S
The Annapolis Yacht Club overlooks Spa Creek in Annapolis and has a long history of supporting aspiring sailors in the community and encouraging youth participation in the sport. The yacht club’s Foundation (AYCF) announced its latest quarterly grants and scholarships to area sailors and 501(c)(3) organizations totaling $26K, bringing the AYCF contributions to more than $130K for the year.
50
ailors in Annapolis like to refer to our town as “America’s Sailing Capital,” which is a nice play on words since the city is the capital of the State of Maryland. From early spring until late in the fall the bay is filled with boats. To my eye it is a heartwarming sight to see so many people enjoy the freedom of being out on the bay. Several yacht clubs, sailing schools, and a variety of sailing associations work hard to help people of all ages to get on and enjoy the water. A high percentage of our population has difficulty gaining water access. The mission of every yacht club is to promote sailing as a life-long activity. These organizations support separate foundations to help aspiring sailors learn the sport and encourage more people to spend time boating safely. Adding to this narrative, many programs support projects outside of the sport. The Eastport Yacht Club Foundation (eycfoundation.org), for example, hosts an annual Marine & Maritime Career Expo for high school students considering a career in the marine industry. The Expo is scheduled each spring and usually takes place at Bert Jabin’s Yacht Yard. Students learn
What’s Up? Central Maryland May/June 2024 whatsupmag.com
from industry professionals about career opportunities, maritime scholarships, on-the-job training programs, and college courses. The Eastport Yacht Club also has long hosted a charity regatta to raise funds for cancer research. The first Leukemia Cup was organized in 1993. The Annapolis Yacht Club joined one year later. Between 1993 and 2020 the sailing event raised $4 million dollars, presented to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In 2022, the name of the regatta was changed to the Maryland Cures Cancer Regatta with the funds being donated to a