Toledo Frogtown Races 2011

 Both varsity and novice crews will be traveling to Toledo on September 23, 2011 to compete in the Frogtown Races on September 24, 2011. Toledo is an excellent venue for spectators. The crews launch from International Park in downtown Toledo, row 3 miles up the Maumee and race back to International Park. Since this is an urban regatta, there are wonderful opportunities for viewing the races from the riverside. There are few fall regattas where you are this close to the action. I hope you decide to make the drive to Toledo.  Please consider helping  the Boosters  this weekend, we know a few of our regular Boosters will not be able to attend. Bring a chair, binoculars and your spirited self and cheer the crew on.

***If your athlete is not attending the Toledo Frogtown races, please let us know immediately. E-mail Jackie@indyrowing.org right away. At this time, we only know of three athletes that will not be in attendance (Anderson, Kirsch, Zitterbart).***

Transportation

 Your rower will be transported to the regatta in a coach bus or a in one of the 12-passenger vans (3 vans total) departing from the International School (ISI), 4330 North Michigan Road, Indianapolis.

The rowers should arrive by 4 PM on Friday, September 23rd. We will depart as soon as possible.

Cars may be left in the ISI lot overnight. We will return Saturday evening, around 10pm.

IRC expects all athletes to ride our transportation to and from the regatta unless we have a note or an email from parents BY WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21^ST. THE SAFETY OF YOUR CHILD IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. LATE NOTICES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Please give notes directly to Jackie or email them to Jackie@indyrowing.org.

What Rowers Should Wear

Varsity: Either an IRC unisuit, IRC tank and trou, an IRC tank with black spandex shorts, or the 2011 IRC Juniors shirt and black spandex shorts.

Novice: 2011 IRC Juniors shirt and black spandex shorts.      Both teams should be prepared for any weather conditions. Please come prepared for everything! Wear layers. After all, it is a regatta. Wear as much red, black and white as you can to show your team spirit.

Head Count  reply by 4PM Wednesday Sept 21, 2011 to Penny Kallmyer (pwkallmyer@aol.com 

Very important, by 4PM Wednesday, please send the names and the number in your group planning to eat with us in Toledo so that the food buyers purchase enough food on Thursday (this number does NOT include your rowers).

We prepare breakfast and lunch for the rowers as well as family members at the Regatta site. We ask that family members contribute a suggested donation of $5 per person per meal to help cover the costs. If you want to drop more money in the donation can at the food table, we will gladly accept more money.  DO NOT contribute money for your rower, their food costs are covered by IRC.

Food Donations reply by 4PM Wednesday, Sept 21, 2011 to www.SignUpGenius.com/go/frogtown3   Chair: Helene Doucet ( helene_doucet @hotmail.com)

 Why do we ask for food donations?

 You may wonder why we ask for food donations if your rowing fees include the costs to feed your rower. We receive a stipend per rower to cover basic meals for the athletes, but we find it more enjoyable for all if the food is fantastic.  Once you’ve come to a regatta and eaten with our crew, you will understand why we ask for your help. The best tailgate parties are not those with just the basics. The great parties are those with great food and new recipes that friends bring together to share.  Your food donations help reduce the grocery expenses and they provide the side dishes to supplement the grilled items and round the clock fruit and snacks needed by our active, hungry athletes. For each regatta, we send a list of food items we need depending on the menu, but we are open to any new ideas you might have. We aim to provide healthy foods. Please NO PEANUTS as someone may have a peanut allergy. Disposable containers are best, if not, please label your container.

If you wish to donate please go to the link www.SignUpGenius.com/go/frogtown3  Please be very specific about thequantity you will provide so that we know how much food we might otherwise need to purchase.

Please volunteer to provide food only if you are absolutely sure you can do it AND have it at the boathouse at the required time. We rely on your response when preparing our shopping list for Thursday. Our trailer will be packed on Thursday night (September 22^nd), perishables packed on ice, and the trailer will be locked and on the way to the regatta site by Friday morning. There will often be no extra room on the crew buses to carry late arriving food. Based on past experience, the food may not arrive to the Boosters in its entirety and then we will be short of food (the athletes eat anything in sight!).

