Dear TRRA Community,
As we cross the halfway point in our annual race against the calendar, it's time to dig in and make our mid-race move. July is packed with events here at TRRA, both on and off the water. From rowing races in Philadelphia, Buffalo, Ohio and Canada, to a paddling race in New Jersey, our teams will be traveling almost every weekend this month to represent TRRA throughout the region. On Campus, we have a full house of summer camps and the Summer Rowing League programming, the Summer Splash (7/16), Open Streets Pittsburgh (July 30), and multiple Community Conversations scheduled throughout the month.
The Community Conversations this month, coordinated by our Advocacy & Inclusion Committee, will continue to focus on ways to enhance the inclusion and diversity on our campuses. In January 2021, we started a conversation with A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth. On July 11-13th, the founders of this organization, Kyle Williams and Kamal Carter, will be in Pittsburgh to continue this conversation with different groups and organizations from across the city. We are excited to host Kyle and Kamal while they are here and are in the process of finalizing a schedule of conversations that we hope you will be able to join us for. Stay tuned for more information early next week!
We are excited to enter the second half of the race with each of you and look forward to a strong summer season for our community. We are grateful to each of you for your continued support and enduring pursuit to advance the mission of TRRA.
Have a happy and safe 4th of July weekend and we will see you on campus or on the water soon!
Matt
Matt Logue
Executive Director
Why I Paddle: Janice Bagnato
Hello, my name is Janice Bagnato. I am a member of the Pittsburgh Hearts Of Steel Dragon boat team for breast cancer survivors. I am a wife, mother, sister, daughter, Nana, and a two time breast cancer survivor. I first learned about dragon boating in April 2014 after a year and a half of looking for a support group to help me through my second diagnosis of breast cancer. It was a very rare reoccurrence in the breast that was removed and I was devastated both emotionally and physically. Dragon boating was something that I had never heard of but it sounded appealing to me because of the physical activity. I had been searching for a way to get physically better as well as find a support group for me emotionally.
After training for a month and a half I had my first race. After winning my very first race in a Dragon boat I was hooked and cannot imagine my life without this activity/sport in it! It is fulfilling in so many ways. The most obvious is physically I am active at practice three days a week and trying to stay in shape so that I can be at my best performance in the Dragon boat. The added benefits are the amazing women and men that I meet, the support, help and advice that I get from my teammates and many survivors that I’ve met around the world, and the ability to travel to compete both locally and internationally. I have participated in the IBCPC ( International Breast Cancer Paddler,s Comission) events in Sarasota Florida, Florence Italy, and next year in New Zealand!
By being part of this dragon boat team it gives myself and other survivors something to look forward to in helping us regain our sense of “normal“. After having breast cancer you really never do return to that normal person you were before breast cancer. The dragon boat team gives us a place to heal, get stronger, and be there together with each other when survivors get re-diagnosed. I cannot imagine my life without Dragon boating on the Hearts Of Steel dragon boat team!
July 16, 2022 @ Washington's Landing
Join us for the 2nd annual Summer Splash at Washington’s Landing! Everyone is invited, so come on down for some food, drinks, and fun and games that the whole family will enjoy! Get your tickets here.
Volunteer Opportunities: July 2022
July 16, 2022: TRRA Summer Splash
Volunteer HERE (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050b4ca8af2fabfd0-summer)
July 30, 2022: Open Streets Pittsburgh