For many years, the 14 facilities in the IGY Marinas network have offered charity programs to help the local communities where those marinas are based. The initiatives, which span eight nations, have always taken place at the marinas themselves, with things like vocational programs in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, where yacht engineers show kids the basics of engine work. There are also learn-to-sail programs at several locations, and a once-a-month night of life-size games that local families can come and play at Yacht Haven Grande on St. Thomas.
Now, IGY Marinas is applying that charitable instinct to its communities in a new way — by adding programs that take place outside the marina gates, and within the communities themselves.
The new initiative is called “Inspire Giving Through You.” It will take place on February 20 at IGY Marinas in the Caribbean, Mexico & Central America, and on June 11 at Northern IGY Marinas.
All 14 marinas will work with local groups to do whatever the communities feel they need, everything from animal adoptions in Montauk, New York, to the cleanup and refurbishing of playgrounds in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to the repair of a Provo children’s home in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
IGY has organized this year’s events and is now looking to register volunteers who want to help. Yacht owners, captains, crew and everyone else is welcome to volunteer or to suggest ideas for future years.
“Every one of our marinas is going to have an after party to thank the volunteers for their blood, sweat and tears,” says Kay Mellinger of IGY Marinas, adding with a laugh, “well—hopefully there’s no blood!”
Marinas participating on February 20: Yacht Club at Isle de Sol on St. Martin, Simpson Bay Marina on St. Martin, Yacht Haven Grande on St. Thomas, American Yacht Harbor on St. Thomas, Blue Haven Marina in the Turks & Caicos, Red Frog Beach Marina in Panama, Marina Cabo San Lucas in Mexico and Marina Santa Marta in Colombia.
Marinas participating on June 11: North Cove Marina in New York City, Montauk Yacht Club Resort & Marina on Long Island, New York, Marinas at Resorts World Bimini in the Bahamas, and Newport Yacht Club & Marina in Jersey City, New Jersey. The IGY Marinas corporate offices in South Carolina, Florida and New York will also participate on this day.
Sign up as a volunteer: visit the IGY Marinas “Inspire Giving Through You” web page .
