Hello, many of you know me; it's River! As I set sail for my next adventure, I am asking friends, family, and generous patrons to help me pursue my professional sailing career. Instead of traditional gifts for the holiday and birthday season, I would greatly appreciate donations to my GoFundMe page.

Please support me as I work towards my Royal Yachting Association (RYA) license and the start of my professional sailing journey. Your generous assistance will directly contribute to my travel, lodging, food, and tuition fees. Roughly, my travel expenses will be $2,000.00, housing is approximately $10.00 a night, food expenses are impermanent, and tuition plus exam fees are roughly $8,000.

As many of you know, my interest in sailing grew from summer classes at Culver, to sailing my sailboat around Lake Maxinkuckee, to being a competitor at Purdue University, to being an instructor for children and adults looking to begin sailing keelboats. I have developed a passion for life on the water and the freedom that comes from sailing, which is why I have decided to pursue my license, enrolling as a student at the Andrew Simpson Yachting Center in Gosport, England, this February. I will complete all required courses, ocean mileage requirements, and gain the yacht master experience to become a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Coastal captain. This license will allow me to sail internationally for most companies in the U.S. and abroad, where I can gain the experience and mileage I need to pursue more advanced licenses. Your support, whether financial, emotional, or general well wishes, means the world to me and is sincerely appreciated!

I plan on documenting my time at Andrew Simpson Yachting Center and beyond through photos and videos so that you can share in this journey. Thank you for your immeasurable support. You are truly making a difference for me. Happiest of holidays to everyone!

Love ya,

River Martin