Paul Bucheit, Case Western Reserve University alumni rower, has teamed up with the Spartan Alumni Rowing Association to present a $100,000 donation to the Cleveland Rowing Foundation in CWRU’s name. The donation supports the Rivergate Project and will go towards building a permanent boathouse in Cleveland.

The boathouse currently being used by the CWRU Crew Club is the same boathouse utilized by three other universities, a number of high schools, and a handful of adult rowing programs. Standing as the only boathouse in Northeastern Ohio, the boathouse serves a total of 850 rowers. Although this generous donation will benefit all rowers that use the boathouse, CWRU Crew Club will be at the top of that list.

Sophomore rower and Fundraising Chair Anna Czekaj describes the immediate benefits of the donation made in the university’s name. “Not only will the donation of an alumni make our team look good in the eyes of the Cleveland Rowing Foundation, but we will also get the first pick of [where the teams’ boats are located].” When so many organizations are using the boathouse, it is ideal to have first choice as to where your boats are located, presumably near an exit.

This generous donation will obviously be useful in the long run, putting the CRF one step closer to its over $3 million project to revamp Rivergate park and the boathouse. Another Cleveland philanthropist also shows support for Cleveland rowers; Peter B. Lewis had proposed a challenge grant, where he will match the donation amount to the Cleveland Rowing Foundation. The Cleveland Rowing Association has spent a lot of time trying to encourage organizations to donate to the foundation, and now they are $200,000 closer to their goal. The goal that the CWRU Crew Club is more focused on, however, is their first regatta, quickly approaching, on September 18th on the Cuyahoga River.