Making weekend plans? Let’s go to MatNats!

[This is a retread of sorts.  What can we say? It's Masters Nationals in Camden, again!  We have members saving people during practice. Juniors winning medals in Eastern Europe. The postcard is what we could do for now. Next year, MatNats will be in Oklahoma City. Maybe we'll stick a cowboy hat up there or something.]

* * *

Hey!  With most folks headed down to the Carolina beaches this time of year, why not head up the road instead?  This weekend, a short 2-3 hour drive north on 95 will land you smack dab in the middle of some hot race action. Where? Why, in always-lovely, ever-effervescent (drum roll) … Camden, New Jersey!

From Thursday, August 12, 2010 to Sunday, August 15, 2010, PBC’s Masters rowers will join almost 1800 others out on the Cooper River for Masters National Championships 2010.  We’re pretty confident our folks will be leading the pack in more than a few events, so go cheer them on!

[We even put together a little map for you and directions to the venue. Scroll down to see it. We wouldn't want you to end up in Philly.]

To find out who will be wearing the white star, and in which of 200 events, visit the PBC Masters Nationals lineups page on Regatta Central here.  Click here for live race results.

And fine. For those of you who would rather watch from the air conditioned comfort of your own homes, USRowing will stream live video of the finals at http://rowing.teamusa.org/live. (We were planning to tell you eventually!)

2010 USRowing Masters National Championships Finals Live Feed Schedule

Thursday, August 12, 2:45 p.m. – 6:09 p.m.
Friday, August 13, 2 p.m. – 5:32 p.m.
Saturday, August 14, 1 p.m. – 4:28 p.m.
Sunday, August 15, 1 p.m. – 4:32 p.m.

* * *

Map to the venue (directions are below):

Directions to the venue:

From the Ben Franklin Bridge:
Merge onto Route 30 East
Merge onto Route 30 – 70 East
Bear right after overpass onto Route 70 East
Turn right @ first light (McClellan Avenue)
Turn right onto N. Park Drive
End @ Boathouse: 7050 N. Park Drive, Pennsauken, NJ

From the Walt Whitman Bridge:
Take the Route 130 North exit towards Route 168 North
Keep right @ the fork in the ramp
Bear right onto Route 130 North
Follow route 130 North to N. Park Drive
Turn right onto N. Park Drive
End @ Boathouse: 7050 N. Park Drive, Pennsauken, NJ

From 295 South & North:
From 295 South take exit 34A (Route 70 West)
From 295 North take exit 34B (Route 70 West)
Take Cuthbert Boulevard (South) exit
Turn right onto N. Park Drive
End @ Boathouse: 7050 N. Park Drive, Pennsauken, NJ

From NJ Turnpike North:
Take exit 4, Berlin – Philadelphia
Take Route 73 North to Route 38 West
Take Cuthbert Boulevard (South) exit
Turn right onto N. Park Drive
End @ Boathouse: 7050 N. Park Drive, Pennsauken, NJ

From NJ Turnpike South:
Take exit 3, Bellmawr
Merge onto Route 168 North
Bear right onto Route 130 North
Turn right onto N. Park Drive
End @ Boathouse: 7050 N. Park Drive, Pennsauken, NJ

The Race for Steve Vermillion

The following was posted two years ago.  Sent by Stephen Vermillion’s brother, Ryan, through the Potomac Boat Club Yahoo Group, we wanted to share it with all of Steve’s teammates, friends and supporters out there, and let you know that Stephen continues his fight today, November 6, 2012.  Your prayers and good thoughts are much appreciated by Stephen and his family … so keep ‘em coming.

We’re thinking of you, Stephen.  Hurry back.

I wanted to bring you up to date on Stephen and ask for your special thoughts and prayers tomorrow. As many of you know Stephen has been battling leukemia for over 18 months. That is a long time, for someone to stay strong, upbeat, thankful and appreciative for everyday he has while battling a disease that ultimately wants to kill him.

