Oakland Strokes

Ariel Shaker, Oakland Strokes ‘06, passed away in an equestrian accident on October 7, 2009. Ariel made a mark on many lives and is sorely missed by friends, family, and fellow teammates. We invite you to contribute to our fund raising efforts to donate a 8-person boat to the varsity women’s squad of the Oakland Strokes in Ariel’s name. Let’s carry on her spirit through the next generation of young rowers.

Donations can be made either online via PayPal or by mail. If you donate via PayPal, be sure to indicate “Shaker boat” in the special instructions field.

 

 

Checks should be payable to Oakland Strokes and sent to:

Oakland Strokes
c/o Lisa Kharrazi
8 Washoe Court
Alameda, CA 94501

Thank you,

Rebekah and Shira Kharrazi
rebekah.kharrazi@gmail.com

Also check out our FaceBook page at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=418394430022#/group.php?gid=265542213715

Picture the view from this Ergroom window!

Mezzanine, main boathouse, and second boathouses

Invest in excellence — contribute to the Oakland Strokes! Your contribution will help us fund outreach and scholarship programs, support our top coaching staff, and purchase equipment we need to remain safe and competitive.

Circle contributions

Circle level donors sustain our children, our athletes! You may remain anonymous or be recognized in the annual yearbook and online.

$15,000	New Boathouse Circle
$10,000	New Boat Circle
$5,000	New Launch Circle
$2,000	New Oars Circle
$500	New Megaphone Circle (minimum required per family)

Spring discount offer

The Spring discount offer reduces your $990 spring fee commitment.

• Contribute $2500 and get 100% off Spring fees
• Contribute $2000 get 75% off
• Contribute $1500 get 50% off
• Contribute $1100 get 25% off

The following article is excerpted from Oakland Strokes Chairman Dan Herbert’s commentary at the groundbreaking ceremony for our new Tidewater Aquatic Center.

What a day for the kids of Oakland and the East Bay. What a day for the East Bay Regional Parks. And what a day for the Oakland Strokes!

Sometimes at our year-end recognition night I recount to our parents and rowers what it takes and means to be a rower and a member of the Oakland Strokes. At the beginning of each season our rowers take to the water and begin to learn how to row and they take their very first stroke. Each day and each week they take more strokes. Stroke, after, stroke… In a normal practice day our rowers will take just about 1,200 strokes …each practice day… each week … each month so by the time they line up for their last race of the season they would have put their oars in the water just about 550,000 times.

The last race of the year is a 2,000 meter sprint and our teams will put their oars in the water just about 220 times each during that race. A half a million strokes for just 220 perfect ones. Then shortly the next season begins and they joyfully put their oars in the water again for the first time.

Just about 9 years ago we put our oars in the water with the East Bay Regional Park District for the very first time and together we have worked very hard for at least a half a million strokes and now we begin that race to the finish just 2,000 meters away or this case just 12 months away. That will be an even more wonderful day for East Bay kids, the East Bay Regional Park District, and the Oakland Strokes. We can’t wait until next season to keep this groundbreaking partnership flourishing.

As many of you know, it takes individual dedication and the ultimate team effort to get a boat across the finish line first. We are indeed part of an ultimate team – our Oakland Strokes committee members that had the vision and dream, our teammates from the Park District – (their wonderful staff and supportive Board), and Siegel and Strain our architects, all who share that dream. It was a lot of strokes together – we have a few more to go then our real work - our next season begins and continues for these great kids. We are grateful to you all – please stand and take a bow!

—Dan Herbert, August 28, 2009