TRAINING YOUNG PEOPLE, BY THE SEA, FOR LIFE |
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"I wish I could sum up my trip in a few words ... but I can't. I can't sum up the relationships that were gifted to me; the feeling of wonder that accompanies the combination of whales, phosphorescence and 2 am; the sheer challenge of trying to furl the square topsail for the first time." - SALTS Participant
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A New Schooner for SALTS
The graphic above may look real, but it is a computer rendered image of the new schooner which we are currently designing. Once built, the new tall ship will enable an additional 42,500 young people to participate in our programs over the next 50 years. We are currently working through a complex regulatory approval process related to the ship design and construction.
Our schooner design and our lead ship designer, Stephen Duff, are featured in a new book called We Make Stuff. The 256-page book showcases how innovative people intersect creativity and faith. An academic paper about our project was published and presented last March at the Chesapeake Sailing Yacht Symposium. The design is innovative in many ways, including the robust stability and safety characteristics of the vessel. In addition to sailing coastally, the new ship will be our offshore sailing vessel. It is not likely that we can sail offshore again until the new schooner is completed, due to increasing regulatory requirements for Canadian vessels doing sail training offshore. That is one more major reason we are eager to get the new ship built.
Having raised about $3 million already from major gifts, we need another $2 million in major gifts before we order wood, begin construction, and start a public fundraising campaign for the last $1.3 million (project total is $6.3 million).
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We are currently seeking major gifts (5 to 7 figures) for this project and will invite gifts of all sizes at a later date. If you would like to consider making such a gift, please contact us with no obligation so we can provide a full project case statement. If, like many people, you cannot make a large gift, p lease consider who you know that is generous and cares about youth mentorship and/or boating. It may be your grandparent, father, uncle, or aunt. It may be a family friend, a company you work for, or a Foundation. If someone comes to mind, please get in touch with us so we can provide you with resources to pass on, with no obligation. Phone 250.383.6811 or email [email protected]. Visit our new ship website for more information. We also appreciate smaller gifts which are undesignated so we can use them in the area of greatest need (see the article on giving habits below).
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The People Behind SALTS
SALTS Staff and Crew-Members (left to right): Andrew Buhr, Matt Lemay, Patrick Sharman, Alicia Kear, Sam Vaale, David Eggert, Sarah Gray, Tristan Hedley, Krystle Aspenlind, Aron Koehn, John Andrachuk, Tony Anderson, Robin Irving, Rebecca Hedley, Loren Hagerty, Glenallen Christo (Not shown: Shannon Gregg, Will Krzymowski)
- A hearty congratulations to both of our First Mates, Matt Lemay and Sam Vaale, for earning their 150 Gross Tonnage Master's Tickets from Transport Canada (they had both previously earned their 150 Tonnage Mate's Tickets). We are very proud of them.
- Congratulations to SALTS Captain Tristan Hedley and Watch Officer Rebecca Hedley (Daughter of Tony and Bonice Anderson), who were married Saturday June 8th! After their Italian honeymoon the couple will return as crew-members aboard Pacific Swift.
- The new face to greet you as you visit the SALTS office is that of Shannon Gregg, our new Executive Assistant. Shannon previously worked at St. Ann's Academy National Historic Site, and earned two undergraduate degrees at UVic.
- We are pleased to welcome Jim Huzzey to the SALTS Board of Directors. Jim has spent his career with Canada's navy, first as a naval officer and then as a civilian in the auditing department. As Director of Internal Audit, he has kept watch on every aspect of naval finance and management throughout Maritime Forces Pacific, and we are thrilled to have his expertise on our Board.
- Many volunteers have been helping with the endless work of cleaning donated boats and preparing for them for sale. We wish to make special acknowledgement of our regular weekly volunteers including Frances Heisler, Stanley and Paula Ball, David Barlow, and Peter Gerber. We welcome volunteers at 451 Herald Street from Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 5 pm.
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| Staff Job Openings
Reservations Assistant (Half-Time)
We are seeking applicants for this year-round role which involves data entry, data processing, and communication related to our reservation systems. Hours are flexible. Visit www.salts.ca/careers for details.
