Mr. and Mrs. Abel - May 2008

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For those reading the Plant Crew emails and webpage, there is no need to list all the activity of Plant Crew after the New Year. But a very brief summary would include: Indoors, an Ergathon, regular season races, championship races and hosting a regatta! Of course, there are many additional tasks that are necessary to facilitate those events that make the spring even more busy for a coach – and add to that a wedding.

Finally, with the schedule becoming somewhat calmer and with the conclusion of States, one of the most anticipated events of the spring came to fruition:

Cooking on the Big Green Egg! It was fabulous.

As our other thank-you notes finally hit the post office, Janinne, Ayden and I would like to take this opportunity to thank PHRA, it’s Board and most especially all the parents and athletes for such a wonderful and thoughtful gift.

The lives of coaches’ families are often mixed into athletics – as are the lives of athletes’ families.  Whether it is the whole family at a regatta, or simply a daughter brought to a lunch meeting, the family life of a coach often can not help but seep into athletic life.
So, for a coach’s family to be received in a hospitable manner into the Plant Crew community helps accommodate that mixing. Most of all, I am thankful for the kindness extended to Janinne and Ayden; I am thankful that they have been welcomed into the crew community.  It is the best gift a coach can receive.

The photograph, I’m fairly certain, captures the joy of our union – but also expresses our joy and thankfulness of being welcomed as a family by Plant Crew.

Mr. and Mrs. Matt Abel