First Local Legends grant awarded

Tauranga Crossing’s first $5,000 Local Legends Grant has been awarded to the Bay of Plenty Coast Rowing Club.

The submission made by club secretary Wendy Campbell spoke of the club’s recent challenges due to COVID-19. During the recent lockdown period the club suffered a number of financial setbacks including two major vandalism events, the second of which was attempted arson on the rowing club house.

Gerry Carver, president of the club said that “During lockdown there weren’t people around the rowing club. We had some local boys wanting to have some fun which resulted in attempted arson as well as throwing one of our older boats into the river that we had to then chop up. We are so thankful for this $5,000 as it takes a great deal of pressure off us.”.

Tauranga Crossing Assistant Centre Manager, Janet Vincent, commented that “Lots of nominations for our first Local Legends Grant were received but one of the things that really resonated with all of the judges was the reach that the Bay of Plenty Coast Rowing Club has. It’s a club that is enjoyed by many people, including lots of families.”

The $5,000 grant will go towards purchasing new megaphones, which are vital for the club’s safety boats. In the application, Wendy Campbell wrote: “Rowers face the ‘wrong’ way when rowing and rely on the safety boat driver to alert the crew to any oncoming danger such as another boat not obeying the Coast Guard rules or a tree floating in the water after a storm. Currently, our coaches have to shout to be heard above the engine noise, which is a risk in an emergency.” The new megaphones will be ordered soon, arriving in time for the club’s peak training season.