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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013
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Baptista was the first of the Kearny crew moms to join the The four Kearny residents program in June. also all had something in com“I guess I was the pioneer mon. They had children who for the Kearny women,” she were all part of the Kearny laughed. “I found out that the High crew program. CavaPRRA had this program and lier’s daughter, Jessica, is a that adults could do it. That sophomore on the team – the was it. I was convinced I was same for McCurrie’s daughter, doing it.” Erin, and Springer’s daughter Baptista had a major change Amanda. in lifestyle a year ago. Baptista has two children “I used to weigh more than involved, daughter Gabriella, a 300 pounds,” Baptista said. junior, and Jeremy, a freshman. “I was morbidly obese. But So the women always found through diet and exercise, themselves at Kearny crew faith and perseverance, I lost events, watching their chil160 pounds. I never imagined I dren and wondering if there could get in a boat. I thought I was somehow, someway to get probably would have sunk the on the river themselves. boat.” Enter the Passaic River Baptista, who is regularly Rowing Association, which seen running up and down instituted a “Learn to Row” Kearny Ave. with weights in program earlier this year. hand, also competed recently The PRRA, headed by Belin the Kearny 5K road race. leville High School coaches She was able to lose that much Jeff and Gail Lahm, a dediweight naturally, with no cated husband-and-wife team, surgery. has been allowing adults the “Thank God, I’m doing opportunity to first learn the things now I never would have proper techniques of rowing been able to do,” Baptista said. with extensive lessons and Soon after Baptista signed training, then giving them the up for the “Learn to Row” prochance to get on the river and gram, the other three moms race competitively. followed suit. KEARNY from
Photo courtesy Paula Cavalier
From l., Kearny crew moms Amy Beth Baptista, Cindy Springer, Paula Cavalier and Patti McCurrie get together after racing for the first time as a crew team, namely the Kearny Oarsome Foursome.
“I did it just to see if I was coordinated,” Cavalier said. “We had a picnic last year and I was allowed to go in the boat,” Springer said. “But I couldn’t even get the oar in the water. It was so embarrassing. So when I heard about the program, I signed up because I didn’t want my daughter to be
embarrassed. I found it amazing what these kids are able to do.” McCurrie was encouraged after she found out Baptista got involved. “I knew Amy Beth was doing it, so I just said, `Let’s all do it,’” McCurrie said. “Cindy, Paula and I all joined together
(in July).” The “Learn to Row” program was certainly extensive. It was not just getting together and then getting on the river. The Kearny moms got to learn about the pain of the ERG – the stationary device called an see KEARNY page
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