General News Upcoming Events Rowing Center News
Junior Program News Adult Program News
Development News BIR in the Community
General news
From the President
As we wrap up a very successful 2024, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has made this year so special. Your dedication, support, and enthusiasm have truly uplifted our community.
The big news this quarter is the tremendous success of Dream Big. We sold out the event, grossed over $200,000, and enjoyed a wonderful evening. A special shout-out to event chairs Cynti Oshin and Karol Danielsson and their amazing volunteers—it seemed like almost half the club pitched in!
Winter erging is underway, and a hearty group of adults couldn’t wait for spring to get on the water on Thanksgiving, thanks to coaches Sydney and Ena.
While we’re on the subject of gratitude, I want to extend a special thanks to our Board; our coaches and staff, our donors; and all the members of BIR who have made this organization such a special community.
With Amanda and Walker on board for a FULL YEAR in 2025, I can’t begin to imagine where we’ll be next year!
Happy Holidays to all!
-Jill Bamburg
upcoming events
Upcoming Events
Planning Session
BIR’s main planning session for 2025 will be on Saturday, January 18, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. All interested members are encouraged to join the board for this session. It promises to be a fun and productive day!
Annual Meeting
Our Annual Meeting will be on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 7:15 p.m. We’ll be electing new board members at that time. Will one of them be you? Please reach out to BIR President, Jill Bamburg at president@bainbridgerowing.org
rowing center news
Rowing Center News
This fall, BIR was a hub of excitement and a variety of activities. From September through December, our venue buzzed with 17 special events, bringing together people from all walks of life. Our space came alive with celebrations and gatherings, each contributing its own distinct charm and energy.
This season was particularly remarkable for non-profit events, including a two-day book festival with New York Times best-selling authors and hosting the National APIAHIP forum, which attracted over 150 off-island visitors to learn about the significance of the Asian Pacific presence on Bainbridge Island and nationally. We also hosted our first-ever sanctioned Regatta (Brown Bear Cup), our annual auction, weddings, receptions, memorials, a bat mitzvah, and BHS end of season parties. Each event added a unique flavor to our vibrant fall.
With one full year of venue operation under our belt, we are thrilled to see repeat clients already booking for next year. As 2025 approaches, consider the Rowing Center for all your event needs. Our top-notch amenities, dedicated staff, and stunning waterfront location have quickly made us one of the premier rental venues in the West Sound. Click here to learn more and inquire about daytime and private event rentals.
junior program news
Junior Program News
Congratulations to Hannah (University of Washington) and Addie (Michigan State University), who recently signed their National Letters of Intent to row in college! Your hard work, dedication, and passion for rowing have led you to this incredible milestone. BIR and our extended community on Bainbridge Island are SO PROUD of you both! We look forward to seeing you shine in your collegiate careers and beyond. Go Hannah and Addie!
Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Waterfront Park Clean Up
On November 16th, a happy go-lucky crew of 55 junior rowers/coxs and adults worked with the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation to continue the tradition of cleaning and beautifying Waterfront Park. In exchange for these efforts, the Foundation made a donation of $1,540 to the BIR Scholarship Fund. The team removed invasive plants and weeds, trimmed trees and bushes and planted new plants. It was a total team effort with the Foundation thanking BIR for our continued partnership in making our home base beautiful.
Racing Recap:
The Juniors kicked off their Fall season with their first away regatta at American Lake, achieving podium finishes in 9 out of 18 events. Their commitment and determination stood out as they tackled the competitive waters, showcasing their skills and teamwork.
