Sammamish Rowing's 30th Anniversary
A lot has changed in the 15 years since I started at SRA. Before moving to Atlanta in 2011, I was a coach with both the juniors and masters at Sammamish. I returned to SRA December 2023 and was welcomed into the stunning Hod Fowler Boathouse by the community I had known and loved over a decade ago. In the time I was away from SRA, the club came together to build a world class boathouse, enhance our fleet with the best boats for our crews, increased both the size of our junior and masters teams, and has strengthened its reputation in the surrounding community.
None of this would have been possible without the unwavering dedication of our members, and the strong leadership of staff and board members throughout the years. In 1994, Hod Fowler had a vision to turn the old Overlake School boathouse, located in a toxic-site cleanup area in Idylwood Park, into an opportunity for other interested rowers. They were successful and the rest is history!
Please join me in reflecting on 30 wonderful years of Sammamish Rowing Association.
-Sarah Low, Executive Director
None of this would have been possible without the unwavering dedication of our members, and the strong leadership of staff and board members throughout the years. In 1994, Hod Fowler had a vision to turn the old Overlake School boathouse, located in a toxic-site cleanup area in Idylwood Park, into an opportunity for other interested rowers. They were successful and the rest is history!
Please join me in reflecting on 30 wonderful years of Sammamish Rowing Association.
-Sarah Low, Executive Director
See You Soon!Saturday April 26, 2025: 30th Anniversary Party
Mercer Island Community & Event Center 8236 SE 24th Street |Mercer Island, WA 98040 6:00PM-9:00PM | Cocktail Attire Free parking available on site. 21+ only. |
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The Party
You can expect an epic celebration on April 26th! The 30th anniversary event is both a fundraiser and opportunity to come together with our community to celebrate the past 30 years of SRA history while looking ahead to the next thirty years. The party will include:
What Is Cocktail Attire?
Though it's technically inspired by the type of clothing typically worn to an evening cocktail party, this style is appropriate for other occasions as well. In fact, cocktail attire is perfect for semiformal weddings, business events, happy hours, fundraisers and other dressed-up celebrations such as our 30th anniversary celebration. Cocktail attire is chic, sophisticated and polished—but not full-on formal. We hope you put away your rowing trou and dress up in an outfit that makes you feel great! While we recommend cocktail attire for our guests, it is not a required dress code. We want you celebrating with us in whatever makes you feel most comfortable!
- A short video celebrating Sammamish Rowing Association and highlighting some familiar faces from our community (you might have seen the promos on our social media)
- Reception to enjoy time with teammates and friends or to meet new members of our community
- Delicious appetizers
- Drinks to sip on while you enjoy our live band
- Some remarks from SRA leaders
- An online auction you can bid on before the event
- So much more!
What Is Cocktail Attire?
Though it's technically inspired by the type of clothing typically worn to an evening cocktail party, this style is appropriate for other occasions as well. In fact, cocktail attire is perfect for semiformal weddings, business events, happy hours, fundraisers and other dressed-up celebrations such as our 30th anniversary celebration. Cocktail attire is chic, sophisticated and polished—but not full-on formal. We hope you put away your rowing trou and dress up in an outfit that makes you feel great! While we recommend cocktail attire for our guests, it is not a required dress code. We want you celebrating with us in whatever makes you feel most comfortable!
Support SRA
SRA is a community where people make connections that start with rowing and extend beyond the boathouse, developing deep friendships that continue over a lifetime.
Through the support and generosity of the SRA community, we have been able to maintain a healthy financial position, enjoy state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, have high staff retention, and support the financial needs of every athlete. Each year, we raise funds for equipment, scholarships, and other goals aligned to SRA’s mission.
Through the support and generosity of the SRA community, we have been able to maintain a healthy financial position, enjoy state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, have high staff retention, and support the financial needs of every athlete. Each year, we raise funds for equipment, scholarships, and other goals aligned to SRA’s mission.
Thank You to Our Supporters and Partners
Our 30th Anniversary Celebration would not be possible without the help of various supporters and partners. Our team has spent months planning the details of our highly anticipated event and we are grateful to many businesses and individuals who helped us with gifts of their time, products, or services. Please join us in thanking the below businesses and individuals for their commitment to Sammamish Rowing Association. On behalf of our entire team at SRA— thank you!
