Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, my first experiences sailing were on family vacations in Hancock Point, Maine where my grandparents retired. My older cousin, a “summer sibling” for me as an only child, had a small wooden boat. He’d take me sailing to try to scare me. Mostly he only let me manage the jib, never the tiller. When I wanted a boat after moving to California in the early 1980’s, I bought a Catboat. It has no jib!

Prior to moving to California, I left a job as Associate Director of Student Life at Eckerd College in Florida to “run away to sea” as the Education Officer (and occasional cook) aboard the Brig Unicorn. At age 30, I was bitten by the tall ship sailing bug! I have always believed in life-long learning.

Alan Olson and I served together on the Board of the Golden Gate Tall Ships Society (GGTSS). It was formed to assist the Californian with logistics when she sailed the coast of California. We chartered local ships (Gaslight or Hawaiian Chieftain) and took people sailing on the Bay on the 4th of July and other events.  Eventually GGTSS was unable to keep this win-win model going financially. I proposed a plan to the board, they agreed, and our Members voted to approve it. We dissolved the nonprofit and gave our remaining treasury of $10,000 to Call of the Sea to help build Matthew Turner (MT).

I helped with non-construction jobs at “the tent” over the years of building MT and recently became a Docent. For about five years I’ve served as a volunteer member on the Board of Directors. People don’t often think of board members as volunteers – but we are. We meet monthly, and we also serve on committees, working groups, and…we worry.

Our commitment is to be legally and fiscally responsible for continuing the organization’s founding purpose, educational mission and maintaining operations by providing resources, including funding. I like to think of the board as being like a lighthouse – shining a beam into the surroundings to avoid danger and looking into the future for opportunities, such as grants and partnerships.

One of my favorite tasks is to help with lunch for the crew, staff, volunteers and visitors on Wednesdays. When the ship was being built, people enjoyed the daily break for lunch. (If you can’t pay them… feed them!) It helped to build this community by “breaking bread together” along with working hard. There is a special spirit and sense of belonging that prevails. And, you never know who you will meet or get to know better! Kudos to the volunteers who love to cook.

It’s always exciting to be out on the beautiful San Francisco Bay! We can enjoy it on small and large boats, but a “tall ship” (those with traditional rigging, often square sails) exudes romance and attracts many types of wonderful people. Together we can give many more people that opportunity! I’ve learned that all of us need to do our part for COTS financially, to the extent we can. Having regular income monthly of any amount helps nonprofits plan. Also, I’ve learned how easy it is to designate a “required annual distribution” from a retirement account (IRA) to COTS, and to include the organization as a beneficiary in my will. A part of our legacy can be to contribute to Call of the Sea’s longevity, and that feels good.

To join me as a monthly donor or Legacy Builder, please contact our Director of Advancement, Elizabeth Hunt at advancement@callofthesea.org