Serving the Austin community is a top priority for ARC, and we are constantly identifying new opportunities to share the sport of rowing. Currently, we work with veterans, breast-cancer survivors, at-risk youth, economically disadvantaged youth, senior citizens, Paralympic athletes and intellectually challenged adults.  Our staff and volunteers work to create new programming that provides everything from curriculum development for middle school students to team building exercises for nonprofits and fundraising for new adaptive rowing equipment. We work with partners to broaden our Outreach and reach underserved and non-traditional segments of our community.

RISE

Rowing In School Experience (RISE) is an in-school program that provides a year-long- indoor rowing program capped off by a field trip to Austin Rowing Club with on-water rowing and STEAM based activities.  Our curriculum is modeled upon a successful program at Community Rowing Inc. in Boston.  We provide PE staff at participating schools in-person training sessions, lesson plans and continuing mentoring and support After our initial successful pilot at Burnet Middle School in 2016 (serving over 600 students), AISD recognized Austin Rowing Club an official district wide partner. Since then we’ve expanded, and currently serve 2 middle schools and one high school.

ROSE

Rowing Off Site Experience (ROSE) describes all programs that occur away from the boathouse, out in the community. Rowing machines from RISE have been placed in Austin Fire Department and Austin Travis EMS co-locations since 2017. In summer 2018, first responders rowed over 2200 miles, or roughly the distance to Chicago and back. We’ve also partnered with Austin Park and Recreation Department Senior Activity Centers and Texas NeuroRehab Center over the summer.

Onsite Programs

ARC partners with a variety of groups to provide on-water rowing to people who might not have the opportunity to experience it. We host PARD Recreation and Activity Centers all summer for rowing and kayaking outings. We are on the water year-round with a group of adults from McBeth Recreation Center. We’ve provided semester and school-year long programs for Camacho Activity Center and Texas School for the Deaf. We provide financial assistance to those wishing to transition to any of our Juniors programs.

Freedom Rows

Military veterans who wish to train for rowing are offered veteran-focused Learn to Row classes Spring and Fall, scholarships and free coaching sessions. ARC partners with USRowing and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs through the Freedom Rows program to make rowing accessible for veterans. Our staff and club volunteers travel to  Temple and San Antonio to teach appropriate indoor rowing techniques and best practices. Freedom Rows participants are offered scholarships to become members at ARC to train on the water. We annually support Valor Games Southwest (a competition for wounded warriors) with rowing machines and a team of volunteers and schedule adaptive rowing events at our USRowing-sanctioned regattas.

Project Engage

Project Engage provides youth offenders (ages 17-19 who are legally considered adults) an opportunity to expunge their record through enhanced probation. This includes regular court sessions, substance testing, full –time employment or school and community service. ARC provides community service opportunities monthly and rowing opportunities for those who are interested.

St. Edward’s Rowing Club

St. Edward’s University Rowing Club began in 2006 and competes nationally against other collegiate clubs such as Baylor University, Vanderbilt University, Louisiana State University and The University of Texas at Austin among others. As part of ARC’s mission, we offer the use of equipment and coaching to St. Edward’s University Rowing Club at cost. Any additional funds raised by SEU’s Rowing Club goes into a scholarship fund to ensure any student who attends St. Edward’s University has an opportunity to row for the team.

Team Survivor

We offer weekly Team Survivor training for women cancer survivors in Austin.

Special Needs Rowers

ARC partners with Rehab Without Walls to provide weekly rowing-based exercise opportunities for their clients recovering from accident or injury.

Nonprofit Team Building

As a nonprofit, we know the struggle to find affordable and creative team building activities that can enhance the work and outcomes of local nonprofits. Austin Rowing Club offers discounted team building activities.