For more information, contact: Lisa Napier at 716-310-1360
lnapier.whjsc@gmail.com

West Side Rowing Club Names Boat After Willie Hutch Jones Program
Buffalo, NY – A special inauguration ceremony was held at the West Side Rowing Club (WSRC),
honoring multiple non-profit organizations, including the 10-year collaboration with the Willie
Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Program (WHJESP). Under a clear and sunny sky,
representatives from the WHJESP christened a boat with their logo and namesake with water.

“The boat is a brand new Swift Coastal Quad (4x) that is used for our learn-to-row programs in
the summer,” says Ian Suchan, Director of Community Outreach and Administration at West
Side Rowing Club. “The coastal quad provides a more stable platform to learn how to row and
can also handle tougher weather conditions when out on the water,” added Suchan.

The WSRC, for the past ten years, has offered scholarships to qualifying youth in our program
to experience this unique and often exclusive sport, especially for underserved kids,” remarked
Willie Hutch Jones, Ph.D., President and CEO of the WHJESP. “We truly appreciate the
generous scholarships each year, but naming a boat after our program is an incredible honor
that we are so grateful for,” exclaimed Jones.

To qualify for the crew rowing clinic, students must be at least 12-18 years old and able to pass
a swim test before acceptance into the program. In addition to the many sports clinics held by
the WHJESP each summer, a swim program is also included.

For nearly 40 years, the Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Program (WHJESP) has
held steadfast in its commitment to provide FREE programs for the youth of Western New York.
To learn more about the WHJESP after-school and summer programs, its Gear Up A Child and
MLB-RBI program, and the upcoming 8th Annual Science Fair, please visit WHJSC.org or call
716-715-4980