"I sought the best rowing water around, and found Vancouver Lake..."

                                                                    ~ Bill Kalenius ~

A Message from Bill Kalenius, President and Founder of Vancouver Lake Crew

Hi, My name is Bill Kalenius and I started Vancouver Lake Crew over five years ago, in January, 2002. I sought the best rowing water around, and found Vancouver Lake. It is sparsely used; with few motor boats, mostly fishermen and hunters.

    Vancouver Lake Crew has a mission to serve the youth of Clark County. It does this by offering a high school rowing program to all the youth of the county. Members of our crew team come from over ten high schools throughout Clark County. We also offer adult and college programs. Rowing is a lifetime endeavor, and we want to embody that theme to all that row at our facility. It is our goal to have junior high school, high school, college, and master's (adult) programs. While focusing on rowing, we envision our facility as a center for all water related sports on the lake, and are open to any water based activities.

    We also offer special programs. We have a dragon boat, canoes, and kayaks for public use. We have had birthday parties, boy scout troops, church groups, and celebrations of life at our facility. We continue to be available for any and all water activities at little or no cost. For the past six summers, we have worked with the Washington State School for the Blind to sponsor a rowing camp as part of its week long Sports Camp. Our rowers find it exceptionally rewarding to help out at this camp. We offer our Kids' Camp program during the summer as well. This is a week long day camp for pre-high schoolers and allows them to "mess with boats", using rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and rowing shells under the guidance of their high school counselors. This program continues to gain in popularity.

    While not large in numbers, we continually find very talented students coming down to learn about rowing. We continue to have amazing success at the Junior Regional Championships each year. But, more important, we see our students take those life-skills learned in rowing and adapt them into their future lives. Our first group just graduated from college, and their résumés are nothing less than awesome. Kari Durgan is continuing her studies in a doctoral program at UC Davis. Cris Cecka is a post graduate student at Stanford. Ryan Mills is working in the Emergency Room at Southwest Washington Medical Center after serving his country, and dodging bullets, in Iraq. All of   these individuals were successful rowers, and have continued their successes. I do not believe this to be a coincidence.

    Vancouver Lake Crew owes its success to many people. To those coaches that believed in me at the very beginning and helped out with equipment. (Fuchs at Western Washington University, Beyer & Dykgraaf at Everett, Zagunis at Oregon Rowing Unlimited, Clark at Moss Bay Rowing Club, Owens at Oregon State University, Walkely at Commencement Bay Rowing Club, Eric & Janetta Jonsson of Owen Racing Shells and the folks at Olympia Area Rowing).   Special thanks to Alan Stewart and Bill Byrd who helped out in those first days and beyond. And, to Jim Clark, who tried to talk me out of it, but knew I wouldn't heed his advice. Since its inception, many people have come into the club to help, and have been along for the ride forever, it seems. One is our self appointed commodore, Rick Gales. Another, our utility man, whether it's mowing the lawn, buying a boat, or just rowing his Maas 24 at the Sound Rowers races in his Vancouver Lake racing shirt, Delvan Johnston has been invaluable to the club. And, then there is the parent that wouldn't go away. Her son started rowing, then she did. She then began to coach our novices. Anita Roberts has been here the whole time and continues to keep us on an even-keel. And, one more person should be mentioned. Our head coach, Will, continues to provide "contemporary" thinking to our club, and is a role model that any parent could be proud if their child would emulate. I know I am proud of him.

    So, Vancouver Lake Crew continues to expand and offer boating, especially rowing, opportunities to anyone interested. We have rowing capabilities for all ages. From Emmanuel Gales, who began at age seven, to Ann Irish, who learned to scull at age 76.

Welcome to Vancouver Lake Crew!

Bill

President, Vancouver Lake Crew

P.S.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention those responsible for my rowing career, my coaches. Thanks! Bob Diehl, University of Washington (coached at Western Washington University); John Sack, Undine Barge Club and Lake Washington Rowing Club; Dick Erickson, University of Washington; Frank Cunningham, Harvard and Lake Washington Rowing Club.

P.P.S. Mary Kay   Kara, Will, Mom, Dad, brothers and sisters, esp. Dianne......special love.