DSC Download -- Aug. 4, 2022

Young sailors perfecting their craft on one of the DSC J-22s on Baltimore Harbor.

FROM THE DSC HELM

Summer is in full swing, and our docks continue to resonate with the energy of those drawn to the water with the common purpose to share together that joy harnessed within the power of the wind. Indeed, this warm summer breeze joins us all each day on the water; from our youngest junior campers raising a sail for the first time, to our returning DSC members who recently passed their final tests to become keel boat and cruising skippers. And as we set sail into our final weeks of summer, I'm deeply thankful for the amazing outpouring of time and talent that has fallen upon our fleet.

Time and time again, we have put out the call for our community to help share the joy of sailing with others through volunteering in our many outreach programs. Sailors like you have helped share the power of the wind in the month of July for hundreds of visitors who otherwise would not have known how liberating and freeing life can be when we push away from land and trust that invisible force that drives us all forward together. Thanks to our DSC members, we've welcomed children on the water who have no home of their own. We've welcomed families who have stepped away from their kitchen tables cluttered with medical bills, who hear too often from society about what they "can't do" instead of what they "can do" just because they have varying abilities. We've welcomed strangers to this charming city on the Bay, greetings them with our sails dancing across the Harbor as we raced one another or ventured out for evening social sails. And we've welcomed each other again as we return back to our monthly in-person social events, meeting our new members and making new friends.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the DSC community. The strength of any healthy nonprofit is measured by the energy harnessed within its volunteers. And as we sail into the final weeks of summer, it is clear that our community is as strong as the winds that move freely over every race and culture on our planet. So on behalf of all of us on the DSC Team, thanks for being the wind that drives us all forward together. 

Sincerely,

Tony Stephens

DSC Executive Director

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Come share the joy of sailing! We are still in need of volunteers going into the weekend, including skippers and crew for a Friday STEAM youth program and our bi-weekly Saturday Access-ability event.

• Friday, Aug. 5th, 10am - 12pm -- PROJECT STEAM MD

• Saturday, Aug. 6th, 9am - 12pm -- Accessibility Saturday Event  

August Monthly Social

Join us Aug. 21st from 5pm - 8pm under the BMI Pavilion for our monthly social. This month's social is hosted by the Racing council, who hosts our Thursday Night Races (TNR). Pizza will be available along with other delicacies brought to you by our TNR crew. Please RSVP here to help give us a head count for food. 

Ready, set, sail! 

Enter the Ya Gotta Regatta Fundraiser race

The DSC Ya’ Gotta Regatta is an annual fundraiser for the Downtown Sailing Center on Baltimore Harbor. Proceeds from the event support the DSC programs that share the thrill of sailing with people from all walks of life. Powered by our members and volunteers, we are able to make the sport of sailing affordable and accessible for anyone who wants to get out on the water. 

Fundraising is now officially open for 2022 Ya Gotta Regatta! Each sailing team is strongly encouraged to fundraise a minimum of $1,500 per J22s and $3,000 per cruiser. Start now to support all DSC outreach programs. The race registration page for teams will go live over the coming weeks. Just follow instructions to set-up your own fundraiser to enter the race!

We will have prizes for top individual and team fundraisers, so get into the race now!

Interested in becoming a corporate sponsor? Contact Tony for more information on the various sponsor opportunities.

Mission Moment

This issue of the DSC Download, we want to spotlight what we are now calling a "Mission Moment," when we come together as a community of volunteers to help embrace the spirit of the DSC. This Mission Moment goes out to all the volunteers who assisted with the July 29th Pathfinders event. This event welcomed 80 youth with autism and their families from across Maryland to the DSC docks for an exciting morning of sailing. Our A dock was moving boats in and out like an amusement ride at Six Flags and spirits remained high as families lined up to board their boats beneath the increasingly hot July sun. So huge thanks to all those who came out to help make the event an enormous success.  

Meet Our Instructors

The DSC remains one of the best values for hands-on sailing experience. Our classes also bring some of the Chesapeake’s finest sailing instructors to Baltimore Harbor, and we want to take time over the coming weeks for you to get to know our instructors. This week, the focus is on one of our newer team members Frank Krach. A recently retired school teacher for Montgomery County, Frank is a long-time member of the DSC. He currently teaches our Intro to Sailing course. 

An outdoor enthusiast, he has also been a ski instructor for those months when it is too cold to be on the water. His life-long love for the classroom carries its way onto the Harbor as he brings with him a true passion for hands-on instruction and learning. He has also coached the VoloCity sail events, skippered for our youth school programming, and currently instructs our summer CIT program participants, comprised of young sailors working their way toward basic keel boat certification. Visit downtownsailing.org to learn more about all of our instructional opportunities.

Reminders

We want everyone to feel welcome at the DSC. If you are subject to inappropriate behavior, please document it with this survey. You may choose to remain anonymous.

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