Stephen has been a real warrior, trooper, stud or whatever adjective you want to use during this period of time. Think of what you have been through the last 18 months, we have had two Christmases, two New Years Eves, two St. Pattys Days, we have all had our birthdays and some of us have had two birthdays since Stephen’s diagnosis. We have had births, deaths, times to smile and times to cry, good times and bad times. We wake up and complain about the rain, the snow, our jobs, our class work but we wake up and move on with our day. Stephen wakes up with leukemia every single day. He has to go through another day of chemotherapy, blood transfusions, bone marrow biopsies, spinal taps, platelets, IV antibiotic drips, CT scans, radiation, skin biopsies and coughing down more pills than 10 people should take.

At times he is his old self, talking, laughing, teasing but other times he is tired, quiet, reserved, in pain, dizzy, nauseated, cold, hot, irritated but he pushes forward not knowing where this journey will take him. He has been declared cancer free, he has been told he beat it, he has received a bone marrow transplant that was supposed to be the answer. He has been told he is strong and not the normal patient, that is body is in great shape and the chemo has not had any detrimental effects on his organs but … he still has leukemia. He has done everything the doctors have asked him to do. He told me one time he would give his left leg if that would cure him, he is willing to do anything to continue to be a husband, father, son, brother, cousin, and friend.

Tomorrow Stephen will be receiving his second bone marrow transplant at Johns Hopkins University Hospital. This time he will be receiving his bone marrow from his 13 year old daughter Sarah. Can you think of a better gift you can give a parent than life?  We would all want to give our parents the gift of life, they gave it to us and how great would it be that we could give it back, well Sarah will be doing just that tomorrow morning.  Sarah will give her father the gift of life through her bone marrow.  Tomorrow morning think of and pray for Stephen and Sarah, that their day will go well and that ultimately this bone marrow transplant will cure Stephen. I know that is what Sarah wants and she believes she is going to save her Dad.  We all have busy days, we are pulled in many different directions, demands on our time are always there. When you think you are having a bad day think of what Stephen and Jennifer have gone through the last 18 months.

Tomorrow morning think of and pray for Stephen, give him the strength he needs to continue the fight. The Doctors are amazed at Stephens physical condition, his ability to tolerate chemo, his mental fortitude they can’t understand it and they don’t have an answer. There is someone who has the answers, our mother. She knows where Stephens strength comes from, it comes from your continued prayers and thoughts. There are thousands of people praying for Stephen, please keep it going, it is working. One day Stephen will finally be able to say he is cancer free.

Thank you for all you have done and will continue to do for Stephen, Jennifer, Sarah and Joe.

I know I have missed family and friends with this email, please forward it on to any of Stephens friends that I have missed, the more people praying the better.

God Bless you all,
Ryan

Ryan P. Vermillion
Head Trainer
Carolina Panthers
Charlotte, NC

We have a date! PBC Annual Meeting, April 7th

On Wednesday, April 7, Potomac Boat Club will hold its 144th Annual Meeting.  If you’re like us, you’re probably asking yourself … 144th?  How did 144 annual meetings happen in a span of 140 years? But if you’re normal, and without a lot of time on your hands, you’re probably just wondering whether or not you really have to be there. The answer?  Yes.  You do.

Here is the schedule of important events:

• 6:30 – 7:30 PM – Social Hour (a.k.a. Happy Hour … you know, with food and drinks and stuff)

• 7:30 – 9:30 PM – Elections (senior members vote on three Board seats and Officers), Committee Reports and Other Business

Okay, the truth is, you don’t have to be there … but you should be. We make much better decisions when you’re around.

See you soon!

Protected: 2009 December Board Meeting Minutes

First update to PBC Bylaws in 30 years

To: Members of Potomac Boat Club
From: Ed Ryan, Club Secretary

I am pleased to announce that the Board has updated the Bylaws of the Club for the first time since their last revision more than 30 years ago. The newly updated Bylaws can be found on the PBC website in the Members Area section and in the Members Only Info area of the Potomac Star (both areas are passcode protected).

The primary changes to the Bylaws were made to eliminate provisions that the Board determined were no longer relevant or applicable (availability of purchase option for life membership and waiver of initiation fee for active members of other rowing clubs); to update the fees and dues referenced in the Bylaws to those that are currently payable; to institute the use of a Club Bulletin Board for posting of Club information (contact information, fees, dues, etc.) and other official notices from the Secretary; to correct the descriptions of the Club uniform and flag; and to institute an improved mechanism to ensure early member notification of any proposed changes in fees or dues. Other changes included many “clean up” and ministerial changes to correct typos and the like.

