The $115,000 Racing Shells for Newport Aquatic Center

The article (June 13) on Amateur Athletic Foundation funding in Orange County featured a great photo of the junior women’s quad boat from the Newport Aquatic Center. These girls will be going on to national-level competition later this month and, hopefully, also will continue to row at the high school and collegiate level.

I would like to point out that the Newport Aquatic Center offers the only opportunity for any woman of any age to row in all of Orange County. The two collegiate programs in Orange County, at UC Irvine and Orange Coast College, both offer men’s teams but do not have rowing programs available to women. There are no other high school rowing programs in the county.

Although the Newport Aquatic Center is marginally able to keep its doors open from month to month on its membership fees, it is only through the generosity of organizations such as the AAF and the donations of individuals that programs like this one for high school kids can be offered. The article makes reference to lessons being offered for $50, while failing to mention that this is the cost of a five-lesson series.

It is the purpose of the Newport Aquatic Center to promote the sports of kayaking, canoeing and rowing at all levels of ability, and the center is wheelchair-accessible.

MARTHA SINGER

Irvine