Your Say (June 20-26, 2019)
Wounded Warrior Wins Don Backe Memorial CRAB Regatta
The Annual Don Backe Memorial CRAB Regatta on Saturday, June 15 was one of the best in memory with strong competitors, good winds, sunny skies and the new Annapolis Yacht Club Sailing Center as its venue.
“In the decades the club has hosted and organized the Don Backe Regatta, we have not seen a more competitive group of sailors and exciting racing in Annapolis,” said principal race officer Peter Gordon.
This year’s top finisher was Jay Streit, a disabled veteran from Severn who started sailing three years ago with CRAB. With Streit’s girlfriend Dee Perry, Paul Van Cleve on jib and Amanda Salvesen on mainsheet, Team Jay swept the fleet off the racecourse, only letting up on the last of five races.
Maryland Department of Disabilities Secretary Carol Beatty presented a proclamation to CRAB from Gov. Larry Hogan declaring June 2019 as Adaptive Boating Month.
“CRAB is seeking to create a premier Adaptive Boating Center in Annapolis to expand its operations and greatly increase the number of special guests it serves without limitations on operations or boating,” the proclamation states.
The regatta was founded in 1999 by members of the Annapolis Yacht Club and Don Backe, founder of Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating. From a qualifying race for the national disabilities sailing regatta, it has evolved into a strong joint venture with the club race committee and J-boat tacticians sailing with CRAB’s skippers with disabilities. The teamwork makes for very competitive racing, particularly with winds in the 12- to 18-knot range on Beneteau First 22A’s (A for adaptive).
Rotary of Prince Frederick Helps End Hunger
CAPTION: Pictured left to right: Jacqueline Miller, president End Hunger; Doug Hill, meteorologist and spokesman for End Hunger; Bonnie Barrett, vice president Rotary Club of Prince Frederick; Jeremy Robinson and Justin Ruest, Rotary members
Rotary Club of Prince Frederick donated $4,000 to End Hunger In Calvert County in support of a warehouse to be built in Huntingtown in May 2020.
“The mission of Rotary is to improve the world on a global and local level,” said Rotary Club vice president Bonnie Barrett. “End Hunger lines up perfectly with Rotary’s mission. This new warehouse will expand their outreach.”
The new End Hunger warehouse will contain a 15,000-square-foot food-distribution center and a 6,000-square-foot culinary training kitchen, as well as a large collaborative space for area non-profits addressing poverty issues. End Hunger feeds more than 15,000 people and distributes more than 1.5 million pounds of food every year.