August 5, 2021
Keep scrolling for info on:
Get the Word Out!
Volunteer Opportunities
Fall Calendar
Regatta Schedule
Open House Information and Registration

Did you see our Spring 2021 VIDEO?


LINK TO Spring 2021 FOLDER of PHOTOS & VIDEOS

NEW Great Valley Crew lettering on the boat trailer!
Get the Word Out!
Social Media is our #1 method of communicating with and recruiting new rowers. Please help out by liking and sharing our Instagram or Facebook posts. You can also create your own posts and use the link to our information page: https://www.gvco.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1213184

Facebook: Great Valley Crew
When we post, we need folks to share with GV class pages or other community pages if possible.

Instagram: @greatvalleycrew
Volunteer Opportunities
As you may know, we need "all hands on deck" to keep GV Crew "afloat".

All puns aside, please consider where you may be able to help. Below is a list of volunteers. Though the bigger roles are filled (Yay!), we will still need all families to contribute from time to time.

Program Director: JOHN BREWER - gvcrewpd@gmail.com
The program director works closely with the coaches and the GV Crew Board of Directors to see that everything runs smoothly for GV Crew.

Marketing/Communications: ROBIN BREWER - gvcrewm@gmail.com
Sends newsletters, emails, and oversees social media and REMIND text messages.

Treasurer/Uniforms/Spirit wear: LINDA McCARTHY - mcpip516@gmail.com
Keeps track of income and expenses and reports back to program director and GVCO. Also orders/sells uniforms and spirit wear. Thank you to previous treasurer, Pat McDonald!

Hospitality: YI-MING CHIU - chiuym@yahoo.com
Coordinates refreshments and hospitality tent for regattas. Also, helps plan other team events like start-of-season/end-of-season picnics.

Carpool: Vacant
We are in need of a carpool coordinator! Our carpool is optional and parent organized. We have done without a coordinator for the last two seasons by just providing everyone with a list of interested families and encouraging folks to reach out to one another. This was only partially successful. If you are interested in something more organized, consider volunteering to be the one to connect families. Gather availability from those who want to participate, see who lives near each other, then match them up. Robin Brewer can show you how it was done in the past and provide you with all contact info. Another idea is to hold a carpool Zoom meeting to get everyone organized in real time.

Fundraising: THERESA FRIEDMAN AND ? Looking for a Co-Chair
theresadfriedman@gmail.com and megjoy@comcast.net
This is a group effort. Theresa is looking for a co-chair but you won't do all of the work, everyone chips in for fundraising!
Oversees several fundraisers for the team, including annual Blue Jean Ball.
We need a new chairperson, however, you will have a lot of support from our previous chair, Jen Grobe, as well as others who have helped in the past. Jen has done an incredible job for us in the past and we are so thankful!
Fall 2021 Season - Mark Your Calendars
Important Dates:

Friday, June 4 - Registration OPENS for GV Crew Fall 2021

Monday, August 16 - First Practice!

Monday, August 23 - Team Information ZOOM Meeting
ALL rowers and a parent must attend!

Saturday, August 28 - OPEN HOUSE
This is a great opportunity for anyone new to the sport to try it out before registration. We will also be selling spirit wear, magnets, stadium cups, and uniforms! One-stop shop for the season.

Monday, September 6 - Registration CLOSES

TBD - Swim Test
All new rowers will need to pass a swim test


Regatta Dates:
*Regattas may be added or removed as needed*

Head of the Christina - TBD - Christina River - Wilmington, DE
(Likely October 2 as it is historically the first Saturday in October)

Navy Day Regatta: Saturday, October 16 - Schuylkill River, Philadelphia, PA

Head of the Schuykill: Sunday, October 30 - Schuylkill River, Philadelphia, PA

Frostbite: Saturday, November 13 - Cooper River - Pennsauken, NJ

Braxton: Sunday, November 14 - Mercer Lake - West Windsor, NJ


OPEN HOUSE
Parents: Be sure to stop by and see us at the OPEN House on August 28 from 10am-1pm. This year we will have the team tent set up with team swag, spirit wear, and volunteer sign ups. This is also a great chance to just chat with the program director, John Brewer, and ask any questions you may have.

Only unregistered rowers need to sign up to attend Open House. Unregistered rowers who want to give a try before they sign up should register for the open house here:
General Information

  • There is no experience necessary for you to row with us!
  • Boys & Girls Grades 8-12. Note: 8th graders can train and practice, but are not eligible to compete in the regattas.
  • There is NO TRANSPORTATION provided to practices or to regattas in Philly, NJ and DEL. There is a voluntary and optional parent-led carpool for those that want to participate.
  • PLEASE NOTE:  This is a competitive rowing team, we need your full commitment to all practices and regattas. We need the whole team at every practice to ensure we can get on the water ever day the weather conditions allow.
  • Registration fees cover many costs including boathouse rental, boat purchases and maintenance, insurance, and coaches salaries. We strive to fundraise and keep our fees low. We are proud to say that our fees remain lower than other comparable programs.

ABSENCES
If you will be missing a practice, please text Coach Ryan directly using the REMIND app.
Get Text Updates with REMIND
REMIND is the #1 way to stay on top of what is going on
in GV Crew.

Besides reminders for certain events, this texting service is used by the coaches to give updates if a practice needs to be changed or cancelled on short notice.

