The 2011 Husky poWer³ Challenge - "Finish"

Introduced in the Fall of '09, the Husky poWer³ Challenge is a three-year fundraising campaign established by the Rowing Stewards in response to the economic conditions facing the University.  Now in its third and final year (2011-2012), we are calling this the "sprint" - and everyone who ever picked up an oar at Washington knows what that means and what it requires.

The budget shortfall is the result of a number of conditions beyond our control.  In the first two years of our campaign we have reached 70% of our goal.  We need you to help put us over the finish, very much like our 2011 National Champion men's team.  Their motto?  "Finish".

Mail your pledge or check to: University of Washington Athletics, Attn: Power Campaign/Husky Crew Fund, Tyee Office - Box 354070, Seattle, WA 98195-4070, or use the online pledge form, specifically for the poWer³ Challenge, here - poWer³ Challenge Online Pledge Form

Or make an online donation right now with your credit card.  All gifts to the Men's Crew Husky Sports Fund, or the Women's Crew Fund, go directly to the Washington Rowing Program, are tax deductible, and earn Tyee Points.

Thank you for your efforts and for your support. Go Huskies!

A Letter from John Wilcox '61, PoWer Campaign Chair

Strong words like "crisis" are overused in fund raising campaigns. Perhaps Malcolm Gladwell's "tipping point" fits our situation better. A year ago we were certain your support would move us this year to a point where our income would cover our expenses. But the market meltdown over the last year changed all that. Simply stated, we need to double the revenue from our annual fund raising efforts in each of the next three years in order to meet our financial obligations.

Husky Crew has a unique funding arrangement with the University. The athletic department has been generous and very supportive but you need to know that we alumni pay for all equipment, some travel, and all men's scholarship costs. Many student -athletes at most of our principal competitors easily qualify for generous university financial aid. Ours don't. Our travel budget is lower than our competition's but our travel costs are higher. Our coaches earn less than other major coaches and we carry one fewer coach than our principal competition. That's why our endowments and your annual support are so critical to our success.

You may remember we were at a tipping point back in 2005 when our traditional rivals were spending us out of the game. We faced the very real possibility of becoming a second tier program, but when we outlined the situation to you, you stepped up. In four short years we sit at the top of the intercollegiate rowing world and we are positioned to remain there. Make no mistake, without your investment in the program this success would not have occurred.

The program needs you again. Believe me, we dislike this constant call for contributions as much as you but I am comfortable in promising that the worst of it will come to an end when the markets improve and this new campaign is successfully concluded. Athletic Director Scott Woodward on the subject of non-revenue sports has been quoted as saying: "You eat what you kill." We agree strongly with that philosophy and we are in the hunt.

We want to keep our message focused and clear. For that reason, we eliminated our annual appeal and created a new, three year campaign which we have named The Husky poWer3 Challenge. Our challenge is to secure from you three-year, gap-closing pledges that will offset the draconian decline in our endowment revenues.

In June we put together teams of alumni and they began to call you to solicit pledges. I am thrilled to report that early contributors responded swiftly. We have cash and pledges in hand of about $200,000, a healthy start on our $1 million goal. But it is only a start. Now we need to hear from you.

We are going to keep track of our progress by means of two boat races. Both pit the decades against each other. In the first race, the decade that contributes the greatest dollar total wins. In the second race the decade with the greatest number of contributors wins. Follow the races in this newsletter, in mailings and online at www.huskycrew.org.

We have a unique program in a unique sport with an odd and impractical funding arrangement. But Bob, Michael, Luke, Nicole and the staff have shown that they can develop our own local and regional athletes and compete for athletes with other leading and richly endowed rowing schools. Your investment makes it happen.

Thank you,

John L. Wilcox '61

Husky poWer3 Challenge Online Pledge Form

Complete and submit the following form and make a pledge today!

If you would like your pledge to be included in the poWer3 Challenge race, be sure to check the alum, friend, or parent box as it pertains to you... and alums... don't forget to include your class year!  Once submitted, this form will be forwarded to our rowing representative at the University and they will contact you.  Thank you for supporting Husky Crew!