The season wrapped up with the prestigious Head of the Lake regatta, where our Varsity Boys 8+, Varsity Boys 4+, and Varsity Girls U17 4x+ crews all grabbed top 5 finishes. These amazing results highlight the dedication and effort of our rowers and coaches, making it a season to remember. We’re super proud of all our Junior rowers for their fantastic performances and the great energy they brought to every race.
adult program news
Adult Program News
Adult programming has welcomed a fresh wave of new faces this year. The leadership of both new and returning coaches, along with the support of established members, has truly elevated our growing adult rowing community. Learn to Row, the new Novice program, private lessons, and some gentle persuasion helped grow the Adult Team to 132 rowers by September. The 2024 Novice cohort proudly represented us at Row for the Cure, Brown Bear Regatta, and American Lake this fall. We were also thrilled to see our new Director of Business Development and Programs, Amanda Pekasky, back in a race lineup after a 15-year hiatus; she came out of retirement to help the women’s 8+ finish the season strong at Head of the Lake.
A true highlight of the 2024 Adult Team has been cheering on our mixed 4x: Tammy Galbraith, Peter Vosshall, Anthony Oddo, and Andrea Chymiy. This inspiring and dedicated crew defended their 2023 Head of the Lake win, taking home the gold again in 2024. Just two weeks prior, they finished in the top half of their event at the Head of the Charles River against a very competitive field:
We followed our race plan well and surprised ourselves by finishing with a better time than we expected, but we were humbled by the extremely fast crews in our race, including several former national champions and Olympian rowers from various countries!
BIR in the community
BIR in the Community
On September 28, BIR hosted our first-ever USRowing sanctioned regatta, sponsored by Brown Bear Car Wash. This event brought together five clubs from Seattle and Kitsap areas at Eagle Harbor, creating a vibrant and competitive atmosphere.
The regatta began on a sunny morning with flat water and stunning views of Seattle. This free-entry race celebrated the fall rowing season, offering participants complimentary shirts, car washes, homemade breakfast goodies, and a 90% organic harvest-themed lunch. All equipment was provided by BIR.
With over 150 rowers, both adults and juniors, and more than 40 dedicated volunteers, the community came together in full force. Live drone footage captured the excitement of the races, complemented by fun activities for families. The 3600m course saw high-energy racing, including adult and junior events. Highlights included Bainbridge Island Rowing securing both first and second place in the men’s junior 8 race and a thrilling women’s junior 4x+ race won by Commencement Bay.
A heartfelt thank you to all the rowers and volunteers who made this event possible. Your efforts and enthusiasm were truly inspiring!
The Brown Bear Cup was a resounding success, uniting the rowing and non-rowing communities for a memorable day of sport and fellowship. We look forward to many more events like this in the future!
development news
Development News
Without hesitation Brown Bear Car Wash has agreed to support this event again because of the outstanding execution of 40+ volunteers, the operations team on and off the water, development team, community engagement team, drone team, regatta kitchen over-achieving cooks, and our amazing coaches! Congratulations to all!
DREAM BIG Changing Lives Auction 2024
184 attendees connected, laughed, cried, dined, and hung out together in the newly created social area downstairs which included a photo booth and DJ music! Bruce Beall was honored for all his contributions to BIR as Director of Rowing and impact as a coach. This gathering raised over $200,000 to help finish the capital campaign and make sure rowing is accessible by replenishing the scholarship fund! We are grateful to all who attended and our amazing group of volunteers who worked throughout the year to make this event the best one ever!
In case you missed the event or are just excited to rewatch, here are the two videos showcased during the event, created by the talented Erik Hammer (BIR alum).
Pocock Core 4x+ Sweep/Sculling Racing Shell Update
Exciting news! We’ve just ordered a brand-new 4x+ shell, set to arrive in time for Spring rowing! Thanks to the generous community grants from Rotary, Bainbridge Community Foundation, BI Parks & Trails Foundation, and private donations in 2023/24, this addition will be a fantastic boost to our fleet. Ready All Row!
Year-End Giving
As the year comes to a close, please consider including BIR in your 2024 year-end giving or your 2025 giving plan. Your gift will help us make rowing accessible and affordable for everyone. Visit https://bainbridgerowing.org/donate/ to make an online donation and help us reach our capital campaign goal of $800,000. Your support also ensures that we can provide scholarship funds to those in need. We’re on track, and with your help, we can achieve our goals!
Checks can be sent to P.O. Box 10115, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110. If you have any questions, please contact development@bainbridgerowing.org.
