Dear Friends in the Rowing World:
Igor Grinko, friend to many, mentor, role model and world renowned sculling coach, needs your help!
Igor and his wife Kira have both been battling cancer these past two years. This has taken a heavy toll on them physically, emotionally, and financially. Sadly, after a period of remission, Igor's cancer recently returned and he is currently hospitalized in Augusta, where he and Kira have lived for many years. Needless to say, they have been through a great deal and many challenges and choices lie ahead.
Over the years, Igor and Kira have touched so many lives with their all-encompassing hospitality and unwavering kindness, and now is a time when some of this can be reciprocated. Igor and Kira are seeking to use every available option to fight Igor's cancer, and though they would never ask for your help themselves, we know your help with their financial responsibilities will be invaluable.
To know Igor is to love him. Those of us who have been trained by Igor know how he could push us to greater heights of achievement. Everyone has an Igor story - the Occoquan "TR" machine building project, "throw" weights, the Augusta dungeonesque lifting center, dragging refrigerators up hills. 110 rep-lifting, erging in snow covered parking lots, rowing on mountain lakes that turn out to be two thousand feet higher in elevation than planned, the term "same-time-u-laneously", climbing Pikes Peak on your "day off" and a favorite "you good result" and the oft heard, "could be better," uttered right after you have won an important race!
Igor has developed rowers the world over to the highest Olympic standards, through his methods, drive, and high expectations. Off of the water, many of Igor's lessons of determination are apparent in his athletes' successful efforts in post-rowing endeavors. Once you have made it through Igor's training regimen you know you can do anything!
The athletes of Igor's 1996 Olympic Silver Medal winning men's quad have joined with other athletes in setting up a donation site (see below) to which you can send your contribution to help Igor and Kira with their numerous expenses during this challenging time, along with your thoughts and well-wishes. These funds will directly assist in the difficult choices of care and comfort Kira and Igor must make in the near term. Your contribution, while not tax-deductible, will be of immense help and comfort to them.
On behalf of Igor and Kira, we thank you for your generous support.
https://www.youcaring.com/Igor