ROW-A-THON FOR THE HOMELESS
On January 21, 2018, Swet Studio, Boston’s local group indoor rowing and aerial fitness studio, in partnership with Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Emerging Leader’s Board, will host a Row-a-Thon to raise awareness and funds in support of the homeless citizenry of Boston.
The event is being spearheaded by one of Swet Studio’s members and indoor rowing champ, Patrick Brien. Brien currently oversees program implementation for the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), an initiative of the global health non-profit organization, Partners In Health. He divides his time between traveling to East Africa and living in Boston’s South End. An army veteran, who has spent much of his life in public service, Patrick also serves on the Emerging Leaders Board for the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program (BHCHP), which helps coordinate the event.
According to Brien, the idea for the event is simple: for every dollar donated, the crew will row 50 meters in support of Boston’s homeless. Explains Brien, “If we hit the goal of raising $10,000, we are committed to rowing 500,000 meters, and if there are more donations, we won’t stop there.”
Teams can range from 1 to 4 members and sweat together in 2-hour segments. It's $35.00 per person, and the net proceeds will all be donated to the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless program. You can row individually or share a rowing machine with your own team.
Over 12,000 homeless men, women, and children are cared for by Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program each year. With clinicians, case managers, and behavioral health professionals working in more than 60 locations, the Program is dedicated to ensuring that the homeless have access to comprehensive health care throughout the city.
The homeless are often the forgotten faces of Boston, says Silviya Mihaylova, Swet’s Studio’s operator and rowing coach: “Thousands of people, from every walk of life and age group, find themselves homeless in Boston every year. Boston Health Care for the Homeless is a tremendous organization committed to caring for them and making a real difference in their lives at the ground level. We are proud to be partnered with them for this event.”
The Row-a-Thon will be held at Swet Studio’s South End fitness studio, located at 480 Tremont Street, and the public is invited to attend. Says Mihaylova, “Yes, we are trying to raise money, and we are looking for dedicated rowers looking to help us do it, but we also really want to get people thinking about the faces of Boston who happen to be homeless.”
About Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program (BHCHP)