In its inaugural year, the annual “Grandpa Miles” Golf Tournament raised $30,000 in support of Rochester Community Inclusive Rowing (RCiR).
The golf tournament, held August 23 at Brook Lea Country Club, was a collaboration between RCiR and longtime supporter, Matthew Miles, in honor of Miles’ grandfather, George Miles, a U.S. Army and National Guard veteran. Miles, a veteran himself, has seen first-hand the important role services like RCiR play in supporting veterans’ mental health and well-being. As a result, Miles wanted RCiR to be the recipient of the golf tournament proceeds to further its work of providing free rowing opportunities for veterans and people with disabilities.
“Being a part of an organization that is dedicated to helping Vets is amazing and RCiR has taken it to a whole new level” shared Matt. “I always remember the first day I joined the military and how happy and nervous I was. As soldiers deploy multiple times throughout their career that happiness disappears for most. The first day rowing with RCiR I saw that happiness in me and the other vets. That is what it is really about.”
RCiR completed the building of a state-of-the-art boathouse on Black Creek at the end of 2019, which has significantly increased its ability to serve its rowers. The organization has offered rowing opportunities safely throughout the pandemic and continues to welcome more participants and volunteers.
“When RCiR was initially formed in 2011, we thought teaching people with barriers to row would be a nice thing to do. Then we started working with veterans in 2014. From that point the veterans have really co-created RCiR by teaching us the power of being ‘on, in and near the water’ and its ability to create better health, happiness and healing,” said RCiR co-founder, Tim Giarrusso. “The proceeds from this event will allow us to continue to offer, at no charge, this unique opportunity to serve our veterans, as they have served us. We remain in their debt”.
Miles plans to continue hosting the golf tournament annually in honor of his grandfather and in support of RCiR so they can maintain their goal of providing an adaptive rowing center where no one pays and no one gets paid.
The mission of Rochester Community Inclusive Rowing (RCiR) is to create a supportive, inclusive and fully accessible environment for veterans and people with any challenge who want to come to the water and learn to row, at no cost to them. RCiR offers Learn to Row programs and sculling lessons to veterans and people with barriers or disabilities by adapting rowing techniques to their needs and abilities. Their boathouse and launch are located at 20 Black Creek Road in Rochester.
For information about RCiR, visit rcir.org or connect with them on Facebook.
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