Letter to the editor -
Dear Editor:
It was 4:15 a.m. and daylight was just peeking over the horizon. The early rise was always difficult. Although I would have liked to enjoy another 10-minute nap my inner self said, "C'mon and face the day."
When I opened the door to welcome the morning a lone robin flew by with breakfast dangling from its beak. The rays of the sun were beaming onto Little Wabush Lake and a warm gentle breeze brushed my face. I was the first to arrive at Jean Lake that morning and took full advantage of the motionless solitude it offered me as I sat in the middle of the dock extending almost 150 feet into the lake.
I closed my eyes and listened to the beautiful sounds of nature, the water slapping against the rocks, the wind rushing through my hair and the rustle of leaves gently blowing in the wind. At that moment I realized how fortunate I was to be part of the Labrador West Regatta and how blessed Western Labradorians are to be able to enjoy this sport in such a wonderful place.
I reminisced of years gone by and the friendships that were made. I pondered on the dedication of the volunteers and the hard work that went into the Regatta and sat there extremely proud and basked in the marvel and beauty of the site we had developed. It was a very proud moment.
My tranquility was broken upon the arrival of the dock attendant and shortly after a steady flow of traffic as the rowers and the coxswains began to arrive for practice.
On July 31, the 37th annual Labrador West Regatta will commence, starting sharp at 7 a.m. It has been a trying year for our executive as we struggled with decision-making concerning the Regatta. The global economic downturn was playing havoc with our plans and we were skeptical as to whether we should postpone or even cancel the event this year. After much deliberation we decided to follow tradition and go ahead with the plans on schedule.
I feel confident we made the right decision and I am sure this regatta will be a memorable one. The crews have worked hard and the coxswains again went above and beyond to prepare them. The organizing committee has everything in place and they are ready to go. As always the corporate citizens of Labrador West were 100 per cent behind us in their sponsorships; we realize without their support we would be unable to host this magnificent event.
On behalf of all participants and the organizing committee I extend a sincere thank-you to all supporters and corporate sponsors. As president of the Labrador West Rowing Association I would like to congratulate all those involved in preparing for this year's event. A strong committee, dedicated cox-swains, enthusiastic rowers and tireless volunteers weaved together to make 2009 a success. I invite all the residents and visitors in the area to come to Jean Lake on July 31 and share in the excitement of the Regatta while cheering for your favourite team.
I have a poster of a rower standing on a dock overlooking the mist rising from the morning dew and inscribed on the bottom of the poster it says: "Great challenges offer the greatest rewards. How we meet them reveals the truth in all of us."
Good luck to all the rowers and remember HAVE FUN!
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