So, like, the Community Sailing Center in Burlington, they managed to pay off all their debts by attracting more donors, which is pretty cool. While other nonprofits are struggling, these guys are cruising along smoothly. Novice sailors, like a bunch of fourth graders from Essex, had a chill day learning how to sail on Lake Champlain. It was a pretty calm morning, though, with barely any wind, so they had to wait for those baby waves to turn into real whitecaps before they could set sail.
The sailing center has been around for about 30 years, helping peeps access Lake Champlain with summer camps, boat rentals, and private lessons. They’ve been working hard to make sailing more accessible to everyone, not just the rich folks. Recently, they finally paid off all their loans after fundraising for eight years, which is a huge win for them. And even with all the financial stress of building a new facility, they’re looking at some bright days ahead while other nonprofits are struggling.
They had to hustle to get out of debt, reaching out to new donors who weren’t really into sailing at first. But with some sweet programs like the Diversity Access Initiative, they managed to get more kids, especially kids of color, involved in sailing. It’s pretty awesome to see how they’re making a difference in the community, ya know? And even though they still had to paddle a bit on a day with not much wind, those fourth graders were stoked after their sailing trip. Looks like smooth sailing ahead for the Community Sailing Center!
