Sponsoring Youth Sailing in Juneau

The Juneau Youth Sailing Foundation is an IRS recognized 501 3c non-profit established to promote youth and community sailing in Juneau. Started in 1997, JYSF offered youth and adult dinghy sailing classes during the summers of 1998 and 1999 to over 150 separate kids and about 50 adults. All operational expenses of the JYSF program are covered by the course fees paid by participants. The grants and sponsorships that we receive are used to increase the number of youth we can serve and to accelerate our capital spending on for improved boats, docks, and the like.

All of our classes are taught by US Sailing certified instructors and utilize US Sailing's nationally developed curricula and course materials. A student sailor starts out in the Basic Dinghy Sailing class learning the rudiments of sailing with a particular emphasis on boating and cold water safety. The student can continue their sailing education with Intermediate Dinghy Sailing, Performance Sailing, Introduction to Racing Courses, and through participation in racing activities and independent study free sail. All JYSF classes are taught through hands-on demonstrations and practice always keeping to our three main principals -- Safety, Fun, and Learning.

Your support of the Juneau Youth Sailing Foundation not only provides the satisfaction of knowing that you are enabling Juneau kids to learn a healthy lifelong sport, but also that they are getting a solid foundation in water safety and seamanship. Because of our non-profit status you may be eligible for certain tax benefits.

While we will of course accept cash or in-kind donations of goods or services in support of JYSF, we have the following sponsorship opportunities that may be of particular interest:

Corporate or Business Sail Sponsorship --

For a $1000 donation (or a 2-year $500/year pledge) JYSF will purchase a new mainsail for one of our boats and place a business or corporate name and/or logo prominently across the lower portion of the sail. This sail will be used on the boats sailing in the channel along Egan Drive where the sponsor's name will be highly visible. JYSF will use and maintain the sail and logo for at least three seasons. Your sponsorship will provide a new sail for the program and support other equipment repair and replacement needs of the Foundation.

BUY-A-BLOCK-BUILD-A-DOCK Program --

JYSF needs to build a floating dock to keep our boats out of the water and to allow us to operate from the new Norway Point City dock being constructed in the summer of 2000. We have elected to construct the dock from Jet-Floats, plastic lock-together blocks that provide easy reconfiguration of the dock, high floatation, and a plastic surface that is easy on boats and sailors. To complete our dock project we will need nearly 400 blocks. We are offering block sponsorship for $50 per block. Sponsor's names will be memorialized on the dock plans and acknowledged in JYSF publications.

Sailing Scholarships --

JYSF believes that no Juneau youth should be denied the opportunity to participate in our programs due to lack of money. We offer a variety of sailing scholarships, but the most popular are our sponsored scholarships. In a sponsored scholarship, a business, organization, or individual donates the cost of a course to JYSF and we match that scholarship up with a youth sailor who otherwise could not afford the program. Sponsoring a scholarship allows a youth to participate while helping JYSF keep up with the costs of providing the training.

To arrange support for the Juneau Youth Sailing Foundation, or for more information you can contact any of the trustees: Chris Stockard (465-4306/586-2838), Steve Turner (789-7459/364-3611), Denise Chase (465-6080/463-3199), Sam Skaggs (463-4843/586-6479), or Virginia Stonkus (465-5284/586-3383).