Dear Friend and Supporter of Challenged Sailors San Diego:

As you plan your holiday and year-end giving, please consider contributing to Challenged Sailors San Diego in order to enable us to continue our adaptive sailing program for people with disabilities to enhance their dignity, well being, and independence.  We have set a goal of raising $15,000 by December 31, 2015. Challenged Sailors San Diego, Inc. is now a 501(c)(3) non-profit and all donations are deductible to the full extent permitted by law.

During the short time since CSSD was formed just one year ago, much has been accomplished.  We participated in the US Disabled Sailing Championships, formed an alliance with the Paralyzed Veterans of America who sponsors two of our boats, conducted the DASH to Chula Vista with Chula Vista Yacht Club, held the first annual Kyle C. McArthur Memorial Regatta at the Coronado Yacht Club, provided hundreds of adaptive sailing opportunities for those living with a variety of disabilities including visual impairment or blindness, hearing impairment or deafness, Multiple Sclerosis, spinal cord injury, Muscular Dystrophy, amputation, Traumatic Brain Injury, Cerebral Palsy, ALS and more.

We were recently notified of a generous grant from Torrey Pines Kiwanis designated for our Power Assist system that enables those with quadriplegia to sail independently with a special joystick or sip and puff system. We are submitting grant requests to other foundations and the Port of San Diego for future support.

Meanwhile, CSSD must carry on with donations from generous friends and supporters like you.  Please donate before the end of the year to provide smooth sailing for CSSD into 2016.

Please send your check to:

    Challenged Sailors San Diego, Inc.

    Attn: Sylvia Swall, Treasurer

    PO Box 6994

    San Diego, CA 92166

Or donate online through PayPal at www.challengedsailors.org (credit cards accepted).

Your generous support is truly needed and appreciated.

Kevin Wixom, President

Sylvia Bate Swall, Treasurer

Maria Arroyo, Secretary

and all of our Board of Advisors and Committee Chairs

CSSD awarded grant from Torrey Pines Kiwanis Foundation

The Torrey Pines Kiwanis Foundation has awarded a grant to Challenged Sailors San Diego for Martin 16 Power Assist System components. This system enables sailors to steer and sheet the Martin 16 via an electronic joystick or sip & puff control.

This grant is funded via the San Diego Festival of the Arts (formerly known as the La Jolla Festival of the Arts), one of the most prestigious art shows in the country. It will feature over 190 award-winning artists, delicious and healthy cuisines along with your favorite beverage and live entertainment. The 30th annual Festival, produced by the Torrey Pines Kiwanis Foundation, will be held June 11 and 12, 2016. It will be held at a beautiful new location: Downtown San Diego - at the Waterfront Park on the San Diego County Administration Building campus on Harbor Drive, across from the Star of India. Proceeds will benefit adaptive sports and recreation programs for San Diegans with disabilities including recently injured servicemembers. Please visit http://www.sdfestivalofthearts.org/.

Betsy Alison Wins ISAF President's Development Award

Betsy Alison has been awarded the ISAF President's Development Award for her outstanding achievement in the development of Para World Sailing in 2015.

http://www.ussailing.org/betsy-alison-wins-isaf-presidents-development-award-for-para-world-sailing-initiative/

CSSD General Meeting, 10/31/15

SATURDAY OCTOBER 31, 2015 we will be having a general meeting to update all interested participants and volunteers. 

Please join us at:

Sunroad Resort Marina

955 Harbor Island Drive

San Diego, CA 92101

GATE 1 (west end of Sunroad Marina parking lot)

TIME: 10:00-12:00

Paralyzed Veterans of America Sailing Clinic

Photo by Chris Di Virgilio, PN Online

 

Challenged Sailors San Diego (CSSD) hosted members of the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) for a two day Sailing Clinic on September 11 and 12.  Disabled sailors from the San Diego area, Long Beach, Chicago, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. sailed San Diego Bay in CSSD's Martin 16s with our amazing CSSD companion sailors.  

 

All of the sailors (most sailing for the first time) loved the experience and pledged to return,  including Ernie Butler,  Director of Sports and Recreation for the PVA.  In all 14 sailors with disabilities participated over the two days.

Visiting and assisting with the event were Al Kovach, President of PVA, Peter Ballantyne, Executive Director of the Cal-Diego PVA Chapter and Chris Di Virgilio the PVA's photojournalist from Arizona (who with his service dog, Whitney, enjoyed time on the chase boat with Bob Dillon).

Doug Shaw gave an introductory orientation to sailing basics and terminology on both days of the event. 

PVA and Cal-Diego PVA are the new sponsors of two of CSSD's boats, as attested by their logos on two of our sails.  This Sailing Clinic was a celebration of this collaboration as well as the debut of the new sails and logos. 

 

After sailing, refreshments were provided by Golden Boy Mobility.  The event was chaired for CSSD by Maria Arroyo who is also a PVA member.  Goody bags were provided to all participants.

Special thanks to all of CSSD's companion sailors and volunteers who made this event possible!

 

Click here for great photos by Chris Di Virgilio, PN Online.

 

Save the Dates!

The 2nd Annual Kyle C. MacArthur Memorial Regatta will be held 4/30-5/1/2016.  Race from Harbor Island to Coronado Yacht Club on Saturday and race back on Sunday.

Porteous, Muse Win U.S. Disabled Sailing Championship

The 2015 US Disabled Sailing Championships were held in San Diego at Southwestern Yacht Club, August 25-29.

Congratulations to Ryan Porteous and Steve Muse on their gold medal in the double-handed championship (Martin 16) class.

​US Sailing Article

​Video by Kurt Roll, Low Altitude Films

SWYC Photo Album

​Video from SWYC