The Chicago Rowing Union (CRU) is wrapping its 2011 season with a splash.
CRU is holding its annual end-of-the-year fundraiser Saturday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. CRU is hosting an LGBTQA prom titled "A Night Among Stars" at the John Hancock Observatory, 875 N. Michigan Ave., on the 94th floor.
Tickets for this black-tie-optional event are $50 per person and will include an open bar, light hors d'oeuvres, dancing and more.
"The motivation behind the prom theme stems from the fact that many gay teens were not allowed to bring, or were afraid to bring, their same-sex significant-other to their high school prom. We want to give everyone that opportunity once again," said Craig Wu, director of marketing for CRU and a competitive team member.
"In the spirit of an inclusive prom, we are encouraging everyone to bring a date regardless of who [the date] may be. We just want you to come, have a good time and to live the prom you didn't have."
Wu, 32, who lives in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, is the data assistant for the University of Chicago Alumni Relations and Development Communications. He has been rowing competitively with CRU for five years.
"I started rowing with this team five years ago when it was called 'Qrew Chicago,'" Wu said. "I learned the sport quickly and trained hard to integrate myself with the team as a starboard rower. During my third and fourth seasons with the team, I was selected by my crew as the Competitive Team Captain. The Captain acts as a cheerleader, motivator, and administrator for the crew. I continue to train hard each year to maintain some of the fastest individual times in the boat, which we measure by vigorous 2K and 6K tests. At the beginning of this season, I joined CRU's Board of Directors."
Wu said CRU made "huge strides" in 2011.
"We were highly competitive against club and collegiate crews in six regattas across the country since our season began [this past] April," Wu said. "Among some of the results were first-, second-, and third-place finishes at the Stonewall Regatta in Washington, D.C., plus a third-place finish at the State Games of Michigan, and a first-place finish for the Novice crew at the highly-attended Head of the Rock Regatta in Rockford."
Wu said CRU filled three learn-to-row classes last summer, and roughly 80 percent of the participants returned to join the team as CRU's novice rowers.
"This [2011] season was different in that we had a more diverse group of rowers," Wu said. "We had members of the Men's and Women's Northwestern University crew team join CRU to create a single, unified team of gay and straight rowers, as well as a few other straight members on the team.
"One of my favorite memories from this year came to me off the water. As the Marketing Director for CRU, I gave a 15-minute taped TV interview with Paul Lisnek from Comcast/WGN TV about CRU to help generate interest in CRU and rowing in Chicago. One of my favorite moments on the water this year was during a regatta. CRU continues to improve our performance at our one-and-only home-based regatta, The Chicago Sprints, held each July. One of my events, the Men's Open 4+, gained entry to the semi-finals for the first time since attending this regatta. We eventually finished in fourth place among some very competitive crews. We are proud of this accomplishment and look forward to medaling next year."
Tickets for the event are available at www.chicagorowingunion.org/benefit.
