Eight members of the Chicago Rowers Union (CRU) participated in the "Row a Soldier Home for the Holidays" event, held Dec. 15 at Union Station. Over a 12-hour span, starting at 7 a.m., rowers from various area teams attempted to collectively row 11,190,000 metersthe distance from Kabul, Afghanistan, to Chicago.
The event, which the Lincoln Park Boat Club sponsored, was a fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project.
The CRU members rowed for a two-hour shift in the afternoon and then another two hours in the evening, amassing about 70,000 meters; the team's goal 45,000 meters. CRU raised about $600 for the charity, surpassing its pre-event goal of $450.
"It was good to be able to participate in something like this where it tied rowing into helping out the community," said Bill Moudry, CRU president. "It was a lot of fun, though quite physical. It basically was a two-hour workout, but just being there with other people, other teams and knowing that you're doing it for a great cause definitely made it motivating and enjoyable."
Moudry said the event was a great way for CRU members to experience community outreach on a first-hand basis, and that the team will consider sponsoring similar fund-raising projects in the future.
CRU members who participated were Craig Wu, Joshuah Thurbee, Travis Paul, Matt Fessenden, Cat Dial, Matt Honaberger, Kevin Camarata and Moudry.