Two long-time sailors have been elected to serve on the Miles River Yacht Club Foundation’s board of directors. Marshall Patterson, past MRYC commodore and veteran log-canoe captain, and Dick Cooper, past commodore of the Chesapeake Bay Bermuda 40 Association, joined the board of the non-profit philanthropic organization in January.
“We are thrilled to welcome Marshall and Dick to our board,” foundation chair Dr. Sherry Manning said.
Patterson, of Annapolis, has served for several years as the Principal Race Office for the St. Michaels Wednesday Night Race series and has chaired the MRYC sail committee. He is also the skipper of the log canoe Edmee S for the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is the vice commodore of the Chesapeake Bay Log Canoe Association.
Cooper, of St. Michaels, is a Pulitzer Prizing-winning journalist and the president of Cooper Media Associates, Inc., a media-consulting firm. His writing and photography are regular features in the Tidewater Times, the Chesapeake Log, and other local publications. He and his wife, Pat, have published a photo book, “Eastern Shore Splendor.” A collection of his local writing has been published in the eBook “East of the Chesapeake: Skipjacks, Sailors and Flyboys.” Cooper has sailed the Bay for 40 years.
The MRYC Foundation supports maritime-related sports and education in the region. Since its founding in 2010, the Foundation has given more than $220,000 to help support 23 area groups. In the last two years, the Foundation’s signature Sink-or-Swim (SOS) program has taught 750 Talbot County children how to swim.
The Foundation is raising funds to support the 2016 SOS program that is expected to teach swimming to an additional 1,000 Talbot County children. The Foundation is holding an Awards Dinner on Saturday, April 16 to raise money for SOS. This year, America’s Cup public host, Tucker Thompson, will receive the Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award and give a presentation on the exciting 2013 America’s Cup race and the upcoming 2017 Cup to be held in Bermuda. Corporate or Individual Sponsorships are available for $500 to $5000. Tickets cost $125 per person. Contact Philip Webster at [email protected] for information about sponsorships. For ticket information, contact Libby Moose at [email protected] or call (410) 916-0473.
Visit mrycfoundation.org for more information. Secure donations can be made online or sent to Miles River Yacht Club Foundation, Inc., 606A N. Talbot Street, S115, St. Michaels, MD 21663.
