Newburgh will now be home to the Orange County Rowing Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting teamwork, fitness, community, and quality of life through rowing.
The OCRA will be holding a kickoff happy hour on Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at The Wherehouse, 119 Liberty Street, Newburgh. No cover charge, open to anyone interested in rowing or supporting OCRA.
Their mission has 3 parts, (1) to operate a rowing club for all skill levels (no prior rowing experience is necessary), focused primarily on post-high school age rowers, with training for both recreational and competitive rowing; (2) to partner with other organizations, such as colleges and schools, to assist them in developing their own scholastic rowing programs; and (3) to develop the Hudson River into a venue for national-level regattas (rowing races).
The OCRA was founded by two rowers and attorneys, Austin F. DuBois and Megan A. Shedden. DuBois says, “Rowing is an exhilarating experience, and the picturesque setting the Hudson provides makes Newburgh the perfect place for it…If we can develop the river into a better rowing venue, the Hudson Valley can host national regattas (races) to showcase our region.”
It would be wonderful to see Newburgh as a hub for competitive rowing. This will hopefully contribute to the positive development of the waterfront and city.
