Erwin Muller Receives PORPA's 2024 Warren Foresch Award

The Warren Foresch Award honors the PORPA member who provided benefit to the organization, improved their personal rowing technique/performance, and added value to the sport of rowing.

The 2024 Warren Foresch Awardee is: Señor Erwin Muller

To say Erwin Muller has been instrumental in the success of PORPA these past 10 years is a huge understatement.  From stroking the first eight in 2014 to providing dozens of new rowers with free introduction to rowing classes' he has been the backbone and lifeblood of our small but determined group of rowers, paddlers, and supporters. A short list of the benefits PORPA has received due to his efforts are: coaching, boat maintenance, activity coordination, equipment maintenance and storage, Board Secretary, construction engineer, parade driver, PORPA Sprints race coordinator, BBQ master, and all around general merriment provider.

Regarding the criteria to show improvement in personal rowing technique: Erwin claims he continues to improve, but since no one will debate with him on this issue we just have to take his word for it. We suspect his boat mates in the 2018 men's coxed four (Foresch, Tuddenham, Miller, Muller, Barnwell) might have taken it up with him, but it is likely we will never know. Erwin, we cheer you on no matter your claims!

Erwin has been instrumental in adding value to the sport of rowing in the Inland NW. He organized rowing excursions to places like the Upper Priest Lake thorofare, Spirit Lake, and Sullivan Lake. He traveled to Oregon to pick up boats donated to PORPA and is dedicated to local culture and tradition by naming PORPA boats using native language.  Erwin initiated the Warren Foresch Award in honor of our dear past President in recognition of Warren's spirit of prevailing against all odds with never ending optimism and commitment. This award has become an endearing and important PORPA tradition. 

Many thanks from a grateful membership for your dedication and unending willingness to support and promote rowing and paddling in Northern Idaho.