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Industry Buzz: Do Unto Others
Meanwhile, on the other coast of America, another
outstanding individual has created a benevolent organization
to help the disadvantaged children of Miami.
Shake-A-Leg (www.shakealegmiami.org) was founded
in Newport, Rhode Island, by Harry Horgan after he was
paralyzed in a car accident in the late 1980s. Then a
young and active 22 year old, Harry was horrified at the
rehabilitation programs offered to disabled people like
him, so he quite simply decided to set up his own.
Toe in the Water helps military service personnel who have
sustained traumatic injuries.
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Shake-A-Leg Miami now runs a long list of activities and
courses to help improve the health, education, independence
and quality of life for individuals with physical, developmental
and economic challenges.
Harry said: “The old adage ‘build it and they will come’
is a well-echoed sentiment. At Shake-A-Leg Miami, it is
a testament to will and ambition on a grand scale. The
Shake-A-Leg Miami Aquatic Center and Marine Academy
has been built, and the people are coming!”
Shake-A-Leg Miami is now one of the largest adaptive
water sports facilities in America, and has a wellearned
reputation for excellence and innovation. “To
witness a child who has never before been in a boat
get into a Shake-A-Leg boat and become an active
participant of the crew is a sight that is a supreme delight,”
Harry said.
Another inspirational sailing charity is the Ellen MacArthur
Cancer Trust (www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org), which
gives young cancer and leukemia patients the opportunity
to experience the thrill of being under sail on the
water. The British charity was launched more than eight
years ago by Dame Ellen MacArthur, who has for the
moment retired from competitive sailing to dedicate her
time to charity and environmental work.
Through Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, scores of children
and young adults are taught how to sail. The trust now
works with every young person’s primary cancer care
unit in the UK. “For these young people, they’ve been
though cancer and they’ve been treated differently because
of that,” said Dame Ellen. “They’ve become quite
isolated, and people don’t know how to talk to them.
“The really good thing the trust does is it takes these
young people away to almost help them forget what
they’ve been through,” she continued. “They’re sailing
with people who have been though exactly the same
thing, so they don’t have to talk about it. There’s no need
to explain what they’ve been through or what they’re going
through. Everyone understands, and it’s an unsaid
thing, and everyone just gets on and has fun. That in
itself helps build confidence.”
The trust recently received a boost when Sunsail announced
it was to join forces with the charity this summer.
The company will provide up to three brand-new
Sunsail F40s at a reduced fee for upcoming sailing trips.