Calling all W-L Crew Alumni!

Did you know that this year is Potomac Boat Club’s 140th Anniversary, and the 60th Anniversary of Washington-Lee High School Crew?  Yep.  The oldest rowing club in the area is also home to the longest running high school rowing program in the area.  There must be something to that.

To celebrate, the gang is throwing a party down at PBC on September 26th, and they’re tracking down all the W-L rowing alumni they can find.  If you rowed for W-L, please take a moment to update your contact info at http://w-lcrew.org/alumni.  And while you’re at it, please forward the link to your former teammates so that they can do the same!

For the latest anniversary plans and W-L rowing alumni news, Derek Parsons (’87) has set up a Yahoogroup emailing list.  Whether or not you plan to attend the 60th Anniversary celebration, all alumni are encouraged to join.  To subscribe, simply send an email to wlcrewalumni-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Finally, to tide you over until September, below are a couple of gems circa 1982 that we dug up on Youtube.com.  No comment on the shorts.  We really want to comment on the shorts, though.  And the hair.  And Tom’s beard! 

Did we mention the shorts?

See you soon!

New security system details revealed! Or not.

Did anyone else notice the crowd’s reaction at the last Annual Meeting when then House Committee Chair Cal Sutliff announced we were getting a new security system?  There was definitely a buzz.  How many times did you overhear: “Security system?  Uh, I have a ‘friend’ who likes to erg at the boathouse after bar time, I mean … after midnight.  Would he set off an alarm?”

And the answer to that burning question?  Maybe.  Or maybe not.

The truth is, we can’t give you any details about the new system.  Well, we could try, but we would be guessing.  All we know is that it’s live, and while your personal privacy is assured – in other words, no one is trying to record you in the shower – there are only a few people in the universe who know all of the details.  One of them is Miles Fawcett.

Miles is the president of Urban Alarm, the company that designed and installed the system.  Based in DC, Urban Alarm is different than your average security and alarm company because it seeks to be truly invested in the community it serves.  And this is certainly true in our case.  Not only is Miles a senior member of the Club, but he is the son of the late great Chip Fawcett, the longest serving president of PBC.

Makes you feel like we’re in good hands, doesn’t it?

So, for now, just know that we finally have an active security system.  It’s a long-awaited, much anticipated, major upgrade to the Club, and our thanks goes out to Miles, the House Committee, and the Board for getting it done.

Oh, and if you show up to erg at the Club after midnight, or at any time for that matter, smile for the cameras.

Of course, if you show up for more devious reasons, maybe try throwing the dog a bone.

Protected: 2009 May Board Meeting

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PBC racing continues today at Mercer!

If you didn’t roadtrip up to Mercer Lake this weekend, you can still follow our PBC open sculling kids and alum at the second National Selection Regatta (NSR #2) by going to the Powerhouse Timing results page here.  Racing continues this morning at 7 a.m.

For all four double sculls and the open weight pairs, NSR #2 serves as the first step towards making the team that will represent the United States at the 2009 FISA World Rowing Championships in Poznan, Poland.

The winner of each event will earn the right to compete at a world cup race of their choosing. If the NSR #2 winner finishes in the top four (or top half if there are fewer than eight entries) at the world cup, then the crew will be nominated to the team.

For the lightweight men’s pair, NSR #2 serves as an opportunity for athletes to test their speed in preparation for selection camps and trials. The top two finishers get automatic invitations to the lightweight men’s four selection camp.

By the way, have you ever wondered what it’s like to be the parent of a National Teamer?  Margot Shumway’s mom Julia has a great blog going about exactly that right here.

Row hard, PBC!