Stonington Crew

Donors to Stonington
High Crew

Thank you for your interest in supporting Stonington High Crew.

We are a self funded non-profit organization that strives to promote diversity, team work, and awareness within the crew sport.

Over the years since the program began generous support from Donors has enabled us to:

• purchase 15 used and new rowing shells and oars to maintain a fleet of six active boats
• purchase appropriate chase boats for the coaching staff
• teach over 250 athletes how to row, with 29 continuing to row in college
• place in state and regional competitions against public and private schools

Without support from our Donors none of this would have been possible.

Your contribution benefits the student athletes directly, allowing the Friends of Stonington Crew to provide the equipment the Stonington High School Crew Team so desperately needs.

As a 501(c)3 organization, your contribution to the Friends of Stonington Crew is fully tax deductible.

Questions about Donating?

Please contact Greg Wostrel, Friends of Stonington Crew President at: president@stoningtoncrew.org

 

Donors

We rely on donations from individuals and corporations to support the SHS Crew team. Generous donations, large and small, have enabled us to maintain and upgrade our equipment and contribute to regular expenses.

For example,over the years, significant giving from generous donors has made it possible for us to purchase the boats below:

Our Boats

Dr. Dorris Hutchison – 2008 Vespoli Ultralight - Donated by the estate of Dr. Dorris J. Hutchison, coordinated by Tom and Candy Sanford. Press Release for more information

Josh Piver – 2005 Resolute- Purchased with funds from the 2007 annual campaign. Press Release for more information

Hoxie - A 1999 ultralight Vespoli purchased from Trinity University for our varsity boys.  Mr. Kenneth Soltz donated for the naming rights. Hoxie is a family name for the Soltz family whose daughter Jackie Soltz rowed for Stonington.  The boys came in second at the 2004 Connecticut Championship in the Hoxie and qualified for the petite finals at the 2004 New Englands. The Hoxie is in our fleet today.

Kepple - Was the girls varsity boat; bought new from Vespoli in 2002 - The funds were raised by a boat campaign with Nick Kepple donating at the naming rights level.  The Kepple is still in our fleet with the girls 3rd boat rowing it.  The girls program have placed 2nd in 2006 and 3rd (2003, 04, 05) at the Ct Championship in Kepple. Qualified for the New Englands in each of those years, Petite finals in 2005.

Fuller - A 1998 ultralight Vespoli that was purchased for the varsity boys in 2003.  Dan Fuller donated for the naming rights.  Mr. Fuller has taken a great interest in Stonington crew and has helped the team out in many ways.  The varsity boys rowed Fuller to 3rd place at the 2003 Ct Championship. The FULLER remains in our fleet today.

Retired Boats

Jaws – ultralight Vespoli purchased from Brown University. Steven Spielberg donated this boat to Brown; his daughter rowed at Brown. Stonington crew used JAWS for the 3rd girls and recently sold it to raise funds for a new Boys First Varsity boat.

Powerhouse - A mahogany boat that was built by Graeme King. His boats are built one at a time, by hand, out of his shop in Vermont.  St. Pauls's crew, even today, only row in a Graeme King boat.  The Stonington girls rowed the POWERHOUSE and placed 2nd at the Connecticut Championships in 2001  and qualified for the New Englands. Powerhouse was donated by Jim Sullivan, a parent, and FOSC Vice President.  Powerhouse was sold to the US National Rowing  Foundation located at the Mystic Seaport.

Falco - Purchased from the Simsbury team, named after a former head coach at Simsbury, Joe Falco, who is now head coach for New Brunswick crew.  The Falco was sold to Glastonbury.

Murphy - was our first Vespoli, followed by the FALCO, also a Vespoli.  Both boats were purchased following a raffle for a $25,000 diamond neckless. Murphy was our girls varsity boat - the first boat  for Stonington crew to qualify for the New Englands and was .7 sec off from qualifying for the finals. The Murphy is now being used by the Mystic YMCA for their Crew Clinic.

63 and Red - These were the first two boats for Stonington crew. 63 was a wooden Pocock and the RED was a wooden Shoenbrod.  Red was Ken Godfrey's varsity boat when he was rowing for Simsbury in 1982 and placed 3rd in the New Englands for that team. Both boats served SHS Crew for two to three years and then were sold to Fitch High School.