Getting Veterans out Sailing With Valhalla Sailing and Other Programs
In honor of Veterans Day, November 11, SpinSheet highlights sailing programs for veterans.
The Valhalla Sailing Project is an Annapolis-based nonprofit sailing program with one mission: to prevent veteran suicide. I spoke with co-founder Michael Wood to learn more about the program and how sailors can get involved. By highlighting programs like these, we hope to continue to support the military community. Learn more about The Valhalla Sailing Project at valhallasailing.org or email Mike at [email protected].
Tell me about Valhalla Sailing’s goals
Our goal is to bring veterans together to form a new sense of community and family through the sport of sailing. We teach the fundamentals of sailing, integrate the veterans into crews, and provide them with opportunities to use those new skill sets in either the racing community of Annapolis or abroad.
Valhalla Sailing Project isn’t just a sailing program. It is an opportunity to build these family bonds and this camaraderie on and off the water. We look to do things that are non-sailing-related during the off season, such as going to escape rooms, having family dinners, and watching movies. It’s not just a sailing program, it’s a family.
How did you become passionate about this program?
I grew up on Lake Ontario, and sailed on the Chesapeake Bay for a majority of my life, except for the time that I was in the Marine Corps. During that time, I built family and camaraderie through the Marines. When I got out of the Marine Corps I lost that sense of identity, lost that sense of self, and went into a pretty deep and dangerous mental state. I was on the road to becoming part of the nasty statistic of 22 veterans a day that take their own lives.
I was on SpinSheet’s CrewFinder when I got called up to race out of Galesville, MD, and it happened to be a boat filled with a bunch of Navy pilots and copilots. I was able to feel relaxed in that environment. It reminded me that I may not be in the Marines anymore, but I still have a community through the sport of sailing. Eventually I thought, ‘if sailing brought me out of my tailspin, maybe I can introduce the sport of sailing to other veterans and let them feel the same positive effects.’
What’s your favorite aspect of the work that you do?
The biggest benefit I have is seeing veterans come together and smile in a new, completely different environment. I find my passion and joy with the program when I see that the sport of sailing, being on the water, and being on the Chesapeake Bay bring that sense of community to other veterans.
If readers aren’t veterans but would like to get involved, what’s the best way?
We look for people who have certain skill sets. It might be administrative skills, such as grant writing, accounting, or office management, or it could be sailing skills—we’re always looking for people to instruct. For big clinic weekends, we’re always looking for local boatowners who would be willing to donate the use of their boats.
Do you have any specific success stories you’d like to share?
I’ve had veterans that shared similar experiences to what I had after getting out of the Marine Corps, and I’ve had veterans approach me on the Saturday afternoon after our first clinic day and say, “Hey Mike, I was there ready to end my life and I figured I’d go out on a high, see what this sailing thing is all about, not expecting to fall in love with it, and my entire life in the span of eight hours did a 180-degree spin. These eight hours of sailing are literally why I am going to be alive tomorrow.”
~By Kelsey Bonham
More Veterans’ Sailing Programs
Check out these programs and find out how you can volunteer. If you know of other organizations that provide access and community for veterans on the water, email [email protected], and we’ll share it with our readers!
- Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB) (crabsailing.org) welcomes veterans to sail aboard their specially modified boats, which are designed to accommodate any disability.
- Heroes on the Water (heroesonthewater.org) helps veterans, first responders, and their families relax and rehabilitate through kayaking, fishing, and getting out in nature.
- U.S. Patriot Sailing (uspatriotsailing.org) is a competitive racing team for all veterans and active duty military.
- Warrior Events (warriorevents.net) organizes social events, which sometimes include sailing events and fishing tournaments, for veterans, first responders, and their families.
- Warrior Sailing Program (warriorsailing.org) introduces sailing skills to service members through a three-day basic camp, followed by the option to pursue advanced certifications.
