ABOUT US

A NOTE FROM THE LEADERS

“We started Casitas Rowing with a true commitment to helping connect with, and change, the trajectory of our member’s lives for the better. Life is hard and we all struggle with issues — we all face visible and invisible challenges that shape who we are and who we choose to become. In a world filled with so much peer pressure and potential for negative influences, we want to be a place that is not only welcoming to everyone, but that provides an opportunity for a positive, productive life paved by hard work, and backed by a family. That’s what we are here at Casitas Rowing — a family. A family that looks to the future and what could be.”

- Eric and Wendy

How this all got started

Passionate rowers, Eric and Wendy Gillett turned their love of the sport into a lifelong dream and founded Casitas Rowing in 2008. Since then, they have built up an organization that now provides rowing to more than 5,000 people every year throughout Ventura County through annual programs, summer camps and partnerships with the local schools.

Casitas Rowing is a nonprofit organization run with positive and effective oversight through our board of directors. Over the years, the board has been comprised of business owners, ecologists, doctors, district attorneys, business executives and economists — all with a shared interest in creating a community program that introduces Ventura County residents to the joy of rowing.

our mission

Casitas Rowing is an educational program with ongoing community instruction and training of youth and adults in the art of rowing. Our purpose is to promote a lifetime appreciation of fitness, recreation, environmental awareness, and in particular, positive development of our county’s youth.

Inclusion is how we unleash the power of diversity. We strive to foster belonging and empowerment; our principles guide how we build our teams, cultivate leaders and create community.