The Orcas Island Junior Rowing Club will host its annual “Pure Pleasure Dinner” at Camp Orkila on Friday, Jan. 20. The event is a celebration of Orcas and rowing.
The evening has been renamed to “Pure Pleasure” because it is a night of feasting, regaling, dancing and more all in the historic lodge around a roaring fire.
Happy hour starts at 5 p.m. with live music, free appetizers, a no-host-bar and socializing. Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. There is free child care available and tickets are $35 each.
The event is a fundraiser, but there are no auctions.
“As much as anything, the evening is an opportunity for Orcas Rowing to connect with the broader community,” said organizers. “Of course, the club appreciates the income from the dinner and any donations.”
This year – in addition to the usual need of $5,000 to support the program – they need a new quad rowing shell, as the rules have changed in the Northwest region for junior varsity quad races. In the past, this region has been out of step with the rest of the country and has held coxed quad races.
Starting in the spring of 2013, the Northwest will have “coxless” or “straight” quad races. In these races the bow rower must steer the boat and there is no coxswain in the boat to steer and call out the strokes. So to be competitive the club will need to replace one of their current quads with a newer coxless shell. New quads are between $12,000 and $18,000.
“The current junior crew is particularly competitive and has a great chance to medal at regional and national regattas (competitions) this year,” said rowing club volunteer Martin Taylor. “So they could make excellent use of the new boat if it was available for this spring. The club would be open to discussion with an Orcas-based sponsor if any individuals or businesses are interested.”
Contact Taylor martin@orcasdigerati.com or 376-6935 for reservations and information or buy tickets online at www.orcasislandrowing.org. Donations can be mailed to rcas Island Rowing, c/o Martin Taylor, 455 Eastsound Shores Road, Eastsound, WA, 98245.
