LOCAL ROWERS SUPPORT ADAPTIVE SPORTS PROGRAM

For the past year Palisades resident GRETA NETTLETON, with the help of many dedicated volunteers, rowers and non-rowers alike, has headed Rockland Rowing Association’s Adaptive Rowing Program. A core group of athletes with physical disabilities including spinal cord injury, head injury, and amputation, has become deeply involved in the sport. Besides practicing on Rockland Lake twice a week, they traveled to a national adaptive regatta in Philadelphia, where they brought home two golds, two silvers and a bronze medal. They also traveled to a November scrimmage with RowNY in Queens. During the winter rowers work out indoors on rowing machines known as “ergs." The team won three gold medals at the Don Bosco Ironman Ergathon in January in Ramsey NJ.

RRA also runs an adaptive program with ARC Rockland for cognitively impaired young people. A dozen participants have mastered the basics on land using the rowing machines, and are looking forward to getting out on the water this spring in RRA’s new rowing barge. Anyone interested in helping please contact Greta at info@rocklandrowing.org.