Raider Sailing Foundation Launch Week!

Jul 3, 2024

3 min read

The launch of a ship is an incredible event at the end of countless hours and tireless work by teams of dedicated people.

The launch of a philanthropic effort that is near and dear to our hearts because of the sacrifice and camaraderie that we experienced during our time in service is no different.

Combat veterans often find themselves, sometimes years beyond active duty, struggling to recapture the mysterious missing pieces of fulfillment and purpose so common in a theater of war but often lacking in the civilian world. Common voids include connections with the peers they served with, challenging environments with problems that need rapid solutions, and contributing to close-knit teams that rely on each other.

Raider Sailing Foundation provides combat veterans with adventurous trips where they will fill those common voids and empower them to chart a new course.

How We Do It

Groups of combat veterans are paired with an experienced, qualified captain with extensive racing and offshore miles under the keel.
The group experiences all facets of being a crew. Captains train the crew on fundamentals of sailing over three days.
Captains identify participants interested in continuing their sailing careers. The foundation will foster these careers through matching them with clubs and captains near their hometowns.
The participants’ travel, meals, and expenses are covered by the Foundation. The group and captain meet each other onboard a vessel owned by the foundation or one chartered specifically for the trip.

Where We Are Today

We have a boat! Thanks to the generous gift by Joe and Christina Bassani, the “Raider I”, a 49’ Kaufman cutter blue-water sailboat is berthed at Spring Cove Marina, MD.
Our first trip is July 3rd for four combat veterans who served with a number of the foundation members in 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines in Fallujah in 2004.
We are planning our second trip for later in 2024.

What We Need

Community: As a new 501(c)3 we need to build a brand with those who connect with our mission. If you are a veteran, have veterans in your network, or are passionate about sailing, please connect with us.
Future Participants: While spots are very limited as we build our funding, we do want to develop a list of potential participants for future trips so we can understand the size of the demand. We are looking for post 9/11 combat veterans who are struggling to find the same sense of connection they had during their service.
Donations: We need the funding to carry out more trips after this first group. Participant travel, boat maintenance, and mooring fees make up the majority of our $150,000 annual budget goal.

How You Can Help

Sign up for our newsletter, “The Logbook” to hear the stories of our participants, their leadership lessons from their service, and their experiences on the boat. We’ll share the pictures and stories of these incredible adventures as well as learnings from the experiences of these awesome individuals.
Share the Raider Sailing Foundation with anyone in your network who has a passion for veterans or sailing. The more people who know about the program the more participants, donors, and partners we can reach.
Donate. Your generous gifts are how we will empower veterans to chart a new course. Any amount makes a difference and in-kind donations can be hugely impactful as well. Cash donations can be made here. Reach out to us directly for in-kind donations.