Though added practice hours consume most of the women’s rowing team’s free time, its members still find time to get involved with the community. Some rowers take on the responsibility themselves, but other activities are done as a team.

Last fall the team was invited to Sunflower Elementary School, 2521 Inverness Drive. The third- and fourth-grade students were studying the Olympics, and Martha Wenzel, a teacher at Sunflower, thought it would be nice to have athletes from one of the sports that compete in the Olympics to come out and talk to the children.

“I think it was a good idea because it got them thinking about other sports that are in the Olympics,” senior rower Erin Hennessey said. “Most of them were not familiar with rowing.”

The team set up four different stations in which children could participate. One of the stations included the rowing video from last season, which is sometimes used for recruitment. After the showing the children could ask questions about what they saw, Hennessey said.

“They would recognize our faces on the video and then want to ask questions during it,” she said. “They were just so eager to learn.”

Another station got the children more involved by making them do training and calisthenics, while a third area allowed them to practice rowing techniques. The final station defined all of the rowing terminology.

“The stations were a good idea because it showed how much motivation and dedication we have,” junior rower Jennifer Ebel said.

Another activity at Sunflower takes place every other Wednesday for Ebel. She has been a Girl Scout leader for the past two years in Lawrence.

“Coming out here, I just missed being around kids,” Ebel said.

She participated in Girl Scouts for seven years and thought this would be a good opportunity for her to get involved. Every other week she attends an hour-long meeting where participants organize activities for the troop. For her next project she will help organize a tea party for the children.

“It’s been a blast,” Ebel said. “I like getting to know the girls and just hearing about their day.”

Senior coxswain LeAnna Kemp works with a younger crowd as well, but at the high-school level. She is a part of Young Life, a nondenominational ministry at Lawrence Free State High School, 4700 Overland Drive. The group meets once a week on Monday nights to sing songs, play games and listen to a message. The group is mostly led by college students.

“I wanted to lead in college,” she said about enjoying her experience at Park Hill South High School. “It had a huge affect on my life, and I hope to have someone else experience the same effect.”

She said while helping high school students she realized her life affected them.

“It has really made me conscious of my actions,” Kemp said. “It has taught me a lot of responsibility. I’m hanging around 16- and 17- year-old kids, and I have to be careful of what I do. You have to remember that you’re a leader to them.”

Kemp and Ebel say they have realized that a lot of time goes into these leadership positions, especially with rowing.

“You definitely have to plan for it,” Ebel said. “You have to be organized. But all of this is definitely worth it.”

Most of the rowers’ community service takes place in the fall when the team is less busy. During the past semester the girls took turns making breakfast at 6 a.m. every Tuesday at Jubilee Cafe in First United Methodist Church, 946 Vermont St. The team would sign up five members each time. Hennessey said all members participated at least once.

But with weight training in the mornings it’s difficult to be as involved.

Besides Jubilee Cafe, the team always participates in Adopt A Family in December. The team usually collects money as a group and then a few girls shop for the family, but this time it was different.

The seniors put together a spaghetti feed and invited the whole team, coaches, family and friends to come. The event raised more than $500, which all went toward Adopt A Family.

The team hopes to do something similar to that every year, Hennessey said.

The rowers also hope to keep up their involvement in the community even when they’re in season.

“We want to do as much community service as possible,” sophomore rower Jelayna Da Silva said.

Edited by Austin Caster