Vesper Gold: Building to Beijing 2008

Vesper is seeking 100 members, friends, and alumni to make a 5-year pledge of between $1,000 and $5,000/per year. This commitment on your part will enable the Club to put the resources in place to support the training of 24-30 young elite athletes for the next 5-years. We invite you to participate in the Olympic Dream.

The cost to produce this winning team:
Coaching: $42,500
Equipment: $40,000
Entry Fees and Supplies: $5,000
Travel: $7,500
Endowment: $25,000

The cost to achieve our 2008 dream:
Coaching: $330,500
Equipment: $200,000
Entry Fees and Supplies: $31,000
Travel: US, Winter Training, European competition: $162,000
Endowment: $125,000

Women’s Championship Trophy Winners at the Prestigious Bekker International Regatta

Note: Membership dues from elite, masters, schools & recreational rowers, cover the costs of utilities, boathouse maintenance, insurance, club manager, and other routine items. All elite rowers are full dues paying members of Vesper.

What it takes to be an Olympic rower…

The Athlete:

• Talent
• Dedication
• Training: row 10 sessions per week, 10 – 12 miles each
• Weight Training: 3 nights per week
• Good Nutrition: 6000 calories per day

The Club:

• Coaching – top US coaches earning are earning six figure salaries
• Equipment
  • 8’s @ $30,000/ea.
  • 4’s @ $15,000/ea.
  • 2x/2 @ $10,000/ea.
• Travel
• Entry Fees
• Housing: obtain low cost housing for athletes
  
• Jobs: find jobs with flexible hours for our athletes.
  
• The day-to-day operations that enables us to open the boat bays every morning, 365 days a year.

Our goal – and our dream – is to have 20% of the U.S. Olympic rowing team at Beijing be Vesper Boat Club members

We invite you to help support the dreams and the Olympic aspirations of our young rowers; to fund salaries for outstanding coaches; purchase top-of-the line equipment; provide indoor training facilities with state-of-the-art equipment and technology; and, provide travel expenses to major regattas.

The focus is on our athletes…Vesper’s goal is to support the training of 24 elite athletes each year. Some will make it to the Games, some will fall short, all will inspire us with their dedication, effort, and extraordinary talent. We will be the better for knowing and supporting these fine young men and women.

Providing these opportunities for the Olympic aspirant benefits the athlete…and our society. The pursuit of excellence of our human condition is inspiring to all who observe and participate.

Vesper Boat Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation dedicated to the development of youth through rowing.

About the Endowment Fund:

The Charles P. Colgan Vesper Endowment Fund was established by Vesper Boat Club in June 2000, with a bequest from his estate, plus memorial donations to Vesper Boat Club in his honor. The Fund is a perpetual fund, whose investment proceeds are used for the long-term benefit of Vesper Boat Club. The Fund’s Trustees are: Brian Colgan, Kevin Colgan, John B. Kelly III, and Stan Triester.