Shaker on the Charles

After seven years away, Shaker Crew returns to the Head of the Charles, and we need your help. Your generous donations provide scholarships, so every athlete selected for the trip can go. Rowing runs on shared team equipment, so every extra dollar beyond scholarships will go to equipment upgrades that sustain the program.

The rest of the story...

On Sunday morning, October 18, two Shaker boats will line up near Boston University and race three miles up the Charles River, under bridges lined with spectators. The Head of the Charles is the largest three-day regatta in the world, drawing 11,500 competitors and 325,000 spectators. Shaker crews raced here every fall from 2016 to 2019, and after seven years away, the tradition returns.

It started with two students. In 1997, Emily Caldes and Kerri Welsh asked principal Jack Rumbaugh for a rowing team, and the women's team was formed. The men's team launched in 2012, and Xavier Aniton, its fourth captain, now leads the program as head coach. Along the way, Shaker boats have raced at the Scholastic Rowing Association of America national championships thirteen times, and in 2024 the boys brought home their first national medal, a bronze in the double (2x).

Shaker rowers carry that history forward. Sophia Calabrese, Class of 2019, rowed for the United States at the 2025 World Rowing Championships and won the Women's Championship Doubles at the Head of the Charles last fall. This October she is back on the Charles. On Saturday she races, and on Sunday a women's youth coxed four (4+) and a men's youth eight (8+), with nineteen traveling athletes in all, follow her down the same three miles.

Shaker Crew is one of three public high school varsity crew teams in Ohio, and this community has always carried it. When the program turned 25, this community raised $25,000 to match a generous anonymous gift and bought the team a new eight and a new double.

Every gift goes to one team fund. It first provides scholarships, so every athlete named to the trip can go, whatever their family can pay. Rowing runs on shared team equipment, so every dollar beyond that goes to equipment upgrades that sustain the program for the rowers who come next.

Raising $25,000 for the program's 25th year showed what this community can do in one big moment. What builds a stronger program for the next 25 years is steady support, year after year, in whatever size fits you. That is why we are starting Raider Rowing Sustainers. Choose "monthly" when you give, and $10, $19 or $25 a month keeps supporting scholarships and equipment long after the boats come home from Boston. You can change or cancel a monthly gift at any time.

Every gift, one-time or monthly, comes with an invitation to our new alumni and friends newsletter, so you can follow the program as it grows.

Alumni, add your class year when you give, so we can stay in touch. If you will be in Boston, come find us. We would love to see you on the river. Everyone else can follow the trip, with photos from Boston, on the team's Instagram and Facebook.

Thank you for being part of this program's story.

Fueled by Grit. Funded by You.

SHHS Crew Parents, Inc.

FAQs

Is my gift tax-deductible?

Your gift is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Shaker Heights High School Crew Parents Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity, EIN 20-3241848, and you will receive a receipt by email.

Where does my gift go?

Every gift goes to one team fund. It first provides scholarships for families on the Head of the Charles trip, and everything beyond that goes to equipment upgrades for the sustainability of the program.

Can I give to a specific athlete?

Every gift goes to the team fund, so support reaches the families who need it, confidentially. You can honor an athlete by adding their name in your gift's dedication.

Will my employer match my gift?

Many employers match gifts to nonprofits. Check with your employer's giving program, and email raiderrowing@gmail.com for any information they need.

What is the optional tip at checkout?

GiveButter asks donors for an optional tip that supports the platform. Your full gift reaches the team whether or not you add one.

Can I watch the race?

Spectators are welcome all weekend, and we would love to see you there. The Shaker boats race Sunday morning, October 18, and the regatta posts start times once crews have their starting positions. Alumni in Boston, come find the team. For everyone following from home, we will post photos and updates from the trip on Instagram and Facebook.

My family is on the trip and needs help with the cost. What do I do?

Email raiderrowing@gmail.com. The conversation is confidential, and early gives us the most room to help.

Shaker on the Charles

After seven years away, Shaker Crew returns to the Head of the Charles. Help every athlete named to the trip make it to Boston.