Dear Members,

‘Tis the season in many regions where we begin putting up our boats and oars, settling in with family and friends and adding a little extra to our calorie count. It's a good time to catch up on equipment maintenance, begin planning winter workouts and set administrative plans for the New Year.

Along the lines of planning for the New Year, the 2008 USRowing Membership Brochure will arrive in your club mailboxes shortly. This document outlines the 2008 insurance program for clubs and regattas, including rates. Clubs should return their completed membership forms quickly to ensure continued coverage for activities in January. During 2008, organizational members will receive a free copy of the new USRowing Safety Video, hot off the press this month.

We are happy to report that the 2008 insurance package will continue to protect our members in their daily rowing activities and racing opportunities. One major change will occur for 2008. Previously, coverage for hired and non-owned automobiles was not included automatically. For 2008, we have been able to secure this coverage as an insurance benefit for members, and it will be a standard part of the insurance package.

There also will be a significant change with customer service to the 2008 program. The Roehrs Agency, Inc., replaces Leonard Insurance Group and Bollinger Insurance as the customer service point of contact. Also, Philadelphia Insurance has become our underwriter, replacing Markel Insurance. New contact information is included in the 2008 brochure and will be available online shortly.

We want to thank our partners at Leonard Insurance and Bollinger Insurance for their dedication to our members over the past three years.

As a completely unrelated topic but still under the heading of off-season rowing enjoyment, USRowing has begun a new online segment in our media center this month that showcases our athletes. The “Day in the Life of…” series will feature various national team athletes as they prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games and will provide a unique opportunity for you to peek behind the scenes through their eyes. Check out this new feature by clicking through the menu in our media center.

As always, should you have questions or comments, please don't hesitate to call (800 314-4ROW) or e-mail (glenn@usrowing.org), and enjoy a safe and festive holiday season.

Glenn Merry
USRowing Executive Director