Boston University Rowing Celebrates DeWolfe Boathouse
October 13, 2009 | General
by Nicole LaSala
Oct. 13, 2009
Boston University Rowing will host the annual Head of the Charles Alumni and Friends Reception on Saturday, October 17, 2009, from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m., to kick off the season and honor the tenth anniversary of the DeWolfe Boathouse. The reception will take place during the Head of the Charles Regatta, the world's largest two-day rowing event. All alumni, family, and friends are invited meet the teams and coaches - tickets include an open bar and hors d'oeuvres. Click here to RSVP.
Home to both BU men's crew and women's rowing, the DeWolfe Boathouse was made possible by several gracious donors in conjunction with the leadership gift made by former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Boston University and current member of the Board of Overseers, Richard B. DeWolfe (MET'71), who is a Managing Partner of DeWolfe & Company, LLC, a real estate management and investment consulting firm. Mr. DeWolfe, a major benefactor to the college and boathouse campaign, named it after his grandparents.
"At the time, BU was working toward a master plan that included building the new fitness and recreation center [FitRec], but we knew we had to start small," DeWolfe recollects. "Having just attained permits to build the new boathouse our first step was fund raising for that project. We knew that if we did not meet our goal for the boathouse, finding sufficient funds for FitRec would be near impossible. In the midst of the fundraising struggle, I decided that as head of the project development committee, I would take the initiative in personally making the donation, enabling the completion of the project."
"I am thankful to the DeWolfe's everyday that I walk into the boathouse," says Thomas Bohrer, head coach men's crew. "I still can't believe I have the opportunity to coach out of this facility."
The state-of-the-art facility contains a large workout area, spacious locker rooms for men and women, six boat bays, a repair shop, and an outdoor balcony which presents a gorgeous view of Boston. It is situated directly across the river from the George Sherman Student Union. The dock marks the starting line of the Head of the Charles Regatta.
"Having such an excellent facility on campus helps define rowing at Boston University - it is part of the fabric of our campus," explains Stacey Rippetoe, head coach of the women's rowing team. "The teams meet in a beautiful space, work like crazy on the Charles, and then return to a welcoming and comfortable boathouse. The DeWolfe Boathouse helps make rowing as special as it is at Boston University."
Both teams' student-athletes use the facility to train, compete, study and meet their goals. The men's crew program looks forward to building upon last season's success for which they earned the Clayton Chapman Award for the most improved team performance at the IRA. Similarly, the women's team aims to raise expectations by advancing all eligible varsity boats to the Grand Final at the Eastern Sprints this spring.
If you would like to join the Terriers in the reception to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the DeWolfe Boathouse, please click here. For more information, please call Terrier Pride at 617-353-3008.
If you would like to make a donation to your favorite team, please click here. For more information, please visit us at GoTerriers.com, call us at 617-353-3008, or email us at terrierpride@bu.edu.
