Beneath a bright blue sky a gentle breeze was rippling across the Great South Bay as I boarded the Elaine & Me, a 31 ft. sailboat captained by Alan and Elaine Sherman of Patchogue.
This was no ordinary outing and the Sherman’s are no ordinary captains. They volunteer their time and their boat for the Heart of Sailing Foundation (HOS), a non-profit international organization that introduces sailing to children with developmental disabilities as a form of education and recreational therapy.
Linda Johnson, director of the New York and Connecticut chapters, and her adorable daughter, Madeline, 9, were on hand to welcome me along with Chrisanne and Michael Petrone of New Rochelle and their sons, Mikey, 13, and Tommy, 10. Both boys have autisic spectrum disorders, and this excursion promised to be a new adventure for them.
HOS is a collaborative effort among Linda, the captains and the families of special needs children. As we dangled our feet over the bow and were splashed with sea spray, Linda recounted how HOS has helped hundreds of special needs children.
“Who doesn’t like being on the water?” Linda asks, breathing in the salt air. “It’s always positive here. It doesn’t matter where we’re going. It could be in circles. The children are at the helm and loving life.”
As Mikey and Tommy took turns donning the captain’s hat, they were shown how to raise the sails and steer the boat. Chrisanne and Michael watch as their sons accomplished something they’ve never done before. There are a lot of smiles onboard. Capt. Sherman makes sure that this is more than just a boat ride for the Petrone boys. He wants it to be a fun, memorable experience. He allayed any qualms we had about tipping over and told us that we would not sail in water deeper than 8 feet. As we left the marina and headed out into the bay he enthusiastically pointed out different types of birds and points of interest on the coastline. His wife, Elaine, graciously helped the family acclimate themselves on the water.
“The work they do is just phenomenal,” Linda says of our captains and explains, “More than 80 percent of these children are autistic. That’s why we don’t use power boats. If you have a sensory child, the noise can be very scary.”
“It’s great to be able to do this activity and be exposed to something that you normally don’t do,” Chrisanne says. “No one is judging your children here. It’s just so relaxing.” Linda smiled at Chrisanne and said, “That makes me want to cry.”
Three years ago Linda began her career with HOS, and she is committed to making the Long Island chapter one of the organizations most successful. “It’s my job to sustain and lay the foundation here,“ she says.
From Wednesday through Sunday Linda coordinates HOS boats sailing out of Mt. Sinai, Patchogue and Port Jefferson, and because of her efforts will soon be adding the Hamptons, Montauk, Oyster Bay and West Sayville marinas to its home ports. Linda’s primary job is to find qualified captains willing to donate their time and vessel and be trained to eventually take families sailing on their own. The sailing excursions start in late May and continue through October, weather permitting. “We want to go out only in the best conditions,” she says, “My goal is to have 1,000 people going through HOS this year.”
Linda needs more captains so she can ensure that every child who wants to be out on the open water will have that chance. The trip itself usually lasts about two hours and the children do everything from steering the boat to helping with the sails. HOS doesn’t charge a fee, and Linda says that her chapter has never turned anyone away. They rely on donations and volunteer captains to sustain their mission. “It’s all done by word of mouth,” Linda says proudly. She works with local special education parents and teachers associations and other special-needs non-profit groups to raise awareness of HOS and the therapeutic benefits of sailing.
As we skimmed along the water, Linda told me how valuable her daughter Madeline is to the outings. “Children see someone her age, and they feel more comfortable,” Linda says. “If they are scared, Madeline will help show them how to get on and off the sailboat.” I watched as Madeline helps puts the Petrone boys right at ease, boosting their confidence.
Since some special needs children can find a new experience difficult, HOS is itself a form of therapy for the entire family. “We’ve had children who speak for the first time,” Linda says proudly. Chrisanne exclaims, “It’s just so relaxing and your kids can just enjoy the moment.”
Linda has always loved the water, and working with HOS has proven to be the best of all worlds for her and her family, including getting the opportunity to spend a lot of quality time with her own daughter. “It’s good for everyone,” Linda says, “The kids can be just who they are.”
What happened on our afternoon cruise was magical, but the day was not over for the Sherman’s, Linda and Madeline. As Capt. Sherman pulled into his boat slip in the marina ending our cruise, the next family was waiting patiently on the dock to board the Elaine & Me for their afternoon sailing. Capt. Sherman and Linda jumped off the boat to greet them and help with their life jackets. Madeline was at the ready to welcome the three children who were the newest passengers. It was so beautiful to experience all of them in action ensuring that each sail is unique to the family. The time that the Sherman’s commit to this program was humbling to say the very least. The love and care that Linda has infused into the program was palpable.
“Where do people go when they have problems? You go to the water,” Linda muses. “You put it out there and it all goes out to sea.”
To volunteer or to find out more information, go to www.HeartofSailing.org, email [email protected] or call 631-828-3828.
Save the Date! Saturday, August 21st
A Benefit for HOS will be held at the Boat Basin in West Sayville, sailings every hour from 9 am to 3 pm and there will be a resource fair. Contact Linda for more information or go to www.HeartofSailing.org to pre-register.
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