Please note that the new Bylaws are effective as of December 16th, 2009, but are effective on a prospective basis only. As for any matter predating December 16th, 2009, the former Bylaws are effective (including the waiver of initiation fees for active members of other rowing clubs).

I hope the revised Bylaws will work for the Club for at least another 30 years.

Ed Ryan
Secretary, Potomac Boat Club

I love the water.

One of Dick's favorite places.

I love the water. By Dick Schwartzbard

Senior member Dick Schwartzbard has been retired from the federal government for more years than many of us have been alive.  He was a sailor, who loved the water, but got tired of driving all the way to the Chesapeake Bay from Arlington. He tried sailing on the Potomac, but quickly got tired of getting his boat stuck in the gunk.

When the weather is warmer, don’t be surprised to find Dick up on the porch at the club. It’s one of his favorite places to just sit, relax, and watch the river and the world go by. He recalls one of these days for us.  -The Potomac Star

I love the water.  It’s peaceful and tranquil.  Well, usually.  I was quite an avid sailor back in the day, but I am willing to admit that these days, I’m probably way too comfortably ensconced in old fartdom to ever become an avid rower.  All I know is that I love the water.  I love looking at it.  I love being near it.  I love watching the shells glide over its surface, especially from the porch of Potomac Boat Club.  If I have to do a little rowing every now and then to be able to watch the sun set over the river from the porch, then so be it.

Truth be told, conditions have to be pretty close to perfect for me to go for a row.  A few months ago, I went down to the boathouse on a Sunday and found less than perfect conditions.  Too much wind.  Too much chop.  The air was a bit too cold.  Just the kind of opportunity I look forward to!  A day to get comfortable on the porch and watch the world go by on the river.  It didn’t take much for me to head straight to my favorite place upstairs.

Dick took this photo from the bow of a boat slightly larger than the ones we're used to.

I wasn’t on the porch long before someone else was on the dock below to survey the scene.  Unlike me, this brave soul decided to go for it.  He disappeared into the house, reemerged with a boat on his head, proceeded down the ramp, and carefully placed his boat in the water.  I’ll call him Rower 1.

Rower 1 got his oars in the oarlocks, and then got himself in his boat and situated.  In a few minutes, he was ready to shove.  Unfortunately, when he did, he didn’t quite give it enough “oomph” to clear his starboard oar.  This is usually fine, but it didn’t seem like he knew how to use his oar to push off from the dock, either.  Worse yet, after this “misfire,” he wasn’t able to maneuver back into a position that would allow him to try to shove again.  Every stroke Rower 1 took with his port oar only angled the bow of his boat closer to the dock and the stern farther away … the opposite position he wanted to be in.  In fact, it looked like he was inadvertently working his way down the dock to where the coaching launches were tied up.  I thought if he got there, he’d really be in trouble!

So, at this point, you’re probably wondering why I didn’t get up from my comfortable vantage point on the porch to go help poor Rower 1.  Well, I thought about it.  Briefly.  But as you know, rowers are a determined lot, and Rower 1 was no different.  Back and forth, inch by inch, little by little, he kept at it.  I wasn’t going to deprive him of achieving success on his own.  Finally, his oar cleared just enough to let him take a bite and he was off!  Good job, Rower 1!

As I watched the first rower make his way up river, another one showed up on the dock.   This guy was a bit quicker off the dock than the last one. He grabbed his boat and launched.  I’ll call him Rower 2.

On the water, Rower 2 looked skilled and smooth.  In fact, it wasn’t long before he caught up to Rower 1 and passed him.  Now, I’m not one to take pleasure in another person’s misfortune, but the ease with which Rower 2 overtook Rower 1 … well, it made me feel pretty good. I thought, hey, maybe I’m not the slowest rower at the club after all!

I continued to watch as Rower 1 and Rower 2 disappear upstream, and then turned my eyes back to the water, sky and birds.  Soon, another rower showed up on the dock.  This one was about half my age, but definitely no youngster!  Like the last two fellows, he surveyed the scene and then disappeared for few minutes to get a boat.  He emerged with a club Maas, and set it in the water.  I’ll call him Rower 3.

