WHY VOLUNTEER?
Perhaps a better question would be ... Why not volunteer? We invite you to ponder that thought while we try to provide you with some insight into what our sailing school is all about. We have been around as the Community Sailing School @ Pistakee since its inception in 2012. A lot has happened over all those years, much of it thanks to the countless hours of dedicated volunteers. Some have helped out with fundraisers. Others have gone the extra mile by doing various projects around the Pistakee Yacht Club. A good number of you have shared creative ideas that we brought to fruition. The list goes on and on. The best part is that we always look toward the future. Our school will always be in need of someone like you, someone who cares about our community, someone who finds enjoyment in helping others. The good feeling that comes with knowing you made a difference in our students lives is worth its weight in gold. Whether you volunteer for one afternoon, or on a more regular basis, it doesn't matter. Any and all help that you can contribute is always most welcome. Whatever your special talent may be, we welcome you to join us in our effort to make our school the best it can be. Things are so much easier and more fun to do when everyone pitches in. We truly appreciate any and all help that you can give us. We can easily be reached via email or call us at 815-322-9745. Thank you for your time!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We thought we would help you with some specific ways of how you might want help out. We listed six areas that might just be the right thing for you. Please read through each description and let us know if you feel that one of them might be your cup of tea. We ask that you please email us, or call us at 815-322-9745 if you see something you like. Thank you.
PISTAKEE PALOOZA ... The ever so popular Gatsby Gala is on hiatus. Although it is one of our premier fundraisers of the year, we decided to try something different in 2024 with the introduction of the PIstakee Palooza, a family fun fair of sorts. We had a very dedicated crew in place to help with the extensive planning and preparation that it takes to put it all together. Nonetheless, we certainly welcome any and all the help we can get for future Pistakee Paloozas and/or Gatsby Galas. Please email us if you would like to help out.
FUNDRAISING ... Our sailing school is committed to providing sailing opportunities for our entire community. That includes provide sailing grants for those students who might not otherwise be in a position to take a class, or offering an Adaptive Sailing class for individuals with disabilities. Those are just two examples of why we raise funds to support our programs.
BE A PART OF OUR DREAM TEAM
Our DREAM* Team is responsible for planning and coordinating our various fundraising activities. Past events have included our Gatsby Gala, and a Murder Mystery. We are happy to say that 2024 was a banner year for fundraising. We held a Paint and Sip event, a Car Wash, a Bears Squares -Meat Raffle, and two Eat Out To Help Out events at two local restaurants. We also sold certificates to a local pizzeria, but the big event was our first-ever Pistakee Palooza. All in all, we raised around $18,000 to support our sailing school. Please let us know if you would like to be a part of our DREAM Team. Thank you! *Diligently Raising Enormous Amounts of Money
BE A PART OF OUR DREAM TEAM
Our DREAM* Team is responsible for planning and coordinating our various fundraising activities. Past events have included our Gatsby Gala, and a Murder Mystery. We are happy to say that 2024 was a banner year for fundraising. We held a Paint and Sip event, a Car Wash, a Bears Squares -Meat Raffle, and two Eat Out To Help Out events at two local restaurants. We also sold certificates to a local pizzeria, but the big event was our first-ever Pistakee Palooza. All in all, we raised around $18,000 to support our sailing school. Please let us know if you would like to be a part of our DREAM Team. Thank you! *Diligently Raising Enormous Amounts of Money
GRANT WRITING ... Is grant writing your thing? If so, please give us a holler. We could sure use your help. There are a multitude of grants available out there that would benefit our school programs, but it would take someone who has some knowledge, time and expertise to complete applications. We ask that you please email us if you are ready, willing and able to try your hand at grant writing. We would truly appreciate it. Thank you!
STUDENT ACTIVITIES ... As you might imagine, running a summer sailing program comes with its share of challenges and tasks. There is always something to do, including student activities. If you are the type of person who likes being with kids and have a knack for running games, facilitating events or who knows what, we ask that you consider occasionally volunteering during our summer sailing camps. As the saying goes, the more hands on deck, the merrier! Please email us if this is something that interests you. We are pretty good at accommodating individual schedules. Thank you!
MARKETING ... One of the biggest initiatives that we deal with every year is our public relations and marketing champaign. We rely a lot on our former students to get the word out about our sailing school program. It is also an annual ritual to publicize our program by any means possible, including contacting area schools, community organizations and park districts, for example. We also use social media and any other means available to us. That being said, we ask that you please consider helping us with our extensive PR efforts. There is always plenty to do. Simply email us your thoughts and ideas and we will get back to you. Thank you!
GUEST SPEAKER ... Perhaps you might remember how exciting it when a guest speaker would attend you class. Well, times have not changed. Our students would love for you to come to class and give a talk or presentation on a topic of your choosing. Our curriculum is not limited just to sailing. We integrate themes such as conservation, the environment, STEM, character and team building, etc as a part of our approach to learning. Please email us if you have a topic or demonstration that you would like to share with our students. Any and all topics are welcome. Thank you!
ANYTHING GOES!
Care to float a boat or perhaps float an idea that you have? Just when you thought you ran out of things to do, another opportunity like volunteering for our school comes along. We invite you to email us or call us at 815-322-9745 any thoughts or ideas that you personally might enjoy pursuing on behalf of our sailing school. Your creativity can be your guiding light. Simply let us know how you would like to get involved and we will try to make it happen. Let your dreams and ideas set sail!