This Week

Brewer Yacht Yards (Rhode Island) will donate $500 from each new summer slip contract to support the Edgewood Sailing School.

When the 103-year-old Edgewood Yacht Club's clubhouse burned down during a January snowstorm this year, the Sailing School lost most of its gear. Now, relying on private donations and contributions from other sailing programs, the Sailing School is confirming its plans definitely to be back on the water by June.

The Sailing School's board of directors, in announcing this gift, extended its thanks:  “Just as with any accident, this fire caught us completely by surprise,” said Chris Lee, Sailing School President. “However, the out-pouring of support from individuals and companies like Brewer really has  made the difference, in enabling us to commit to a full sailing program this summer.”

Speaking for Brewers, Michael Keyworth, General Manager of Brewer Cove Haven Marina in Barrington added, “Most of our employees and customers participated in a sailing program similar to E.S.S. at some time in their lives. Waterfront is such an important part of what makes Rhode Island unique that we were immediately eager to help the Edgewood Sailing School get back on its feet.”

Any new customer who signs up for a 2011 summer slip at any one of the five Brewer locations in Rhode Island (subject to space availability) will have $500 of the slip payment donated directly to the Sailing School. 

Members of the public interested in signing up for the summer youth or adult sailing at Edgewood can get information and on-line registration. In the weeks ahead, ESS is hosting a fund raising event Saturday, May 14 in Warwick, with a silent auction featuring many goods donated by local RI businesses; and then a youth and families Fun-Raiser, June 30 at the Edgewood Yacht Club.

Brewer Yacht Yards operates 22 full-service marinas in coastal New England, and has Rhode Island locations in Barrington, Warwick, North Kingstown and Portsmouth (www.byy.com).  The news of this support from Brewer's to Edgewood Sailing School is appearing in many locations, including the marine trade journals, and, of course, FaceBook. Brewer support for the Sailing School's contact is James Phyfe at (401) 884-1810 or jphyfe@byy.com.