St. Petersburg, Fla., June 28, 2010 – The 75-foot sailboat, Grand Nellie, sits contently in the marina, pleased with herself after her first official voyage. That voyage took place earlier this month as a group of deserving young men and women from the Tampa Academy of Hope set out to sea on a sailing excursion aboard the Grand Nellie, piloted by Captain Ron Parfitt. This trip not only made the dreams of these young men and women come true, but Captain Ron’s dreams finally came true as well.
SAILvation, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in St. Petersburg, Florida, founded by Captain Ron Parfitt. SAILvation’s team believes that every socio-economically challenged child should experience a life-altering event that positively impacts their lives and/or ability to realize their dreams. For Captain Ron, that life-altering event occurred when he was a teenager and discovered the joy of sailing, along with the pleasure and sense of accomplishment he felt traveling through the water without the aid of an engine. About six years ago, he began searching for a way to share this feeling of empowerment with children who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience sailing and the open sea. Thus, the idea for SAILvation was born.
After searching the globe for nearly two years, Captain Ron’s ship “literally” came in. One day, the “Grand Nellie,” a 75-foot, steel-hulled tall ship schooner appeared in the marina, moored directly behind Ron’s boat. Upon further inspection, he found Grand Nellie to be the embodiment of everything he had been looking for. The minute he stepped foot on her, he fell in love. Through the tireless efforts of Ron and his crew, Grand Nellie was brought up to Coast Guard standards and approved for charter sailing.
The young men and women who will participate in the SAILvation program will work as a team on board the ship, setting sails, steering, navigating and learning how to read the weather, nautical charts and tides. This program, however, is not just about learning how to sail. SAILvation uses the sailing experience as a catalyst for instilling leadership skills, developing a participant’s character and self esteem, forging rewarding relationships with others and learning about the environment.
Today, Grand Nellie sits patiently, waiting to embark on her next SAILvation adventure. After six years of hard work and passionate dreaming, Captain Ron stands at her helm, excited to unfurl the sails once again and continue on with his adventure.
If you would like to help SAILvation by making a tax-deductible donation, visit www.SAILvation.org, or mail your check to SAILvation, Inc., P.O. Box 736, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.
