On a chilly February Saturday morning, members of the 2022 Mathews High School Crew Team and their sponsors from Mobjack Rowing Association (MRA) gathered at the rowing facility at Williams Wharf to clear off brush and overgrowth, set up equipment, and prepare for the season. Parents and pickup trucks facilitated hauling off four truckloads of limbs and brush trimmings. Head Coach Jon Lothian commented “this was a great conclusion of our first week of practice. The varsity helped guide our new rowers on good teamwork practices and we made short work of the task.”
In addition to the cleanup, team members brought $600 in donations they gathered for the Mobjack Rowing Association’s Twin Docks Fund Drive, initiated in the beginning of February. The goal is to raise the $225,000 needed to purchase and install the Boathouse dock system, which is required as the first step in getting the construction of the unfinished building at Williams Wharf back underway. MRA president Tim Ulsaker, also present at the cleanup, said “the Dock Fund Drive’s donor response has shown significant confirmation of the support and recognition our community has for sustaining the work ethics, principles and scholarship opportunities our youth have gained from the rowing programs at Williams Wharf. The MRA Dock Fund Drive’s goal is now approaching fulfillment and this project’s completion will give forward movement towards restarting a buildout of the Boathouse Facility.
Not pictured, but also instrumental in this cleanup day, was MRA Boatman Phil Machen. Machen is currently working with Hudson Boatworks, however before leaving, Machen took the time to lend a hand. Without his help chopping down small trees, pruning back plants, and cutting down brush the cleanup day would not have been so successful.
The MHS crew workforce was also happy to lend assistance to Mathews Land Conservancy board members who were moving fences and building materials in preparation for the Williams Wharf Site Drainage project which has also been a part of the Boathouse facility plans.