This fundraising is specifically to overcome the logistic & facilitation costs of offering our Not-For-Profit Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project free to military veterans & their families

Saltwater Veteran Sailing Project is volunteer supported and community-facing. It serves as our esprit de corps toward achieving the common vision - supporting others who, like us (at one time or another) have needed that little help with social re-engagement via the wind-powered, kinetic motion that is sailing.

The purpose of the SVSP is to foster a supportive and inclusive community at monthly sailing activities around the nation by supporting the health & wellness of current and former service military personnel and their families.

Our project objectives are to foster:

1. Meaningful Engagement – veterans supporting both veterans and the community (such as Making Waves Foundation), and providing training that may lead to vocational/employment opportunities.

2. Psychosocial Reintegration – reducing social isolation that is often associated with mental health and physical injuries. We achieve this by facilitating an inclusive sailing program, alongside building a qualified and competent volunteer pool.

Achieving our own crew of volunteer & supporters within our existing programs will create significant independence, sustainability, and empowerment for our veteran community. It also provides meaningful engagement veterans through the opportunity to give back to their fellow, and new veterans.

In 2022, with a “crew" of volunteers, supporting clubs and sponsors our community has spread across the nation to six locations (Sydney, Adelaide, Newcastle, Nowra, Mooloolaba and Perth), has twice competed at overseas regattas (New Zealand and Canada), supports on upwards of 80-100 veterans/month in our numerous locations and, we sponsored our first veteran’s led sailing team at Hamilton Island Race Week.  

A few media clips from this past week for your enjoyment 

NRMA | https://thehub.nrma.com.au/community/calmer-waters-veterans-across-our-shores?fbclid=IwAR2haqk4oZ4JexCL4Nyeoq067MCKEsj0_LkS08CD2BOaAo3zwF7Z112QiD8

7 News Sunshine Coast | https://youtu.be/-veBe0CG540 

Veterans Health Week | Z Special Unit  https://youtu.be/1M3_Yt5ui98

We are looking at further collaboration with Young Veterans Australia to establish a Melbourne and Hobart sailing community. In relation to rural support, we are interested in piloting country outreach - in short, a bush-to- sail program to reduce social isolation due to geographic isolation.