The Rotary-organized Rowing for Baltic Herring event took place on October 6, traditionally held on the first Sunday of Helsinki’s Strömmingsmarknad (Baltic Herring Market). This charity event gathered around 300 participants from Finland, Sweden, and Germany, who rowed church boats or hiked from Töölönlahti to the Market Square. The event’s patron, ocean rower Jari Saario, also took part in the rowing.
The event successfully raised an impressive 8,500 euros for the benefit of the Baltic Sea! The funds were handed over to the Baltic Sea Action Group at the Meri-Espoo Rotary Club meeting on February 5. The event was opened by club president Maria Sipilä. District Governor Aune Past delivered greetings from the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, personally thanking all members of the Rowing for Baltic Herring steering group. She also shared her dream of seeing the rowing event take place in Estonia in the near future!
The chair of the Rowing for Baltic Herring organizing committee, Markku Juhola from the Riihimäki-Hausjärvi Rotary Club, presented statistics from the previous event and highlights from the participant feedback survey. An impressive 100% of participants said they would recommend the event to their friends!
“This time, we were delighted to welcome many new participants. Jari Saario surely inspired several people to take up the oars. We managed to collect an even larger sum for the Baltic Sea than last year,” says Markku Juhola.
Juhola presented a certificate of appreciation to Pieta Jarva, Strategy Director at the Baltic Sea Action Group, who gave a presentation detailing BSAG’s efforts to protect the Baltic Sea.
“With the Rotary donation, we can help safeguard the Baltic Sea’s most valuable habitats. Beneath the surface, there is diverse marine life that benefits from both protected areas and the reduction of nutrient runoff from land,” says Pieta Jarva.
Over the years, Rotarians have raised more than 90,000 euros for Baltic Sea conservation through the Rowing for Baltic Herring event.
The Rowing for Baltic Herring event is organized by eight Rotary clubs: Finlandia Hall with its satellite clubs, Helsinki Baltic Sea, Helsinki International, Herttoniemi-Hertonäs, Meri-Espoo, Pasila-Fredriksberg, Riihimäki-Hausjärvi, and Vantaa-Myyrmäki. Rotary District 1420, covering Southern Finland and Estonia, is also involved in the event.
Event website: https://www.silakkasoutu.fi/
Photos: https://www.silakkasoutu.fi/kuvia-images/ (free to use with photographer credit)
Video: https://youtu.be/QUN9ECIa8_I?si=ph3_QZURwHjXVXAG