- Hod Fowler | Founder and Donor
- The Grimaldi Family | Chateau Ste. Michelle
- Ingunn Oman | Ackley Brands
- Erik Harshfield | Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
- Sheridan Vineyards
- Tom Schmidlin and Rob Hain |PostDoc Brewing
- Blue Wave Band
- Amanda Juarez | We Stand For Vets Bartending
Event FAQs
Is this the Gala?
Who Should Attend?
Should I bring a +1 / Should I come by myself?
Will there be food? Drinks?
What should I wear?
Is there an auction?
What do I do all night?
Should I pre-func before the main event?
What if I can’t attend? What if my rowing peeps can’t attend?
Will the SRA short film only be shown at the 30 th Anniversary Celebration?
I want to sponsor a ticket for someone, but I don’t specifically know who and the order form is asking for a name.
- Yes and No.
- Yes, in that this is one of our two big fundraising events for the year (the other being Ergathon in November.).
- It is not the Gala that you’ve been to in the past. Expect a new and different agenda, a world premier viewing of our short film, appetizers instead of a sit-down dinner, a different way to Raise the Paddle.
- It’s an excuse to dress up. Time to spend with folks you usually only see on the water. A chance to meet new friends from other squads, former teammates, and alumni.
- To celebrate 30 years of SRA and look forward to 30 more.
Who Should Attend?
- Masters Rowers, Junior Parents, SRA supporters, SRA volunteers, rowing alumni, current and former coaches, friends and family of SRA, you get the picture…
- (Note that the 30 th Anniversary Celebration is a 21+ event.)
Should I bring a +1 / Should I come by myself?
- Yes. Either answer is correct.
- Your +1 will have a good time! AND, it is absolutely acceptable to attend as a single and hang with all your peeps and new friends.
Will there be food? Drinks?
- Yes. Our food and beverage committee has arranged for hearty appetizers, delicious bites, and sweets during the evening.
- The hosted bar will offer beer and wine (all colors).
- This is not a sit down dinner.
What should I wear?
- This is a very popular question. We’ve been saying cocktail, but that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. After chatting with some ECM rowers, we're going to try “West Coast Cocktail” and share a photo of ECM below at a bygone gala for reference. West Coast Cocktail is a little dressy (for Seattle), a little blingy. Suits or suit coats would fit right in for the gentlemen.
- That said, ANYTHING you want to wear is the right answer.
Is there an auction?
- Yes. The online auction will be open April 23-27 so mark your calendars and then get ready to bid on some great items and SRA experiences.
- There will not be a silent or live auction at the event on April 26.
What do I do all night?
- You will hang with your SRA peeps. You will mix and mingle with rowers from other squads, parents, and alumni. You will talk about rowing, great water, great boats, the best lineups, the old boathouse, the new boathouse, Erg Zone, and more.
- You will talk about what you do outside of SRA.
- You will meet new friends and connect with old friends.
- You will hear moving testimonials from some of our coaches, rowers, directors.
- You will watch the world premier of our new SRA short film.
- You might consider making a contribution towards our fundraising goals. (In the past, this has looked like “Raise The Paddle")
- Most importantly, you will celebrate SRA’s past, present, and future.
- Remember, all the money you spend at the event, the auction, and $50 of your ticket price goes towards our fundraising goal and helps to purchase new equipment for YOU.
Should I pre-func before the main event?
- We are encouraging squads and “cohorts” of all kinds to get together and plan their own mini-celebrations.
What if I can’t attend? What if my rowing peeps can’t attend?
- You can still celebrate with us.
- Sponsor a ticket for a coach.
- Bid on an item in the online auction.
- Make a donation or sign up for Steady State Giving.
- Purchase an SRA 30th Anniversary coffee table book (details coming soon).
- We are also working on ways to visually recognize people who can’t be there in person. If you or someone you know falls in that category, please send Deborah Grauer a photo (preferably in rowing gear and full on face, [email protected]) and we’ll make it happen in a fun way.
Will the SRA short film only be shown at the 30 th Anniversary Celebration?
- The film will premier on April 26th . We plan to post and make available broadly after the event.
I want to sponsor a ticket for someone, but I don’t specifically know who and the order form is asking for a name.
- Ticket sales are now closed. If you would like to sponsor a ticket for someone, please contact [email protected]
Our mission...SRA provides an inclusive community that ignites a passion for rowing by encouraging the development of our members, embracing individual discovery, and celebrating team success so every rower can experience the life-long benefits of rowing.
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