Juniors - (Re)Join US Rowing Now for Regionals Entry

Hello, Junior OAR Rowers and Parents,
(copy of email sent 4 May 09)

*******************************************************************************************
Required for Regionals –
Join US Rowing for all Junior rowers.
Cost $45 annual membership.
Details below.
*******************************************************************************************

Regionals are starting on May 15th, as you know. The races start Friday morning (15th), so this needs to be planned as a day off from school and work. Depending on how your boats do in qualifying heats Friday and Saturday, you may (or may not) be scheduled as late as Sunday for the finals. We are working on food planning and other logistics, stay tuned.

It is necessary for most of you to REJOIN US Rowing in order to be eligible to enter the Regionals. This event requires a "Full Privilege" membership for all participants, so now it's time to pay the US Rowing membership fee ($45) for the annual renewal.

Please go to http://www.usrowing.org/join_renew/membershipoptions/index.aspx.

NOVICES: There you will see

- "Join as a New Full-Privilege Member" - Novices and anyone who has never joined US Rowing should use this and provide the $45 authorization for credit card payment.

VARSITY: You will need to use the part of the form that says:

- "Renew as a Full Privilege Member" - Varsity and others who rowed the Regionals last year should use this and provide them your existing US Rowing membership number to renew. They will ask for credit card authorization for $45 as your annual membership fee.

I obtained a list of US Rowing numbers associated with OAR today (see below). You should find your number on this list, if you've joined in the past. If you think you have joined in the past, but you don't know your US Rowing number and it's not on this list, then you should phone the US Rowing Member Services desk at 800-314-4769. They'll find your US Rowing number if it exists, and let you re-join on the existing number. They are open weekdays until 4:30 pm Eastern time.

For new joiners, please send back your NEW US Rowing number to me, after you register. We'll record that - to make sure that you can row at Regionals, in the unlikely event that their registration system drops the ball somehow.

Following our emails last month, everyone has by now reserved their hotel rooms for Friday 15th May through Sunday 17th May at the Staybridge Suites (or some other hotel in Vancouver WA). If not, please let me know or phone me with any questions: 350-8115 (leave a message if I can't pick up your call, please!).

I'll be providing more updates - about lineups, meals, boat loading, etc.
Stay tuned and thanks for your attention to all this ... Mike Ruth (Parent Coordinator)