Dear Friends, Alumni, and Supporters,
The University of Michigan Sailing
Team has been working hard to grow our team and make it one of the most
impressive college sailing programs in the country. The team has expanded
greatly over the past few semesters and now has 65 members on its roster,
including 25 new freshmen all looking for a chance to get out on the water and
compete. This year, we have traveled all across the country to compete and are
the only school in the Midwest to have qualified for ICSA Match Racing
Nationals.
While we have been doing everything
in our power to develop and improve our team, one thing stands in the way of
our growth: our financial situation. The team’s nine Club 420s and two FJs are
almost 15 years old and have significantly outlived their replacement. Several
of our boats are structurally broken and only a few of them have working jib
sheet cleats or centerboard seals. These deficiencies hinder our practices and
make the team seem unappealing for hosting competitive regattas. Additionally
without a coach, we have to spend a great deal of our time and resources
organizing and coaching each other, instead of sailing.
Today, we are asking for your
financial support to help keep the Michigan Sailing Team competitive for years
to come. Though we have received some generous donations from our alumni, we
still have a long way to go in our University
of Michigan Sailing Team Capital Campaign in order to reach our goal of
raising over $100,000 so that we can continue growing the team and can
purchase a new fleet of boats, hire a coach, cover travel expenses, and improve
our lake facilities. Reaching this goal will allow The University of Michigan
Sailing Team to drastically improve its program and will give us the opportunity
to become one of the most competitive college sailing programs in the country.
Thank
you for choosing to support us today!
The University of Michigan Sailing Team
If you have any questions our concerns please contact our Long Term Fundraising Chair Vittorio Bichucher. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!
