In the past month, the Loyola Academy Rowing Association, LARA, began its largest annual fundraiser, nicknamed the “Ergathon,” with one goal: collecting 55,000 dollars to support the purchase of rowing equipment, payment for competitions, and financial aid to make rowing accessible to anyone at Loyola.
As the largest fundraiser of the entire year, the Ergathon has played a crucial role in making it possible for the Loyola Crew team to compete at the national level and become the amazing and prestigious program that it is today.
To conclude the fundraiser, rowers pushed themselves to the limits by participating in the “Ergathon.” Members of Loyola Crew were each assigned a specific college that would represent their team, competing against one another for an hour to see who could row the farthest distance. After the immense grit and determination shown by every team and rower, the Ergathon ended with team Fairfield winning by more than 1000 meters.
Loyola rowers have participated in the Ergathon for more than a decade, cementing it as a deep-rooted tradition that has created some of the best memories and opportunities for the sport. In the words of Nick Cheruvathoor, a sophomore coxswain for Loyola Rowing, “it gives rowers a chance to row for more than themselves.”
With the generous support of Wintrust Community Banks and Ballyhoo Hospitality, along with the numerous hard-working families and determined rowers who gave it their all to make this fundraiser a success, LARA raised over $59,000, shattering the goal and making this one of the most successful fundraisers in the more than decade-long tradition.
