Smooth Sailing
SALEM, Mass. — Mayor Kim Driscoll doesn't normally hoist a bottle of Champagne during the workday, but she made an exception yesterday to christen a \$45,000 boat donated to Sail Salem, a community boating program.
"I can't thank you enough," the mayor told 89-year-old Thomas Brown Jr., after smashing the bottle on the 34-foot Webber Cove power boat given by the former Marblehead resident. "The kids in Salem are really grateful."
The boat, renamed the Thomas Brown, will be used by Sail Salem, which enrolled more than 400 children this summer, its fourth year, from Salem and surrounding communities. Established to make sailing affordable and accessible to young people, the program charges \$1 for one week of lessons.
"This (boat) is a key component to what we do — building a community boating program," said Dave Smith, a co-founder and president of Sail Salem. "It's going to help us reach out to those who are economically challenged and get them on the water."
The donation comes as Sail Salem continues to expand. It has added adult sailing lessons and recently forged an alliance with Endicott College in Beverly, which has a sailing program and allows Sail Salem to use its boats. The college also stores some of its equipment at Winter Island, headquarters of the community boating program.
Sail Salem officials are also talking with Salem State University and area high schools about establishing sailing programs.
Yesterday morning's ceremony was held at Dion Yacht Yard, where Brown has stored his boats for years. Fred Atkins, the owner of the yacht yard, is on the board of Sail Salem.
Atkins praised Brown as a generous person who has raised funds for schools and other causes throughout his life, and who is delighted to be turning over his power boat to a sailing program.
"It's perfect as a race committee boat," Atkins said.
Brown, a Gloucester resident, World War II veteran and retired banker, is a longtime member at Eastern Yacht Club and often rode patrol boats during youth sailing races.
"I don't think there's a kid in Marblehead I haven't picked out of the water," he said before the ceremony.
The Thomas Brown was built as a lobster boat, but used more for pleasure. Brown said he owned it for about 10 years.
"She's an old boat, but she's a good boat," he said.
When he decided to give up the boat, Brown said he couldn't think of a better program than Sail Salem.
"I wanted to do something to (help) kids from the city," he said, "... and get them out on the water."