Neighbor News
Centerport Yacht Club Helping Veterans with PTSD
Centerport Yacht Club to host 3rd annual "Let's Take A Veteran Sailing" on August 6th
On Sunday, August 6th, Centerport Yacht Club will be hosting SailAhead’s 3rd annual event “Let’s Take a Veteran Sailing”. With the support of Greenlawn American Legion Post 1244, more than 140 veterans and family members, mostly from Long Island, will attend this event on a fleet of at least 45 sailboats.
Special SailAhead guests this year will be Our Mates and their families. Our Mates are the name tags of 219 veterans who have taken their lives because of PTSD or an inability to re-adapt to civilian life.
SailAhead will honor the memory of these 219 veterans by bringing some of the families over from all across the country; they will be flown in free of charge to them. This serves to show that they are not forgotten, and they don’t have to suffer alone.
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The purposes of the event are as follow:
1) Honor and remember Our Mates and their family members.
Find out what's happening in Northportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
2) Spread PTSD awareness throughout the community.
3) Spread awareness of SailAhead’s program so that more wounded veterans can be helped.
The sailing event will last 8 hours; the flotilla will sail together on the Long Island Sound, a helicopter will fly through the fleet to take photos and video. (To view last year's drone video please visit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZNm3Gi50eQ)
About SailAhead
SailAhead is a 501c (3) not for profit organization, launched by the Duclay family in the winter of 2013. SailAhead has dedicated itself to helping wounded veterans using sailing as a form of therapy. In addition to the typical summer sailing season, SailAhead trains veterans, both mentally and physically wounded, all year around in all weather. Veterans also sail just for recreation with SailAhead. By the end of 2016, SailAhead has taken over 1,000 veterans sailing!
Contact
To learn more about this sail outing with and for veterans, please contact
Sean Duclay
Photos from 2016 Event (Photos by SailAhead)
(1) Take A Vet Sailing Fleet departing Northport Harbor.
(2) Veterans and crews prepare to board launches at CYC dock.
(3) Veterans and crews boarding launches at CYC dock.
(4) Sean Duclay (l.), & Kilian Duclay (r.) introducing veteran George Eshleman, Director of Unified Warrior Foundation.
(5) Pre-sail briefing for volunteer boat skippers at Centerport Yacht Club.