If you are coming to the regatta, you can bring the food with you.  Contact Helene with your plan if you are not sending the food in the Booster trailer. Please keep in mind, if you commit to bring items needed for breakfast, we will need those at the Booster tent by 6AM regatta morning.

We are trying to reduce the amount of trash we create at the regatta, please remind your rowers to bring their own water bottle. We encourage parents to bring a coffee cup from home; it’s a lot easier to tell which cup is yours when they all do not look alike.

Volunteers Needed reply by 8pm Thursday, Sept 22 to www.SignUpGenius.com/go/frogtown3  chair Penny Kallmyer(pwkallmyer@aol.com)

Please consider being a volunteer. It is quite a production to transport and feed 100+ rowers and their families. All types of help will be welcomed.  If you have volunteered for a shift during your child’s race, WATCH YOUR CHILD RACE! Please tell another booster and we will cross cover for each other so we can all cheer our rowers on. There are volunteer jobs even for parents not traveling to Toledo. Please access (link for sign up genie)  and chose you job and shift. We need the following jobs filled.

1 person to help with shopping on Thursday, Sept 22 at 3PM

2-3 people to help load the trailer on Thursday, Sept 22 at 4:30PM

4-6 people to help set up tents and grills on Friday afternoon/early evening.  If not Friday, we will need 4-6 people with flashlights at 5AM Saturday so we can have breakfast ready for the rowers as they arrive bright and early Saturday morning.

2 parents to ride the bus as chaperones. We are taking a coach bus this time! This is a great way to get a free ride to and from the regatta.

3 parents to drive a 12 passenger van. ***Without parent-drivers, we will be unable to attend this regatta***

2 people per shift (4 shifts) to work the grills.

2 people per shift (4 shifts) to watch the food tables and be sure they are clean and food bowls are refilled as needed.

6-8 people available toward the end of the regatta to help clean up, tear down and pack up the Booster trailer. You will not be alone, experienced boosters will be there.

Family Volunteer Requirement

 Please keep in mind each family is required to complete 12 hours of volunteer service to IRC. Please send an email to Penny Kallmyer at pwkallmyer@aol.com after completion of volunteer hours at each Regatta and the Boosters will help record your family’s hours. If you volunteered for the Ft. Wayne scrimmage, please send your hours to Penny!

Venue and Directions

The Frogtown Races are hosted by the Toledo Rowing Club. The crews will launch and finish at International Park in downtown Toledo. Information about the venue, races, and directions can be found at www.regattacentral.com under the Regatta tabs and look for Frogtown Races.

There are two main routes to Toledo from Indianapolis, via Fort Wayne or via Dayton; both take about 4 hrs and 15 mins. The following directions from the Toledo Rowing Club will be helpful as you approach the venue via I-75.

Northbound I-75: Exit 201B OH-25N toward downtown. At the bottom of the ramp turn left at the light onto Erie Street. Follow Erie Street north to Cherry Street. At  the light at Cherry Street turn right. Cross the Martin Luther King Jr. bridge. Turn right at the light immediately after the bridge into International Park. The Toledo boathouse will be on the left and follow the signs and volunteers to trailer and car parking.

Lodging

 Rowers lodging is included in the fall registration fees. The rowers will be assigned 4 to a room as pre-determined by the coaches. Rooms will be assigned based on age of the athletes. There will be a curfew and the rowers will have “tape” applied to their doors. Since we will be arriving late and rising early, it is very important for the rowers to go to their rooms and get to sleep. We cannot be competitive if we are tired! The rowers will be staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 444 N. Summit Street, Toledo.  This hotel is directly across from the venue and anticipated to be at maximum capacity. If you have reserved a room, you should be fine. If you have not reserved a room, contact the hotel directly at 419-241-1411 and check for vacancy.

In the past, we have stayed at the Toledo Hilton at 3100 Glendale Ave. Tel : 419-381-6800. It is a short drive to the venue and the accommodations have been great.

Thanks for your support and see you in Toledo. GO IRC!