| Sailfest 2004 |
by Lisa Martin
March 2004
There were fewer boats, but plenty of spirit at this year’s Zihua SailFest which, in five days of parades, beach parties, races, and music January 28 to February 1, 2004 raised over $30,284 USD for the Netzahualcoyotl School for Indigenous Children and other educational projects in Zihuatanejo. And for the third year in a row, Richard and Gloria Bellack of the Bellack Foundation and a new official supporter, Bill Underwood of the Underwood Family Foundation, helped match the $15,142 raised by the cruisers. Last year’s SailFest ended up with more than $23,000 for the Indian school.
“You did it again,” Richard Bellack said at the final barbeque and beach party at Owens Point on Las Gatas Beach. “The energy of the boaters and the camaraderie they’ve built with the land community and the school is nothing less than impressive,” stated Bellack. Bill Underwood and nearly everyone associated with the event echoed these sentiments.
This year’s SailFest had 46 boats participating (down from over 80 last year) but, more than ever before, land-based cruisers, tourists, and businesses in Zihuatanejo jumped in to help, too. Keeping in touch on the daily 8:30 am morning cruisers radio ‘net on channel 22 and frequent meetings at SailFest’s official land headquarters, Rick’s Bar on Calle Cuauhtemoc in downtown Zihua, was key to the team-building and planning, which began mid-December, 2003.
Even before the festivities began, the veleristas (cruisers) helped build packets of school supplies contributed from folks from all over the world, including a crowd of the Bellack’s friends and family from England and Australia. All 327 kids at the Indian school received their bag of supplies on Tuesday, January 27, with cruiser kids helping hand them out. The following week, the Netza students reciprocated with a ‘thank you’ letter for every cruiser and school visitor. Indian school kids and ‘gringo’ kids enjoyed time together at the beach games day and on the sail parade, too. In a series of visits to the Indian school, cruisers and international visitors performed several impressive “work days” bringing school supplies, fixing electrical problmes, installing fans, cleaning, landscaping, and installing basketball backboards. Getting on land, into the community, and participating in the school project is clearly an important component of Zihua cruising life.
This year’s SailFest started with the traditional kickoff party Wednesday night at Rick’s Bar, where an eager crowd of over 100 folks spilled out into the street. On hand to help celebrate the water-and-land support for SailFest were Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo Mayor Amador Campos, Netza School Director and founder Marina Sanchez Hernandez; Director of Tourism Raul Chavez Marino; and Miriam Cordova of the Ixtapa Office of Conventions & Visitors. Over 125 local businesses donated more than $10,000 in prizes for the series of auctions and raffles, from skydiving to gift items and boat supplies, to restaurant and hotel gift certificates. The SailFest events included something for everyone: cruiser seminars; races; a 36- dingy-raft-up cocktail party; a festive street fair and chili cook off in front of Rick’s; Games Day for all ages at La Ropa Beach in front of La Perla restaurant; a final BBQ and awards party at Las Gatas Beach on Sunday; and silent and live auctions and raffles. This year, over 150 tourists and local “crew” paid $25 a piece to ride along on Sunday’s colorful Parade of Sail of over 30 vessels, which breezed from Zihua Bay to Ixtapa, and back. The local port captain and fishing fleet were supportive of the event, too, despite the fact it occurred amid an International Fishing Tournament.
Next year’s SailFest is already on the calendar set for February 2-6, 2005. For complete photos, contacts, and info, visit www.zihuasailfest.com
For info on the Indian School and educational causes helped by SailFest, see www.zihua-ixtapa.com/zihua/netza.
Lisa Martin is a Massachusetts Rotarian from Gloucester, and long-time school advocate and fundraiser who returns each year to help with SailFest and community relations. Since 2000, the Netza School has received Rotary International assistance in a program lead by Martin. Reach Lisa at: lisa@lisabmartin.com or 978-282-3288. |
|
Contents | Previous | Next
|
|
