Keep Sensei Sailing for Youth Leadership

The Friends of Ithaca Sea Scouts formed in 2010 to support the youth leadership development program known as Sea Scout Ship 25 in Ithaca. We now also support Venturing Crew 25 plus we subsidize additional public education programs for things like boating safety, first aid, CPR, lifeguarding and more. This is a youth leadership development program that uses aquatic focused skill development as the method to provide leadership opportunities to youth in our area. Some have gone on to take leadership positions across the northeast and even at the top of our National program. Our training vessel Sensei has an annual operating budget of roughly $5500 not including regular maintenance. Our overall annual budget is closer to $7000. This 33' Newport sailboat built in 1990 is used for training scouts who come from far beyond the local area. In the past our expenses came in over the course of the year leaving us time for fundraising. Now, things have changed and our expenses are front loaded at the start of the year. Our goal of $5000 is to help us move to a budget where by year's end we will be one year ahead. That way we can enter 2026 with our budget covered and then fundraise throughout 2026 to cover 2027's anticipated budget. If we can stay a year ahead, we can also take advantage of pre-payment and cash discounts. Your contribution will help us get there so we can continue to have the funds to provide our youth the leadership training they need in this world today. Thank you, Jim Graney, President Friends of Ithaca Sea Scouts.