This summer, SailFast and Gary Jobson teamed up to create a fundraising program for junior sailing. The concept was pretty simple: kill two birds with one stone by promoting junior sailing and also having the junior sailors take an active role in “giving back”. As additional incentive, SailFast vowed to send Gary Jobson to the club that raised the most where he would personally lead a sailing clinic.
The program was launched on the fly and 24 clubs quickly signed on. Not bad for a first effort! And like many fundraisers of this type, participation was stronger among some circles than others. There were a handful of clubs that really got hold of it and were neck-and-neck to the finish. But in the end, the winning program was Noroton Yacht Club in CT. Their junior sailing program embraced the initiative and they were rewarded with a visit from Gary Jobson on a sunny Sunday afternoon in August.
The day was spectacular. Gary started on the water, even jumping in a boat and sailing in some club races with an old friend. Then the clinic moved onshore where Gary went “unplugged” with the juniors, openly sharing a lifetime of knowledge, strategy and experience with our next generation of sailors. To say it was a success would be an understatement. One junior sailor went so far as to have Gary sign their life jacket and is still running around showing it off!
This story of a Sunday afternoon with Gary Jobson and the junior sailors of Noroton also reminds me of what the sport of sailing is really about. You can do it at any level, at any age. The icons - be it a classic design, an annual regatta, or even a legendary sailor – can seamlessly cut across genres and generations. And on any given Sunday at any local club, the new blood can sail alongside the sport’s best, sharing the same experiences and even creating new ones!
Special thanks to Gary Jobson and also to Noroton Yacht Club’s Junior Sailing Program for making this year's fundraiser a success.
The program was launched on the fly and 24 clubs quickly signed on. Not bad for a first effort! And like many fundraisers of this type, participation was stronger among some circles than others. There were a handful of clubs that really got hold of it and were neck-and-neck to the finish. But in the end, the winning program was Noroton Yacht Club in CT. Their junior sailing program embraced the initiative and they were rewarded with a visit from Gary Jobson on a sunny Sunday afternoon in August.
The day was spectacular. Gary started on the water, even jumping in a boat and sailing in some club races with an old friend. Then the clinic moved onshore where Gary went “unplugged” with the juniors, openly sharing a lifetime of knowledge, strategy and experience with our next generation of sailors. To say it was a success would be an understatement. One junior sailor went so far as to have Gary sign their life jacket and is still running around showing it off!
This story of a Sunday afternoon with Gary Jobson and the junior sailors of Noroton also reminds me of what the sport of sailing is really about. You can do it at any level, at any age. The icons - be it a classic design, an annual regatta, or even a legendary sailor – can seamlessly cut across genres and generations. And on any given Sunday at any local club, the new blood can sail alongside the sport’s best, sharing the same experiences and even creating new ones!
Special thanks to Gary Jobson and also to Noroton Yacht Club’s Junior Sailing Program for making this year's fundraiser a success.
No comments:
Post a Comment