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ok folks i have an interesting question to pose: recently i found an organization that works with disabled veterans, helping them to re-integrate in society through events like golf, cycling ect. the one they didn’t have was sailing. when i asked about that i was told it boiled down to cost…ie too expensive to buy and maintain boats that would only be used a few times a year. so, here’s the question…. we have boats, we maintain them and we do enjoy getting away from the dock so if somebody organized the time and participants would any of us be willing to take these men and women out sailing for a few days, teach them about sailing and show them the beauty and serenity of the sea? well i know i would be happy to, as a disabled veteran myself and as somebody who benefited from just such a program through Outward Bound (sadly they have no funding for their veterans programs right now), i know all too well the difficulties of coming home from war. and i know just how much a program like this helped me find balance (and renewed my passion for sailing). so how about it guys, anybody interested? for the record i am not the one to organize it, just trying to get people involved.
i really hope i’m not violating any rules with this post, if so i plead ignorance and ask forgiveness. it’s just that this is something very personal to me.
Steve, I too am a DAV and would most definately be interested in taking other Vets out sailing. Please feel free to contact me at elindstrom81@yahoo.com
Steve,
You are certainly NOT out of bounds. This is a wonderful initiative–I would suggest that all we need is some information and a coordinator. Our DOA has a fair number of veterans (including your Commodore) who understand the sacrifices our great young men and women have made.
I would ask that you think about providing some information to “Irish Mist” and we will include it in an upcoming Newsletter. With a majority of our members in the Chesapeake Bay area, I think that we are perfectly positioned to support Bethesda and Walter Reed. I would be honored to support the effort.
first to Tessanna, i will be in contact with you soon and i also want to say thank you for jumping on the wagon. And to Crew Rest, i must say that’s an excellent idea about walter reed….one of my best friends happens to be stationed at reed, so i’m going to give him a call and see if he can put me in touch with somebody there. i suspect i can convince walter reed’s wounded warriors program director to help out with co-coordinating an event. i just needed to be sure of an interest and willingness on the sailors part first. having that, i can now move forward and maybe go from an idea to an actual plan. i’ll get in touch with irish mist as well on the next part but maybe Crew Rest can help too…i’d like to make a list of owners willing to get involved. i believe if i had at least 10 i could count on then i could take that to the program director to help convince him that it is a very doable event.
Hi Steve, Barry and Tessanna,
I like the idea about having a co coordinator from Walter Reed’s Wounded Warriors Program. The fact that there is really no sailing initative for these veterans raises the question of what should be the basic ingredients of the program. It would seem that to be at all worth while the program would have to go far beyond our small Dickerson group and include othe Bay Sailing groups of which there are many that do a lot of day sailing.. I know that SpinSheet publishes a crew list you can contact if you are interested. I wonder if they could help to put together an initative that would list potential sailors from different organizations and Handicap Veterans interested in learning about sailing. Maybe we could discuss this at the Rendezvous.
Joe Irish Mist
Hi guys,
On the Chesapeake you might talk to CRAB. They are into accessible boating.
They might already be serving veterans, and they can probably give advice on making accomodations for various disabilities
Eric and Jackie
Compass Rose
anchored Marigot Bay, St. LuciaThanks Eric and Jackie,
We’ll check it out–planning a discussion in Oxford. Continue to enjoy your log–particularly liked the video on youtube.
Barry
Crew Restwell guys -n- gals, just talked to the fellow over at CRAB. he gave me lots of good info and advice. he was even able to give me some contacts to call. so, I’m going to be trying to acquire commitment for a staging area. If i can get that, the next step is getting either the hospital or DAV (or both) to agree on transportation, from there it’ll just be a matter of setting a date for the first event and getting commitments from owners (I’ve gotten a few other non-Dickerson owners interested as well). all in all i think it’s going well and looks like the 1st event could happen this summer.
Great news, Steve,
We have some great folks in the DOA that will gladly commit. We applaud your effort.
I do appreciate the encouragement…believe me, just trying to figure out how to get something like this started, much less actually starting it, gets a bit overwhelming at times and I gotta take a step back for a day or two. There have been times I’ve even thought “is it worth it?”…but somebody always seems to step up and offer those words of encouragement I need to keep going. And of course I think of how I was helped, what it could mean to somebody else and i just know it’s the right thing to do. I seriously believe if I hadn’t had the chance to get out sailing, well at the very least I’d be depressed and feeling like my life was over because of my disabilities. It’s tough to feel whole and useful when you lose the ability to do the things you used to love. That’s one of the big motivators behind why I want to do this…to show my fellow veterans (many of whom are worse off than me) that just because they cannot do one thing doesn’t mean all of life is un-accessible to them. Possibly give them hope when it seems everything is hopeless…I’ve been there and it isn’t a nice place to be. So to all of you that have offered to join in or given advice or pointed me towards resources and contacts… THANK YOU! you might not know it but all your help could keep a soldier from giving up.
the most important thing is whatever money is collect in form of charity is use in a proper manner so that it will give benefit ti such people.
There won’t be any collections or donations accepted, everything is on a volunteer basis. If any money is spent it will come from my pocket only. This is a crucial part of what I’m trying to put together, it’s about our civic duty and responsibility to the men and women who have given so much for us. The whole point is to remove the monetary aspects and keep it pure gratitude.
Hi Steve,
In order to get things going we need someone to make it happen as Crew Rest pointed out. Since it is your idea it is logical for you to be the coordinator. If you give me an article I will put it in the next News Letter. The article should name the coordinator and try to recruit sailors to participate in the program. No reason this couldn’t be conducted so you could do it at one or two or more ports a year. Maybe for example you could have an event mixing some social event like lunch at Cantlers on Mill Creek, Annapolis, with a couple hrs sailing. Interested owners could show up with their boats. Could also do it in Oxford day before or day after Rendezvous.
Please take charge and give me an article
Joe
ok i do have an update….
but first, sorry i haven’t posted on the progress or seemed as proactive as i should be…i have been in and out of doctors offices, the hospital and had more than a few personal crisis’. anyway here’s what’s new:
i have gotten a promise of dock space, that means i have everything more or less arranged as far as how and where to host an event. the final step for me is to go talk to the director at walter reed in person.
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