Spectrum Sailing - Empowering youth on the autism spectrum through the sport of sailing!
This summer, Harken Derm had the opportunity to team up with Scott Herman and the amazing team that makes up Spectrum Sailing! Spectrum Sailing provides maritime education, programming, and outreach for autistic individuals. Their camps provide opportunities for skill development, social interaction, and confidence building. Sailing is their platform to positively impact participants' physical, mental, and social health.
Spectrum Sailing was born out of necessity.
Scott Herman was looking for a sailing camp
where he could take his son, who is on the
Autism Spectrum. At each camp that he tried
to enroll him turned him away, saying they were
unable to provide him with instruction, so Scott
started his own camp. That first year, 70
applications were submitted for only 10
available spots. It was then that the Herman
Family knew they were not alone.
Helping kids across the country
Spectrum Sailing has grown to try and meet the demand that was discovered after hosting that first camp in South Carolina. This year nine camps have been held around the country from California to Maine, with the 10th final camp happening in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 4th - 6th. Each camp brings in 20 kids ranging from ages 10-17 and allows them to make new friends through the sport of sailing. The camps are 100% free for every kid who attends. It takes a tremendous amount of work to make these camps happen, and we want to highlight and spread the important work that founder Scott Herman and the Spectrum Sailing team do.
At the beginning of each day, the team goes over the safety briefing with the kids about the weather conditions and reviews all the items that they will need for the day on the water. One of those important items Scott stresses is sun protection and making sure all the kids have applied and are sun-safe for the day. We were honored when Scott asked us if we would be willing to donate sunscreen to the kids to make sure they were protected. This year, we have donated over 200 tubes to every sailor in the camp, and helping them have a great day on the water by protecting their skin from sunburns!
We had the honor of attending one of the camps in Chicago, and our hearts were touched by the confidence the kids developed and growth they showed from day one when they came in to day three when they were leaving. Smiling, joking, and laughing with their friends at the end of the camp was a beautiful thing to see! The camp creates a safe space for the kids to open up and boost their self-esteem and paves the way for what they can accomplish moving forward. We couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to see how this camp made a positive impact on so many lives!
testimonials from the parents
Their boats are powered by the wind, but donations power their camps. For every camper accommodated, 3 must be turned away.
Wondering how you can help spectrum sailing??
We wanted to highlight Spectrum Sailing and thank them for their contribution to the many lives they have helped, young and old.
To show our support, Harken Derm has created a promotional code - SPECTRUM10 - that will give you 10% off your order, with another 10% of the sale donated directly to support the Spectrum Sailing mission.
Here are some other ways you can help support Spectrum Sailing! :)
Donate: Make a secure, tax-deductible donation directly on Spectrum Sailing's website - www.spectrumsailing.org
Employer Matching: Double your impact! Check if your employer matches charitable donations by employees.
Social Media: Follow Spectrum Sailing on Facebook and Instagram, and share their posts with your friends and family. Enjoy live videos and pictures from each day of camp, and feel like you're part of the action!
Spread the Word: Share their story and information with anyone who might be interested in sponsoring our organization, an upcoming camp, or an individual sailor.
Become a Sponsor: Take a step further and become a sponsor yourself! Sign on as a sponsor for one of their upcoming camps next year. Drop them an email at info@spectrumsailing.org for more information on how you can help get more kids on the water!
