Jilàsi for Youth – Sailing it Forward!
Sept 26, 2019
Hosted by the National Yacht Club, Toronto, on September 14, 2019, the Jilàsi for Youth Fundraising Regatta celebrated its second year, thanks to the volunteers and corporate sponsors such as Nieuport Aviation, TD Canada Trust, TK Foundation, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
The regatta strives to become a growing annual event to support the Broad Reach Foundation’s for Youth programs, the only registered charity in Ontario where disadvantaged youth in the Greater Toronto Area advance their education through the unique learning platform that is the sport, science and experience of sailing – absolutely free of charge!
The regatta is named after the Broad Reach flagship, Jilàsi which is a Mi’kmaq, word meaning “Welcome Honoured Guest,” and which was gifted to the charity in 2017 by Marlys Edwardh, C.M., and Dr. Graham Turrall. Jilàsi is a meticulously restored 1966 Rhodes Offshore 40 #1727, built in the Hong Kong Lee Choy Shipyards.
The Queen City Yacht Club deserves a round of applause for entering the most boats from a single club – Gaulois, a Tanzer 25, skipped by John Fursdon; Iliad, a Mirage 33, skipped by Roger Petersen; and Island Eclipse, a Gulf Star 44, skipped by Andy Oakes. The National Yacht Club entered Sails Call, a Tanzer 22, skipped by Albert Fong, and Sottovento, a J/105, skipped by David James. Another round of applause, please!
Each year, two trophies are waiting for their winners – the Hans Marius Fogh Memorial Trophy for the first across the line, plus the Jilàsi Philanthropy Cup for the highest fundraising total by a single crew. The Hans Fogh Trophy is an actual trophy which Hans won in Rome at the Soling Championships and which was donated to Broad Reach by his family.
This year the Jilàsi Philanthropy Trophy was won by Island Eclipse – another round of applause for the Queen City Yacht Club!
Unfortunately there was no winner for the Fogh Memorial Trophy, since winds of 24 knots caused the Race Officer to terminate the regatta – but it’s waiting (impatiently!) for next year’s winner. Someone, after all, has to polish it …
However, the real winners of the regatta were probably the eight youth participants who crewed on Sottovento and Jilàsi, and who had sailed our 2019 Summer Afloat program.
Each year Broad Reach welcomes 300-500 youth on our 4 boats to and then engage in the Winter Ashore activities. The youth, come to Broad Reach from 40 partner agencies helping the young people with their challenges. All the youth are facing significant challenges: some are homeless, some are newcomers, some are in conflict with the law, and some are working through mental or physical issues.
Marguerite Pyron, CEO, the Broad Reach Foundation for Youth, said:
~ “Our success for the past twenty one years has been possible because of thoughtfulness and generosity of so many contributors – corporations, government agencies, charitable foundations, and especially, because of the generosity of sailors.
Next year’s regatta would welcome any sailor on any boat to help celebrate and support the enduring values which sailing and Broad Reach our programming introduces to the young people who need – and deserve – that support. Our gratitude is sincere and the money is deeply appreciated and wisely spent. Please: Sail it Forward with Broad Reach!”
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