Youth Sailing Foundation Announces A Capital Campaign To Create A Community Sailing Center and Marine Recreation Park
Youth Sailing Foundation (YSF) has announced its intentions to build a Community Sailing Center to anchor the Marine Recreation Park on city land south of the 17th Street Bridge. YSF has been operating on the site for a decade with the goal of creating a permanent home to serve its sailors.
Youth Sailing Foundation has raised more than $2 million for the $3.5 million project from 50 lead donors and is launching a 2022-23 capital campaign to raise the remaining $1.5 million to complete funding. YSF and the City of Vero Beach anticipate signing a long-term lease in early 2023. Groundbreaking is planned for June 2024, with completion in early 2025.
Rendering of Proposed YSF Community Sailing Center and Marine Recreational Park.
“Our sailors are thrilled at the prospect of having a place to call their own. We are incredibly thankful to those who have contributed to making this dream come true and know the Indian River County community will come together to help us meet our goals,” said YSF Executive Director Stu Keiller.
The Community Sailing Center will serve as an educational hub for teaching seamanship, sportsmanship, and sailing skills, bringing children together from across the entire social range using sailing as a medium to teach life skills such as perseverance and resilience. The Fall 2022 roster of 130 sailors reflects the diversity found in Indian River County, with 48% of the sailors from underserved homes, 27% representing minority members of our community, and 13% being special needs sailors. Studies on diversity have shown that “entering into friendship with someone different than yourself can be life transforming.”
The Marine Recreation Park is open to the public 7 days a week. YSF offers adult sailing lessons and a boat rental program. All are welcome to participate in or watch the sailing. Boat ramps for launching small sailboats into the lagoon are already in place. Floating docks for mooring safety boats and launching paddle watercraft are installed in a protected canal. Picnic and gathering pavilions are planned. The park offers a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Contributions can be made by mailing a check to YSF, P.O. Box 612, Vero Beach, FL 32961. For online giving visit: https://www.ysfirc.org/donate/community-sailing-center/
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Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River County, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit with a mission of offering free sailing instruction to the children of Indian River County. For more detailed information, please contact Executive Director Stu Keiller at: stu.keiller@ysfirc.org or by calling 772 492-3243.