Callie Rohr Memorial Canoe Race

Callie Rohr Memorial Canoe Race
June 13-14, 2009

Race Flyer 09 Race Description 09 Race Registration 09 Release Form

Fierce Competition in the Fifth Annual Callie Rohr Canoe Race

Competition was fierce this year with just seconds between race finishes in several classes. Spectators cheered wildly as the racers madly paddled to the finish line after battling it out over the two-day 26-mile canoe and kayak race. The race has many canoe and kayak classes with a Recreation Racer class that had 20 seconds between the First and Second Place paddlers with an upset winner by a new team from Hayward. The competition was also great in the Men's Tandem, Solo Canoe, and Kayak classes with only minutes between racers. New for this year, the Rohr's added a popular Paddle for a Cure class, which is a shorter five-mile course that ended with all the other racers at the Eagle River Inn in Eagle River. Many of the Paddle for a Cure paddlers stated that they would like to move on to the longer race next year. Paddlers can choose from a Full Marathon, Half Marathon or Paddle for a Cure, and if you paddle a pro boat you will paddle the 26 mile course in one day.

Part of the festivities included a celebration on Saturday, that got off to a rocky start because of the storm, complete with high winds, that blew through the area, but Jeff Rohr got the crowd going with some rockers from his new CD "OH MY" and the meal cooked over an open fire turned out great. Saturday and Sunday had great live auctions with many lucky bidders walking away with some great items. They auction and raffled off Packers items, Cubs tickets, life jackets, a Chula Vista Resort package, a guided fishing trip and much more. Again, this year the race finish Pig Roast was a big success, with an excellent tasting pig that was donated and brought up from Illinois and then prepared and roasted by Adam Gengler of Conover. Approximately $10,000 has been collected so far and expect to see that total rise with two on going raffles going on for the summer. Prizes in order for raffle number one is a 16' Wenonah Kingfisher Canoe, a week stay at Lake Forest Resort, 2 nights stay at the Rustic Manor Motor Lodge, and two nights at the Gateway Lodge. The second raffle prizes in order are a Quilted Wolf's Head wall hanging, which has to be seen to be believed, two nights stay at Wild Eagle Lodge, two nights stay at the Black Bear lodge and 2 nights stay at the Gateway lodge. The tickets are one for $6.00 or two for $10.00. The Rohr's have now collected over $60,000 in five years with more to come for this year with the money going to a two-year Fellowship in memory of Callie Rohr, the daughter of Jeff & Marcia Rohr. The research fellowship was awarded by the American Brain Tumor Association, the mother charity of the race, to Craig Horbinski, MD, PhD at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA. The title of the research project is "Genetic and Biomarker Profiling of Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytomas". This is a coveted, peer-reviewed, two-year award to ensure a continuum of dedicated, well-trained brain cancer research. ABTA also provides free patient education and resource information to help brain cancer patients and their families understand this disease and learn about available treatment options. ABTA is a four star charity with only 4.4% of their monies going to administration costs. The Rohr's say, "This is a great cause, and we need your help to make our goal this year to support this most important research". The Rohr's lost their daughter Callie in 1999 to a brain tumor after a two and half year battle against this devastating disease, five days before her tenth birthday. Brain tumors are the second largest cause of medical death of our children!

If you want to buy raffle tickets or donate to this worthwhile cause, you can contact the Rohr's at RWTCanoe@nnex.net , give them a call at 715-547-3639, drop them a line or stop in at Rohr's Wilderness Tours, 5230 Razorback Rd, Conover WI, 54519. For more information on the American Brain Tumor Association, call 800-886-2282 or visit their website at www.abta.org. Pictures from the 2009 race weekend can be obtained at: http://www.kayakracer.smugmug.com/ go to Callie Rohr Race. They are just wonderful - thanks to Rich and Peg for taking them and putting this together!

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