October 15, 2005
Purdue Crew sees new boathouse on horizon
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A partnership between Purdue and the city of West Lafayette will make a wish come true for the Purdue Crew, which on Saturday (Oct. 15) celebrated fund-raising progress made toward a new boathouse.
The university has raised $1 million toward the boathouse, which is expected to cost at least $1.5 million. It will be located on city-acquired land along the banks of the Wabash River in an area that is just upstream of the new scenic overlook at the old Brown Street Bridge abutment.
Jim and Theresa Rieth of Spicer, Minn., are lead donors for the project. Jim Rieth and Fran Tuite of Chicago serve as co-chairs for the boathouse fund-raising campaign.
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"Purdue is proud to have one of the strongest crew programs in the nation," Purdue President Martin C. Jischke said. "In addition to providing easier access for rowing on the Wabash, this new boathouse will increase visibility for these amazing student-athletes. It also can create opportunities for a high school rowing program and additional water-based sports for the community."
Rieth, West Lafayette Mayor Jan Mills and Thomas B. Robinson, Purdue vice president for student services, will participate in the crew boathouse celebration.
"Not only are we celebrating future opportunities for the university's oldest club sport, we are celebrating yet one more example of how Purdue and the city of West Lafayette work together for the betterment of the entire community," Robinson said.
Mills said, "Finding ways to take advantage of our most prominent natural resource is critical. We are pleased that a joint project with Purdue will further enhance our development and conservation of the Wabash River corridor. We also hope to see many more canoers, kayakers and other water enthusiasts out on the Wabash in the years to come."
The new boathouse will feature several boat bays for shell storage, a maintenance bay, strength training room and an alumni lounge. With additional funding beyond the initial $1.5 million, the plans also might include men's and women's locker rooms, an indoor rowing tank, coaches' offices, and training rooms.
Rieth, who rowed for Purdue from 1958-62, said the facility will serve as a tribute to the alumni and traditions that have been established since 1949.
"It's a great balance for the rigorous academics of Purdue," Rieth said. "The program is impressive. The academic performance of the rowers is outstanding, and even though it is a club sport, they win against some schools that are better financed. What more can you ask of an extracurricular program?"
Rieth earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1962, a master's degree in industrial administration from the Krannert School of Management in 1963 and a doctorate in agricultural economics in 1970. Fund-raising co-chair Tuite rowed for the Purdue Crew from 1977-79 and continues to row competitively.
The Purdue Crew Alumni Committee and the university plan to complete fund raising this fall.
Brian Failing, an electrical engineering senior from Granger, Ind., who serves as Purdue Crew president, said the new boathouse will help the program expand and gain recognition.
"We currently run our practice operations three miles from campus, where only a handful of people ever see us rowing," Failing said. "A few times a year we will make it up to the pedestrian bridge area, giving members of the community an opportunity to see us on the water. We always hear how they enjoy seeing us. The team will get much more visibility when we have a new boathouse located in the heart of the community."
In addition to being one of the oldest organized club sports teams in the United States, the Purdue Crew has established a reputation as one of the best crews in the country. It has brought home the team points trophy from the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta five out of the last six years. This past spring, the crew also secured the points trophy from the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association regatta for the seventh year in a row. Since 1981 Purdue has won four Midwestern championships, several Southern championships, The Visitor's Cup and Lightweight 8 Races at the San Diego Crew Classic. The crew also is recognized for consistently maintaining an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Ten percent of its members achieved a 4.0 GPA last semester.
Purdue rowers contribute their time to provide as much as 60 percent of the club's annual operating budget through fund-raising activities such as its annual Rent-a-Rower, in which crew members are paid for doing household tasks, and contracted work for Purdue and community organizations. The club is a self-governing organization in the Division of Recreational Sports.
Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu
Sources: Martin C. Jischke, (765) 494-9708
Thomas B. Robinson, (765) 494-5776, trobinson@purdue.edu
Jan Mills, (765) 775-5100, mayor@city.west-lafayette.in.us
Jim Rieth, (320) 796-2728, jrtl@tds.net
Brian Failing, (765) 495-2284, bfailing@purdue.edu
David Kusik, Purdue Crew coach, (765) 491-4700, dwk@exchange.purdue.edu
Reid Ricciardi, director of development for student services, (765) 496-2406, rricciardi@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Related Web sites:
Purdue Campaign News Page
PHOTO CAPTION:
Winged spectators flock to cheer on the women's varsity heavyweight division of the Purdue Crew at the Dad Vail finals last May in Pennsylvania. Purdue University will celebrate progress made toward raising funds to build a new boathouse, which will be constructed on land acquired by the city of West Lafayette in an area just upstream of the new scenic overlook at the old Brown Street Bridge abutment. (Photo courtesy of Dan Harms, Purdue Crew rower)
A publication-quality photo is available at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2005/dadvail-crew.jpg
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