PORTLAND, Ore. — A Vancouver crew club is getting help from across the West to rebuild the organization after a tornado earlier this month.
The tornado tore apart the home of the Vancouver Lake Crew club, leaving 50 rowing shells, equipment and trailers splintered and twisted along the shore. The club did not have insurance and was largely operated through donations and by volunteers.
Since then, hundreds of people have turned out to help with recovery — from neighbors in Vancouver to folks from as far away as California.
Helpers salvaged muddied equipment strewn across the lot. Restaurants, grocery stores and construction companies donated food, time and equipment. Other rowing clubs almost immediately gave boats to get the teams back on the water.
On Saturday, rowing organizations from the Seattle area are bringing 14 new boats, as well as rowing machines, oars and other equipment.
“It’s miraculous, that’s all it is,” said Bill Kalenius, the founder of the club who was recovering from chemotherapy and radiation treatment as the tornado hit.
A total of 13 clubs from Seattle, Everett, Tacoma and Redmond along with clubs in Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia have offered help. Rowing organizations have pledged a total of 30 boats, some valued at up to $30,000, as well as equipment.
With the help of volunteers and donations, the club was able to get its high school team back on the water within 48 hours.
This weekend’s donated and loaned boats will double the number it has to work with.
Fred Meyer Stores is giving a $5,000 check Saturday.
“It’s a benevolent sport on so many levels,” said Rome Ventura, head coach at Lake Union Crew who is helping to bring the boats. “People have gotten so much out of this sport. When difficult things happen, people jump in to help out.”
The Seattle-area teams know the devastation of a natural disaster. A similar response occurred in 2001 when rowers helped the Green Lake crew program after an earthquake damaged its boathouse in Seattle.
Kalenius says his team is still rebuilding and total recovery will take time, but the process is all happening much faster than he ever thought.
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