A Maas is a shorter and wider type of boat than a regular racing single, but it is also more stable.  It’s the kind of boat I like to use, so I assumed that, like me, maybe Rower 3 didn’t have a lot of experience.  Given the trouble Rower 1 had getting out there, I thought this might get interesting!

I watched as Rower 3 mounted his oars, but something wasn’t quite right. It seemed to me that he put them in with the oarlocks backwards!  Why didn’t I say anything?  Well, I thought, what do I know?  I still consider myself a novice rower, so I resisted giving advice.  Besides, it looked like a friend had shown up with him.  Certainly, his friend would say something if his oarlocks were indeed backwards.  His friend shoved him off the dock, but once he got out there, I could see that his backwards-looking oarlocks were giving him trouble.

Anyway, Rower 3 sure wasn’t making much progress, and the progress he was making sure wasn’t in a straight line.  He took the boat around another 270 degrees or so before he finally started going straight.  The problem was, he was headed straight for the dock!  I don’t know if it was a good thing or not that the wind suddenly blew him down river, but it did.  He missed the dock by about six feet … and went right into the shore between the dock and Jack’s.

Just like Rower 1, Rower 3 persevered and finally extricated his boat from that awkward location. His friend helped him back to the dock. Clearly frustrated, he got right out of the boat to search for someone who could tell him what had gone wrong.  Unfortunately for him, there must have been a regatta that day because most of the folks I usually see around the club weren’t there.  Eventually, one of our most experienced members appeared, and I watched as the three of them went over the boat from bow to stern.

It’s interesting how experience sometimes blinds you to the obvious. Here was a unbelievably experienced member, who has probably forgotten more about rowing than I will ever know, yet he couldn’t see the backward oarlocks.  Maybe I was tuned in to the problem because I’ve made the same mistake putting in my own oars.  Finally, I decided to get up from my seat on the porch, and went down to the dock to offer that the oarlocks might be backwards.  And they were!  I felt smart.  They got the oarlocks facing in the right direction, made some adjustments to the foot plate, and soon, Rower 3 was back on the water and headed upstream.

About that time, Rower 1 was coming back down river. I watched from the dock as he rowed under Key Bridge, and I watched as he turned to cross the river behind the arches to come back around to the boathouse.  But then, nothing. That was odd, I thought.  I waited and waited for what seemed like forever, when finally something slowly came into view.

I couldn’t really tell if what I was looking at was just a shadow or a log or a boat that was barely moving. It turns out it was a boat.  And it was barely moving because it was upside down with a rower clinging to it. The bridge supports, the wind, and the current do strange things to the water close to the bridge.  More experienced rowers go down river a bit before making the turn. Rower 1 turned too close to the bridge, an error I daresay he won’t make again.

Right away, someone in a powerboat noticed the plight of Rower 1 and rushed up to help.  Unfortunately, he couldn’t seem to get Rower 1 out of the water.  Soon, a couple of rowers rowed up to the poor guy and it looked like they were offering him advice on how to get back into his boat, but to no avail. Eventually, they must have decided that one of them would tow – as in row – Rower 1 and his shell back to the dock.  And that’s precisely what they started to do.

Now, as you know, we pay some pretty high taxes in the DC area and the beneficiaries of those taxes like to show that they are earning our tax dollars.  Just as the situation was under control, the Harbor Police came roaring up to the chain of rowers and boats, their lights flashing. They managed to pull the wet rower on board and tow his shell the remaining few feet to the dock.  Just as I caught the bow of the rowerless shell, more flashing lights appeared on the river as a fire department boat came roaring in for its part of the rescue. And finally, it wouldn’t have been complete without a club member running down onto the dock all excited to find out what was happening. It seems that she had just pulled in to the club parking lot as three fire engines, two ambulances and a rescue van of some sort were arriving under the freeway with lights and sirens blaring.

