Tulsa Rowing Club Remembers Late Co-founder With Name Dedication At Grand Opening

The Tulsa Rowing Club celebrated the grand opening of its new boathouse, eight years after the previous one burned down. The new facility houses rowing programs for high school students and adults. Those at the ribbon cutting said this one is more than just a boathouse to their community.

While the ribbon cutting marked a new beginning for the Tulsa Rowing Club, it was also one that would continue a legacy for one man who helped start the program.

It was a rainy day to be on the water, but for those with the Tulsa Rowing Club, it was just right, "we're celebrating the grand opening of the boathouse," said Kurt Kraus. 

A celebration years in the making, after the club's last boathouse burned down.

"This is actually the third boathouse that has been here," Kraus said. 

Members like Kraus said having the new facility right next to Zink Lake is just what they needed.

"They were rebuilding the low water dam and now that it's rebuilt it's just fabulous, it's just really nice and fabulous, we just love it," he said. 

While many people were excited to check out the new boathouse, Kraus said one person was missing.

"We're dedicating today to Michael Kneafsey, a good friend," said Kraus.

Tulsa Rowing Club co-founder Michael Kneafsey passed away in August 2024 after a three-year battle with Melanoma. Friends and family gathered to remember him and celebrate all he did for the rowing community.

"He just knew what joy rowing brought to him and to others and what kind of peace and solitude they find when they're rowing on the river and they're with a team and there's coordination and comradery, some of his very best friends are people he's rode with for decades," said his wife, Jennifer Kneafsey. 

As folks looked back on where the Tulsa Rowing Club started and what still lies ahead, they remembered the man who helped them get here.

"It's hard to sum it up. I think that today shows how important friendships are and how important it is to give back to your community, and that when those two things come together, amazing things can happen," Kneafsey said.