Volunteer & Donate Opportunities

Enjoy volunteering your time to give back to our community through the opportunities below. Also note the Donate button to the right. The Orlando Rowing Club online payment system is designed to provide you with a safe and secure environment for the payment of dues and to make contributions. Your donations help fund needed equipment along with additional rowing programs and boathouse improvements.

American Council of the Blind National Conference Erg Coaching July 8th and July 9th

ORC will be running two erg demonstration and learning clinics for visually impaired youths and adults during the upcoming American Council of the Blind national convention in Orlando. Rowing is the newest sport added to the Paralympics and one that is easily adapted for the blind. ORC has talked about establishing some adaptive rowing classes and this would be a great way to start.

We are in need of volunteers who are willing to share their knowledge and contagious enthusiasm for the rowing and we also need ergs. Please consider donating both your time and your erg to this cause. Take a look at the schedule below and reply back to Gwen Hamilton with your level of committment. Volunteers are needed for one or both nights. Please let me know your schedule and whether you have a home erg with a working monitor that you can let us use for two nights.

When: Wednesday, July 8 AND Thursday, July 9

Time: 5 - 6:30 p.m. (probably set up at 4:30)

Where: Rosen Centre Hotel on International Drive

Based on past experience, expect 50-80 people each night to participate. The ergs will need to be brought in for each session and then removed as the room will be used for other purposes before and after the events. Some people will have done the event before and need a reminder on the stroke, and others will be new to the rowing machine. Volunteers will work with each individual teaching them the stroke, and then when they were ready, set the erg for 2 minutes, and each person rows for distance. The volunteers act as coxswains, and encourage the rower through their piece. We will keep track of scores by age and gender and hopefully be able to give prizes. This is the format they have used the past few years quite successfully and they have gotten Concept II to donate some prizes.....and maybe we can donate some ORC shirts or hats to be awarded as well.

This opportunity was brought to us through Aerial Gilbert, Outreach Manager for Guide Dogs for the Blind. For more information go to www.guidedogs.com.

Thank you in advance for helping and making this a great success!