A Note from US Sailing Executive Director Jack Gierhart
I hope it has been a great fall sailing season for everyone. We are excited about wrapping up a successful US Sailing Annual Meeting last month in Annapolis. Among the many compelling events and presentations at that meeting, the most somber will be the most memorable for me. Three safety investigation reports were presented by a talented and dedicated group of highly respected volunteers, including John Rousmaniere, Chuck Hawley, and Ron Trossbach. As I listened to these three lead panelists, I was really proud of our sport, our volunteers, and our entire organization.
A key takeaway for me from the Annual Meeting was the consensus on what we need to focus on:
- Keeping young sailors engaged
- Supporting local sailing organizations
- Creating more opportunities for people to get involved in sailing and racing
- Strengthening our race official programs
- Evolving volunteer support
- Applying new approaches to our core programs, including the development of a new online learning system.
Through our collective wisdom and collaborative action, we can accomplish these important goals and make a real difference, but we need your help. I’m asking you to make a contribution to our 2011 Annual Appeal, an important engine of our work. Every gift is meaningful and important. Thank you.
Please join me in supporting this year's Annual Appeal.
Sincerely,
Jack Gierhart
Executive Director, US Sailing