Join the GV Crew REMIND group for Crew updates
& reminders via TEXT

To join, send @hfdbb to the number 81010
Boathouse Directions
COVID Safety Plan

Please read our COVID Safety Guidelines HERE.
Or you can download the PDF HERE
Email Updates
Would you like an additional email to receive our newsletter or would you like to unsubscribe? Email Robin at gvcrewm@gmail.com
Questions about GV Crew? Contact John Brewer at gvcrewpd@gmail.com
For additions to the newsletter: Email Robin Brewer at gvcrewm@gmail.com
Up and Coming at GVCO
Fall Football:


The Great Valley Football League is an instructional youth football league for kids in grades K-5. GVFL strives to create a fun experience for the kids, playing and learning the game of football while competing with their peers from the surrounding communities. We pride ourselves on creating a strong sense of community among our volunteers, parents and athletes throughout our season and beyond.

Upcoming Events:

August 9th - Tackle practices begin
September 4th - Tackle season begins
September 24th - K-1 Flag season begins
Fall Cheer
 

Questions can be sent to Cheer@GVCO.org

Fall Cheer begins in early August. Athletes will learn cheers and routines to be performed during Fall football games.

Cheer for Grades 2-6 will include Fall competitions and early Winter basketball games.
As we move into August, we have reached the final two weeks of the season. Playoffs will begin soon for all divisions except for the 1st/2nd Grade divisions. We will reschedule as many of the rainouts as possible but the first set of playoff games begin this Thursday. 
 
All teams qualify for the single elimination post season playoffs. We will be posting the brackets on the GVBL app and GVCO website tomorrow. As the final regular season games are completed, we will seed each team into the brackets, having that completed by Thursday morning.
 
Please keep a close eye on our GVBL app and GVCO website through the course of the next couple of weeks as we will update them frequently as we complete the final weeks of the season.
Great Valley Community Organization

Record Number of Volunteers Signing Up for upcoming Year of Service to our Community!
For years our GVCO Caring Hands foundation has focused on working with local partners to better assist the many needs in the region. This coming fall we are pleased to announce that we've added two new collaborative efforts.

Come join us in making a difference
This September, we will be working with the Brandywine Valley SPCA in association with their donation drive. And in November, we will be helping the Home of the Sparrow with their Winter White Out event.
Again this October, we will be hosting our 3rd annual donation drive to benefit Cradles2Crayons. Start putting the gently used clothing and shoes the kids have grown out of in a bag, as October is right around the corner!
We would also like to welcome this year’s Caring Hands student leadership co-presidents Mia and Lauren. These two join a long list of the many middle school and high school volunteers who signed up to help out this year.
GVCO Project Update
After doing some final tree clearing for storm water pipe, the site contractor immediately started grading the playing field space. Getting this space into usable condition as quickly as possible is a priority. GVCO wants to create the much needed space as we have begun to plan a number of community events through our Caring Hands and Challenger programs; our youth football and cheer programs will be utilizing the space; and have begun discussing use for our community partners and outside groups for other activities and fundraising opportunities.
 
As we have been saying, "We Are On Our Way"! Keep an eye on our website and social media pages as we will be announcing a "formal ground breaking" date in September as the 1st phase of the building begins to take shape. We will also be announcing the restart of our Great Valley Building Connections ("GVBC") capital campaign in the coming weeks as we continue to need to reach our $3 million fundraising goal in hopes of completing the entire building.

What can we accomplish together? See GVCO Inside and Out
The GVCO Future
We are on our way...

to a world-class community resource that delivers a broad range of sports, educational, arts, recreational and senior programs that address key community needs.
The time is NOW.... Together we can make it happen!

We need your help to finish what we've started! We will not get the necessary financing to complete the project without raising additional funds.
Together we can we do this! https://gvcocampaign.org/pledges/
GVCO Community Partner
Announcing a new GVCO Partnership


For many years, GVCO has enjoyed a tremendous relationship with Temple University's School of Sports Tourism and Hospitality Management. Recently GVCO has reached out to Immaculata's Office of Career and Professional Development to initiate a similar relationship. As a local community partner, Immaculata is a natural fit for GVCO as we continue to develop further programming here in the Great Valley Community. Immaculata has strength in areas like adult programs and Education - areas that GVCO plans to focus on with the onset of the new facility. As we move into the new school year, look for GVCO and Immaculata working together for the betterment of our local community.
GVCO Sponsor Spotlight
Haly Oil, now Haly Home Comfort, started in 1985 with one truck and one customer. Delivering home heating oil was the initial focus, but it wasn’t long before a service department was added.  
 
Today, as the 35th anniversary approaches, the mission-driven Haly Companies strive to provide home comfort and energy services around the clock in the most customer-friendly way possible. And, Walter “Bud” Haly, owner and co-founder, continues to put customers and the community first, just as he did when he began delivering oil in 1985.
 
Bud and the entire Haly family have given GVCO an incredible amount of time, energy, resources and service throughout its 20+ years in existence. “We’re a family-owned business,” Bud says. “We live where you live, we raise our kids here, and we strive to have a positive impact on the environment. Our community is your community, and your friends are our friends.” And this epitomizes GVCO’s mission and goals. GVCO is proud to partner with our local friend and business owner.
More Ways to Support GVCO
Shop at https://smile.amazon.com/ch/26-1139318 and Amazon donates to Great Valley Community Organization.​
Do You Match?

Did you know your employer might have a Matching Gifts program?

It's a great way to contribute and help GVCO complete the entire new GVCO Community Center project.
Use code #47309 for GVCO!
CONNECT WITH US
Great Valley Crew