PCAS in the News
Wawa Foundation Hero Award
Last year, when PCAS was a finalist for the Wawa Foundation Hero Award, we had overwhelming support from our community. You voted for PCAS and urged your network to do the same. The outpouring of interest and support put PCAS over the top and we received the first-place grant of $50,000 on the Fourth of July.
Track and Field Team members at the WAWA Foundation Award Day in front of Liberty Bell at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA
(Left to right – Trent, Ava and Madison)
Now, six months later, we want to report on how this grant has been put to use for the benefit of our athletes.
First, we allocated $7,000 for our Youth Track and Field team to travel to the Nationals in Eden Prairie, MN.
It was Coach Darla Clayton who had recommended applying for the grant to Wawa, and so it seemed fitting to acknowledge her commitment to PCAS with this support. We spent $750 per athlete for travel, room and board. PCAS plans to support the team's participation in Nationals again this year.
In the words of the parent of one grateful recipient, “I want to say thank you for allowing the athletes to receive a portion of their expenses to be paid for Nationals this year. It is such a big help and very much appreciated as this is a growing expense each year as Madison travels to compete. Her goal is to one day compete at the Paralympic level and I will continue to support her as best I can. I don’t know if the kids will continue to be supported financially, but I do know we all appreciate this.”
The remainder of the Wawa Foundation Hero Award grant will be spent on program support. This will include purchasing additional equipment for our various sports programs such as indoor and outdoor rowing, skiing, kayaking, track & field, yoga, cycling, and volleyball. In addition, there are infrastructure needs that the proceeds from the grant will support, especially boatyard improvements and boat racks.
The Wawa Foundation Hero Award “honors a non-profit organization that is committed to serving the greater Philadelphia area by assisting others and building stronger communities through preserving our independence, protecting our safety, and educating and inspiring our youth” (The Wawa Foundation Hero Award). We are deeply grateful to the Wawa Foundation for sponsoring this award.
(Contributor Meg Jones)
PCAS People in the News
Laura Krych
Laura Krych is a mother of two and a physical therapist with Einstein Home Care, and for the last decade has been a volunteer for Philadelphia Adaptive Rowing (PAR).
Laura (right) working the dock at the BAYADA Regatta
While living in Philadelphia during college, Laura would see rowers on the Schuylkill River and Boathouse Row, but never dreamed she'd be a sculler.
Her first opportunity came when she learned about PAR from her friend, Becca Bloomquist. Becca and Laura were classmates at the University of the Sciences’ Physical Therapy Program and had become close friends. “Becca told me one night that she was going to be volunteering with the adaptive rowing program on Tuesday nights, and that I was coming with her!”
“The unique opportunity to help people with disabilities pulled me in pretty quickly,” she says. Laura appreciates how it feels to be part of the PCAS rowing program.
Laura, hard at work on a typical Tuesday night at the boathouse
“People look at you like you are special when you tell them that you row. People want to know more about the program, and it is great to share with them such a great experience.”
As a volunteer of over ten years, Laura has witnessed firsthand the growth of adaptive rowing. And like all of our volunteers, she has grown as well.
By applying her expertise, it wasn’t long before Laura’s skills in both physical therapy and rowing led her to become a USRowing Medical Classifier. Today, she is the chief classifier for the BAYADA Regatta.
Laura with her kids
Laura finds the Jolly-up event, held on the eve of the regatta, to be one of her favorite experiences as a volunteer with PCAS. It has given her the opportunity to meet adaptive rowers from across the country, and see how rowing has impacted their lives.
Additionally, she enjoys the Tuesday night PCAS rowing picnics, which give her time to enjoy the people, the city, and the family that has grown from the rowing program.
While Laura’s classifier work enables competitive rowing, Laura urges us to never forget that adaptive rowing has its roots in recreational rowing. We are there to have fun.
(Contributed by Craig Rittase)
Upcoming Events
Adaptive Climbing
Second Wednesday of the month, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Gravity Vault, 175 King of Prussia Road, Radnor, PA
All experience levels, abilities and ages are welcome.
Contact Pat Bost for more information.
USRowing and Classifier Training
April 18th and 19th, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Lloyd Hall Recreation Center, 1 Boathouse Row Philadelphia, PA
Details and registration for the event can be found on this document: USRowing Classifier Training. Contact Jeff McGinnis for more information.
PAR Rowing Volunteer Training and Returning Volunteer Pre-Season Practice
Mark your calendar and tell friends about the start of the rowing season with our annual volunteer training and returning volunteer training sessions.
Tue, April 28th; Wed, April 29th; Tue, May 5th; and Wed, May 6th. 5:30 PM start.
No registration required - just show up!
Email Lynn McGillin with questions.