Boat Salesperson (Half-Time)
We are seeking a half-time Boat Salesperson to oversee the maintenance, presentation, promotion, and sales of our donated boat inventory (typically 10-15 boats at any given time). This new role will free up David Eggert to focus more of his time on seeking boat donations. Visit www.salts.ca/careers for details.
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We First Make Our Habits,
Then Our Habits Make Us
Many people decide to wait to be generous until they have a lot of money (if they ever reach that point), but the reality is, by then our habits are often firmly entrenched. A SALTS donor recently shared that when his childhood allowance was $2.50 per week, his parents made him give $0.25 to charity. He still gave 10% in his first career job, earning $21,000 per year. Today, he still gives 10% of his middle class family's gross income to charities each year (following the Judeo-Christian "tithe" principle that is thousands of years old). He is one of millions of North Americans at all income levels who do so. Such a habit might feel painful or sacrificial if started as an adult, but the money is hardly missed when the habit is started young. However much you give to charity, if you would like to be more generous, why not set a goal to increase giving by 1% of gross salary per year going forward? Love is the greatest thing in the world, selfishness is the opposite of love, and giving is one of the antidotes for selfishness.
Many people reading this already give to charity, but for those who have not yet made it a habit, this is a great time to start. The Federal Government has recently introduced the "First-Time Donor's Super Credit." Individuals or families who have not made a charitable donation since 2007 can claim an additional 25% tax credit on donations up to $1000. Click here for details from the Canada Revenue Agency. Whatever amount you choose to give, to include SALTS in your 2013 giving please visit our online donation page. Gifts which are undesignated always go to the area of greatest need, and our areas of greatest need change over time. |
 Grace Under Pressure
Victoria artist Mark Heine has created a gorgeous painting of Pacific Grace under sail. All proceeds from the sale of prints go directly to fund SALTS programs. Mark's father Harry Heine was also a renowned painter who supported SALTS with his work, and we are thrilled to have Mark carry on that tradition. Click to view and order a print today!
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Young People Are Canada's Future
SO HOW ARE THEY DOING?
- Only half of teens have high life satisfaction (rating it 8-10 out of 10). The percentage of kids reporting that their parents understand them steadily declines from grades 6-10. By high school, almost half of teens (both boys and girls) are not happy with their weight and body image, and these kids have lower levels of emotional wellbeing. Source: Public Health Agency of Canada
- Teens in Victoria were surveyed about what they would most like to change regarding their education. Their top choice was "more funding options for post-secondary education" and second on their list was "Better life-skills education in high school." Source: Victoria's Vital Signs 2012
- Canadian youth aged 10-16 spend an average of 6 hours and 37 minutes in front of a TV or computer screen per day. The maximum recommended amount is 2 hours per day. Source: 2012 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card
- "In examining the connections between contextual factors and mental health, one key theme emerges: Interpersonal relationships matter. No matter how mental health is measured and no matter what interpersonal relationship is concerned, adolescents with positive interpersonal relationships tend to fare better in terms of mental health... With peers, engaging in positive activities is a protective factor for mental health, while engaging in negative activities is a risk factor." - Source: Public Health Agency of Canada
Despite the challenges that today's teens face, when we invest in the lives of young people, the future of our nation is bright! Here are a few quotes from young people in our program recently:
"You all inspire me to live the values and morals of SALTS in my everyday life and share all I have learned with new members of the SALTS community."
"I learned to take more risks and enjoy simpler pleasures in life, made friendships with both crew and trainees, and appreciate who I am a bit more."
"I feel like I grew more as a person, became more independent and motivated, and was able to open up more to the amazingly supportive and caring group of people on board."
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Some of the Best SALTS Photos from Last Season
(Click Image Below for Slideshow) |
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Special Thanks To:
- The estate of Raymond John Casson for a bequest
- The JRG Family Fund at The Calgary Foundation for a grant
- All of our volunteers and donors--without you this would not be possible!
Thank you for helping us "train young people, by the sea, for life."
Sincerely, Loren Hagerty, Executive Director and the SALTS Crew!
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