07/16/2025
We are just 3 days away from Row4Dough 2025 for Special Olympics of Illinois! 100% of all proceeds stay local to help benefit our athletes!
We will be located at Chatham Community Park at the Chatham Jaycees Sweetcorn Festival under the huge tent just off the main stage. Be on the lookout for the Special Olympics banners.
The address is 711 S. Park Ave, Chatham, IL. Our arrival time overlaps with the Sweet Corn Festival 5K. They have created routes in an attempt to avoid overlap, but there will still be some. Please always yield to runners and take guidance given by the volunteers.
You MUST enter from the main festival entrance on Main Street. Entry will not be permitted from Park Ave or Deerborn. If you have equipment that you need to drop off, you will be permitted to drive on to the festival grounds to unload your machine, but must immediately park your car after it is dropped. One vehicle per team will be allowed to drive past the large Red X to drop off equipment and then return to the marked lot. Drop off of machines and moving of cars should be completed by 8AM for the safety of attendees.
So far, there are 98 rowers registered across 11 teams from all over Central Illinois! This is amazing!! 10 full marathon teams, 1 half marathon team and 1 individual 5k rower will be attending.
For Saturday, here are a couple of things to note:
o Please have your entire team there and checked-in before 8:30 AM. Registration will begin at 7:45am.
o Announcements and rowing instructions will take place at 8:30 AM to assure we start rowing promptly.
o If you registered before July 4, your shirt will be ready for pickup at the Impressions Design table.
o If you registered after the deadline, you will still get your shirt, it just may be after the event.
o Parking
o Main grassy lot that will be marked off with posts and paint on the grass.
o We will be under the large tent off the main stage at the Sweetcorn Festival.
o See attached image for more details.
o Awards
o Fastest Boat
o Team Spirit
o Top Fundraising Individual
o Top Fundraising Team
o Anchored Boat (Slowest team to finish)
Here is a quick timeline of what to expect Saturday:
o 7:45-8:30 AM – Registration and Setup
o 8:30 AM – Opening Ceremony
· Opening message from Dr. Jones
· Welcome from Special Olympics Assistant Director Tara Nickerson
· National Anthem sung by Special Olympics Athlete Marissa Deheve
o We will take a group photo prior to our start.
o 8:30 AM – Let the rowing begin!!!
o 12:00-1:00 PM – Rowing finishes!!!
Fundraising
o To date, over $8,100 has been raised by your fundraising efforts. $3000 was graciously donated by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois and $500 from CORAL. The big goal is $15,000 and that is well within reach.
o Please keep fundraising to help us reach our goal to support our local Special Olympics athletes. All individuals must have a minimum of $50 raised or team total of $500 (teams of 10)!
o If you have not raised your $50 you can pay by cash, check or card the morning of the event.
o To those that have raised more than the minimum, we are so grateful.
Per request of the Chatham Jaycees you will NOT be allowed to bring in your own alcoholic beverages, but they will have some for sale throughout the day. Coolers are welcome, but because of ongoing issues with this rule, the Jaycees reserve the right to do cooler checks if they receive reports of non-festival products being consumed.
Special Thanks to our Sponsors, Volunteers and Donators:
o Presenting Sponsor - Jones Chiropractic
o Special Olympics of Illinois
o Chatham Park District
o Chatham Jaycees
o Impressions Design
o 103.7 WDBR
o Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois
o CORAL
o DJ Blake for spinning the tunes
o Rowers have been provided by the following:
· Capital City CrossFit
· CrossFit XLT
· CarriageHouse Fit
· Dr. Michael Jones
· Gabe Kesterson
· Ben Truebe
