$20k windfall puts sailing club on course

JULIA WADE

A significant ‘windfall’ from a humanitarian organisation has filled the sails of a new sailing club which aims to get local youth jibing and tacking across Mangawhai waters.

Formed in May this year, the Mangawhai Rotary Junior Sailing Club (MRJSC) has attracted a high level of interest from the community, and on July 30 was granted $20,000 from registered charity group, the Wright Family Foundation (WWF).

The generous donation was gifted after MJRSC spokesperson Dennis Emsley wrote to the foundation – whose aim is to help individuals achieve their full potential – describing the purpose and ideas of the youth sailing club and received a personal reply from WWF co-founder and CEO Chloe Wright.

“I explained how many famous NZ sailors had learnt to sail in an Optimist small boat and she was very enthusiastic to support both the club and our ‘Learn to Sail’ project,” Emsley says.

“Chloe asked me what we needed so I sent her a budget for four new Optimist dinghies (Optiqube) and eight new life jackets, which came close to the $20,000 based on quotes we received.”

In her reply to Emsley, Wright stated: ‘For a nation of sailors we seem to have little support for those who, through lack of finances or parental support, may not have the opportunity to progress their passion for sailing. We at the WFF applaud your work with the young, there is no telling where it might lead for any of them, but they will know that somewhere along their journey there were those who supported them’.

Emsley says the WFF grant was a great morale-booster for club members and especially for the ‘Learn to Sail’ project team.

“It means we will have enough small boats for now to teach the growing number of local young people who wish to learn. We hope that both local residents and businesses will get behind us and support this wonderful initiative.”