Minnesota Gophers rowing team raises funds with 'Rent-a-Rower'

Every year, members of the Minnesota Gophers rowing team take part in opportunities to raise funds for the team and in a program called, “Rent-a-Rower.”  It’s where you can actually rent one of the rowers to do odd jobs around your house.

Rent-a-Rower activities range from landscaping and yard-work to helping someone move.  It costs $15 per rower, per hour. There are not many jobs they won’t do, but the most popular jobs are moving, landscaping and weeding.

“For a lot of people on the team they don’t' have time to go to school and have a job, so the Rent-a-Rower program really helps off set that finance,” Keegan Miller, fundraising coordinator, said.

For years, the program has spread by word of mouth, but this year a post to a neighborhood site is keeping them busier than ever. The money earned is critical to keeping the rowing team moving.

The overall budget for the team with more than 40 rowers is close to $100,000 and student dues make up more than half of that. For each student athlete, that averages out to about $1,800 to be on the team because they are not funded by the University.

“People really like it because they know they are helping us out and we are helping them out,” Sawyer Olson, a sophomore rower, said.

If you would like to rent a rower, click HERE or email umcrew@umn.edu