Even if you are unable to compete in the DC Sail Cantina Cup August 17, you are welcome to come to the party! Here's why you might consider just that...
It's For the Kids!
DC Sail, one of only a few selected U.S. Sailing-sanctioned community sailing centers in the United States, shared the beauty of sail and on-the-water experience with nearly 400 children through its summer sailing camp programs: Kids Set Sail, Schooner Camp, and Spirit of America Boating Safety Course.
38.5% of these lucky kids were enrolled under either partial or full scholarships. Many of the kids attended camp at no cost to their family.
Studies on the benefits of learn to sail programs for youth illustrate that children gain life skills in addition to their capacity to sail a boat, such as decision making, teamwork, environmental awareness specific to the marine conditions, safety on and around water, leadership, and communication.
Sailing also contributes to healthy bodies with unique athletic movements: "Sailing lessons improve students' strength as it works a number of muscles including the abdominal muscles and obliques (when hiking out the boat), the arms and chest (when pulling in the ropes and controlling the tiller in high winds), and thighs and legs (when getting back in the boat after hiking out). As youth sailors gain more experience and start moving around the boat they start getting more aerobic exercise, making their body stronger and sailing easier, usually without even knowing it."*
DC SAil is only able to manage scholarship opportunities of our nonprofit organization through fundraising initiatives inclusive of individual donations, corporate sponsorship, and awards from grants and foundations. The Cantina Cup is the annual fundraising event and proceeds from what we are able to garner from regatta registration fees, merchandise sales, and your contributions help keep these fantastic children's on-the-water camps afloat.
So even if you are unable to attend the event as a racer, why not go to the After Party, buy some cool merch, try your luck with raffle items (hotel stay, sailing lessons, etc.) and celebrate Washington DC's sole community sailing center, DC Sail.