Well, it certainly wasn’t the nice relaxing day on the porch I thought I was going to have, but I learned some valuable lessons.  On a superficial level, I watched a couple of novices make novice mistakes. On a more substantive level, I saw two men courageous enough to accept the challenge of a new activity.  They clearly had the determination and perseverance inherent in most rowers, so I am sure they will succeed.  I also learned that rowing is not only physically and technically challenging, but it can be downright dangerous, and even life threatening, on a river as unpredictable as the Potomac can be.

So, yes. So much for my peaceful day on the river. I probably would have stayed to watch Rower 2 and Rower 3 return, but at that point, I decided I had enough peace and tranquility for one day!

Security reminder from the president

Hi All –

A recent locker room theft reminds us that despite significant improvements in house security, we must continue to take reasonable precautions to secure our belongings while at the club.

This particular theft was from an unlocked locker.  Please make sure you are locking your locker and closing doors behind you.  As an added measure, don’t be shy about questioning anyone you don’t recognize.

It’s unfortunate we have to be on guard at our own club, but if we remember to do these simple things, we will continue to increase the level of safety and security for all of us.

Bob Price
President, PBC

143rd Semi-Annual Meeting this Wednesday!

Yep! It's that time, again.

The Potomac Boat Club 143rd Semi-Annual Meeting will be held this Wednesday, October 7.  Happy Hour will start at 6:30 pm, with the business of Club set to commence at 7:30 pm.

Here are a few of the agenda items you can look forward to so far:

• General remarks by PBC president, Bob Price
• Election of Float Officers
• Reports from the Committee chairs
• Presentation of the first annual David Challinor Memorial Fund Awards

If you missed helping out with the regatta last weekend or any number of volunteer opportunities the House Committee has thrown your way, the Semi-Annual Meeting is your chance to participate by just standing around and having a drink or two.

Heck, you might even find a committee you’d like to join!  (That’s the plan, at least.)

See you there, Potomac!

Only three days left to RSVP! Party details here!

JOIN US!

140th Anniversary Party
Saturday, September 12
7:00 – 10:00 PM
Cocktail Attire
Silent Auction
RSVP by Tuesday, September 8

This is your 140th Anniversary Party Reminder!

Potomac Boat Club’s President, the Board of Governors, and the Social Committee request your presence next weekend at the boathouse for a very special celebration … PBC’s 140th Anniversary!

The festivities will kick off on Saturday, September 12th, at 7:00 PM and continue until 10:00 PM.  The Social Committee anticipates many will want to be part of this historic night, so it is limiting guests to one per member to give everyone a chance to be there. Also, you must RSVP prior to the event, and the deadline is Tuesday, September 8th.  Let the party planners know you’ll be there by sending an email right now to PBCRSVP@yahoo.com.

What to wear?  The Social Committee is calling for cocktail attire, but valet parking will be available, so consider it an opportunity to strap on those 5-inch heels or show off that jacket and tie combo your teammates have never seen.  What about the kids?  Sorry. They have to stay home for this one, but the Committee promises plenty of beer, wine, soft drinks and hors d’oeuvres to keep your mind off of what they might be doing to the poor baby sitter you hired for the evening.

Over the last 140 years, we’ve become well known for our spirit of competition, and this anniversary party will reflect that.  No, not a hat race.  The Social Committee has put together a silent auction to benefit the Potomac River Sports Foundation and our Open Sculling Program.  Your fellow members have generously donated a variety of items for you to bid on throughout the evening, including weekend getaways, theater and athletic event tickets, special services, and much more, so get your checkbooks ready!  You might even get a sneak preview of the auction items in the Star later this week.

Stay tuned for last minute details!

Float Repair Day Photos

Chuck Selden surfaces with lunch for the work crew.

Who says watching paint dry isn’t fun?

Okay, so we didn’t paint the dock or watch it dry yesterday, but we did watch Chuck Selden and Cal Sutliff get the float repairs done, and that was fun.  Or at least interesting.

Check out the photos from Float Repair Day 2009 below.  Chuck Selden and Cal Sutliff went below deck. Mike Silveus, Mike Malone, Bob Price, Jim Hatch and Owen Lewis stayed topside to provide back up support.

If you’re interested in volunteering for Paint the Dock Day 2009 (Saturday, September 12), look for messages via the members’ Yahoo Group from House Committee chair, Mike Silveus.

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