American hero and Olympic gold medal winning rower Jason Read will give the keynote address at the 2017 Celebration of Rowing banquet, event chair Jackie King is pleased to announce.
The banquet is scheduled for Saturday, November 18, at Sedgefield Country Club with admission open to the general public.
“Jason Read’s life story is one of unwavering dedication, representing his country proudly and with courage at moments of unimaginable tragedy and great triumph,” says Jackie King.
A volunteer rescue squad fire chief from the age of 21, Read received the call to Ground Zero on the morning of September 11, 2001 shortly after the first plane hit the World Trade Center in New York.
Just three years later Jason Read represented his country again, bringing home the Olympic gold as part of the men’s eight rowing crew at the 2004 Athens games.
King says it is an incredible honor to have Jason Read join the Triad rowing clubs for this occasion. “Earlier this year High Point Rowing Club purchased an eight-man shell bearing his name from his alma mater Temple University. None of us knew who he was then. We do now and we are so looking forward to welcoming Jason to North Carolina.”
The Celebration of Rowing banquet is in its fourth year of recognizing an appreciation for our sport and our local rowing community. Celebration of Rowing is the one time each year when the Triad rowing community gathers to honor its own and enjoy hearing from a keynote speaker who has made a national impact on the sport of rowing.
Read will follow a illustrious line of guest speakers in recent years who have each had a national impact on the rowing community:
