The men of Fisher Hall are in high tide preparing for Notre Dame students to make a splash Saturday at 1 p.m. at the 25th annual Fisher Regatta. Truly their 30th year hosting the regatta, junior Regatta commissioner Jack Kessler said Fisher has commemorated this competition each year as a “25th annual” event in order to create a timelessness in their yearly tradition.
“Approximately 1,000 students from Notre Dame attend the Regatta each year,” Kessler said. “It’s a three to four hour event, and one of the highlights of the year for many students.”
A fun-filled competition for all residence halls and clubs, the Regatta has registered 25 boats thus far, but expects to have 30 by race day, Kessler said.
Junior Regatta commissioner Patrick Murday said the residents of Fisher particularly look forward to hosting the Regatta every year, enjoying each aspect of dorm bonding that precipitates from planning such a large competition.
“The regatta is the ultimate culmination of brotherhood in Fisher,” he said.
Almost every Fisher resident contributes to the event in some way, Kessler said.
“About 25 Fisher residents are on the Fisher committee, but the whole dorm tends to help out during the week leading up to the race,” Kessler said.
Throughout the week, men from Fisher have been making arrangements for the Regatta, spreading awareness through social media, assisting with selling Regatta tank tops and announcing the tournament throughout campus, Kessler said.
While excitement for the closing An Tostal event has resonated throughout campus this week, Murday said Fisher Hall’s anticipation has been building since August.
“The Regatta is the first tradition most Fisher freshman learn about, and because it doesn’t actually happen until spring, everyone’s suspense builds throughout the year,” he said.
Kessler said the residents appreciate the opportunity to make an impact on campus with such a large signature event.
“We’re a small dorm,” he said. “We don’t host many other events around campus, so this is our chance to make our mark and engage with the entire campus in a way that touches the whole University.”
Fisher especially appreciates the honor that accompanies bringing the Notre Dame student body together, Murday said.
In addition to connecting the Notre Dame community, Murday said one of the Regatta’s main functions is working toward raising funds for local elementary school St. Adalbert.
“This is the grade school that Fisher has been collaborating with for the past three years,” he said. “We’ve built a better relationship with them each year, and this year we would like to raise a total of $10,000 throughout the year for the school.”
Money raised from Fisher fundraisers throughout the year — including their fall Car Smash event, as well as a clothes drive, will be put toward this cause — Murday said, but the Regatta’s earnings create the most profound impact on their monetary goal.
“I think that this year we will meet our fundraising goal,” he said. “This year’s funds will build a new science lab for St. Adalbert. In the past, we’ve raised money to build a new gym floor, and the previous year’s went toward a new facade for their building.”
As Fisher’s relationship with St. Adalbert has grown closer each year, so have the residence hall’s efforts to reach out to the school in a tangible manner, Murday said.
In order to grow closer with the elementary school, Fisher has invited the St. Adalbert student body to participate in Regatta events on campus this week, Kessler said.
“We’ve invited some of those students here to play Spikeball and show them around the dorm,” he said. “This fundraiser isn’t just about the money. We’re really trying to form a connection with the school.”
While pride and glory may sound like prize enough, Kessler said there will also be a chance for the most superior sailors on campus to win proof of their boating skills.
“The winning boat’s prize is not only a trophy, but also a pair of golden oars and a $100 Chipotle gift card,” he said.
Murday said Notre Dame students from all residence halls and clubs will come together to celebrate spring with this end-of-the-year competition.
“People come to the Regatta to watch their friends crash their homemade boats, [and] enjoy the free music and food,” Murday said.
