The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation has donated 14k dollars to the Sint Maarten Yacht Club (SMYC) towards their “Primary School Sailing Program” for the Gustavia Yacht Club. With this sponsorship 12 students from the age of 10 to 16 years old will be given the opportunity to receive weekly sailing lessons for 1 full school year at no cost. The program also includes a “Swim 2 Sail program” which allows students to develop their swimming skills with weekly swimming lessons.
As they state on their website about the program: “The focus for the first month will be on getting the children comfortable in and around the water, comfortable in a boat without a sail, and let them feel in control of the boat. The children will also have to learn about wind direction, overall safety, knots, and respecting nature. Step by step their confidence will increase until everyone is confident enough to sit in a boat with a sail, steer the boat and feel in control when sailing in the lagoon.”
Please find photos of the Gustavia Yacht Club logo on the Sint Maarten Yacht Club Optimists that are used for the students’ lessons: