but the one thing that connected us the most was our passion. I was proud to have you by my side. I’m going to really miss you, my bro. Until we meet again, continue to watch over us, and guide me through life as you guided me on the water. Maurice Scott, PCR Alum *Correction: Salim was born on December 21, 1993.

Summer 2020 is in the books & the student-athletes of PCR are headed #BackToSchool (virtually) tomorrow! Although it was nothing like the summer rowing experience we'd hoped for, our student-athletes were able to spend the summer training, learning, and getting stronger, thanks to our dedicated coaching staff and a few of our awesome friends in the rowing community. We are so excited to begin the second decade of Philadelphia City Rowing with some of the best student-athletes, coaches, volunteers, and supporters we could possibly ask for!

MANY THANKS to our outstanding supporters for helping PCR raise $21,114.28 for our student-athletes! With your help, our student-athletes were able to access valuable summer rowing experiences lead by a number of world-renowned coaches and athletes. During a time where many athletes cannot see their teammates and coaches, these virtual experiences helped our student-athletes connect with peers and coaches and real time. Summer rowing provides athletes with the perspective of ...new coaches, additional technical feedback, and more time to focus on skill-building, all of which help the PCR student-athletes become better rowers while preparing for collegiate rowing. Rowing is a sport that has the power to change lives, and every single one of our supporters helps increase access to this life-changing sport for young people in the city of Philadelphia. THANK YOU for making difference! J Bodyworks row2k Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia