Rowing club: 'Call us – we are here for you'

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced an early end to the athletic season, Rebecca Fung, women’s co-captain of the University of Calgary Rowing Club (UCRC) in Dinos athletics, and a Faculty of Kinesiology student, reached out to her teammates to gauge their interest in helping out community members, 20 team members and a few of their friends stepped up to volunteer with her including students from the faculties of kinesiology, education, science, graduate studies, engineering and law.

“Since our training was cancelled we have extra time to put ourselves to good use. We are able bodied, we care and we want to do something good to help others in the community,” says Fung.  

The group is willing to help with tasks such as childcare, dog walking, shoveling snow, delivering groceries and other goods to families who are unable or too scared to leave their homes. They are also available for conversation. 

We are also here for people who just want to talk on the phone. As we all know it’s a trying time, especially for people that are alone. We are social creatures and need human connection.  

Fung enjoys connecting to others and once volunteered as a supportive listener in the Peer Support Centre at the University of Alberta when she was a student.

To date, very few people have reached out to the club for help.

“We weren’t getting many people contacting us, so we contacted Calgary Seniors and will be helping with grocery deliveries and talking to people on the phone.”

Inn from the Cold recently contacted the group, and eight of them will be going to do some cooking for 20 families on site.

Contact for help

The team is offering to help in the community as long as needed while continuing to practise safe social distancing and health management. 

“We are taking the necessary precautions, and we will be available as long as people need us. So I want community members to know they can call us, we are here for them,” says Fung.

For assistance, contact Rebecca Fung at rowing.volunteer@gmail.com or phone 780-862-0128. 

COVID-19 resources

• For the most up-to-date information about the University of Calgary's response to the spread of COVID-19, visit the UCalgary COVID-19 Response website.
• For resources to support students, faculty, staff, alumni, and all our communities during this unprecedented time, visit the UCalgary COVID-19 Community Support website.