Oct. 2, 2015
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – What’s better than a workout that benefits charity? The University of Notre Dame rowing team agrees, pointing to their traditional Irish Rowing Erg-A-Thon as a prime opportunity to accomplish both.
This year’s version – which has raised almost $21,000 over the previous four years – is set for 1-7 p.m. (ET) on Friday, October 9 at the Fieldhouse Mall on campus, which is outside LaFortune Student Center next to Clarke Memorial Fountain (Stonehenge).
The charity event will directly raise money for Notre Dame’s own Harper Cancer Research Institute (HCRI) and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
The event schedule includes a fastest time competition at a short distance on erg machines, featuring a competition between dorms to earn points toward the Hall Cup. In addition, the event will have a marathon component with members of the rowing team taking turns erging for the duration of the event.
The Notre Dame rowing team will also have t-shirts and bracelets available for purchase.
The Irish rowing team is asking for a minimum $3 donation during the Erg-A-Thon that will go directly toward pancreatic cancer research and awareness, and the Notre Dame College of Science will match every dollar raised for the Harper Cancer Research Institute. Additional funds raised will go directly to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
This year’s Erg-A-Thon, which is the rowing team’s only on-campus event will also count as an IrishOn3 opportunity for student-athletes.
A table with t-shirts, bracelets and ribbons will also be set up at the football pep rally set for the Joyce Center’s North Dome Friday late afternoon.
Raffle tickets will be on sale throughout the afternoon, and prizes from the raffle include two field passes for the following day’s Notre Dame football game against Navy, an autographed football signed by Irish head coach Brian Kelly, two game tickets to the men’s basketball ACC home game against Boston College on January 23, 2016, two game tickets to the women’s basketball ACC home game against Virginia on January 24, 2016, two game tickets to the men’s home hockey game against Minnesota Duluth on October 23, 2015, a basketball signed by women’s head coach Muffet McGraw, a basketball signed by men’s head coach Mike Brey and the naming rights to one of the rowing team’s boats for the upcoming season (pending official name approval).
The Notre Dame rowing team has raised almost $21,000 that has directly benefited pancreatic cancer research and awareness since the first Erg-A-Thon was held in the fall of 2011.
ABOUT THE CHARITIES
The Harper Cancer Research Institute is a Notre Dame entity with a Pancreatic Cancer Research Lab. All donations to HCRI will go towards Notre Dame Undergraduate Research in this lab, helping Notre Dame and other research institutes around the world better understand the fourth most deadly and least studied form of cancer and get closer to a cure every day.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is a national pancreatic cancer organization that collects donations from all over the country and distributes the funds they collect as grants to worthy research, patients battling the disease, and events for Pancreatic Cancer and support for those affected by the disease.
ABOUT NOTRE DAME ROWING
For more information on the Erg-A-Thon, contact the Notre Dame rowing team at ndrowing1@nd.edu or follow the Irish on Twitter @NDRowing and Facebook (/NotreDameWomensRowing).
–Russell Dorn, Athletics Communications Assistant Director
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