Reinventing The Challenged America Program

Reinventing The Challenged America Program
&
Introduction of Challenged Sailors San Diego

Dear Challenged America Participants, Volunteers & Supporters,

As many of you know, the past few years have been extremely challenging for the Challenged America Program. With charitable donations and contributions down dramatically, fundraising events barely breaking even, and awarded grants only funding a fraction of the requested amount, coupled with rising costs, we are at that point of reinventing the Challenged America Program – operating at a pace equal to the level of public support and charitable giving … how we operated in the 1980’s and early 1990’s as, then, a big boat program.

With this, we have transferred (gifted) our entire fleet of small boats – eight Martin 16 sailboats – and all related equipment, supplies and gear to Mike & Sylvia Swall (as interim owners), who are helping a new small boat program under a newly proposed groups calling themselves “Challenged Sailors San Diego.” (CSSD). This new group is now formalizing its organizational structure.

If you or your group is scheduled to sail as a participant, companion sailor, or volunteer in the (Martin 16 sailboat (Small boat program (with Challenged America, please contact CSSD right away to reschedule and learn more about this new (small boat) sailing program:

Challenged Sailors San Diego
Mike & Sylvia Swall
Phone: (619) 764-1604
Email: mfswall@Gmail.com

The Challenged America program will continue operations as a Big Boat program, with Challenged Sailors San Diego being our referral to small boat sailing.

Challenged America is one of five programs of the charitable and educational Disabled Businesspersons Association (DBA), and the board is currently strategizing the future of this program, with more of an emphasis on its mission, financial self-sufficiency, future staffing, and the rebuilding of its fleet of donated vessels, carrying it to another 37 years of operations.

If you would like to be part of the charity’s advisory on reinventing the Challenged America Program, please email us your background, experience, and how you believe you can add value to the advisory group.
Thank You

Urban Miyares, President
Disabled Businesspersons Association
Urban@DisabledBusiness.com

Enhance someone’s quality of life

This Holiday Season you can give the gifts of self-reliance, independence, self-confidence, and enhance someone’s quality of life.

Your donation to Challenged America will give a disabled veteran, adult or child with a disability all of these and much more.

“The uncertainty that came with vision loss left me fearful about the future, and feeling that a normal life would be impossible. Sailing has restored my self-confidence, given me a sense of freedom and adventure I never knew I had and taught me that anything can be possible no matter what your ability is.

Learning to sail and be in control of a boat, making it dance across the sparkling bay and hearing the splash against the hull has turned me into a graceful ballerina. This is my show now and vision loss is just a bit player waiting in the wings.’
– Tammy
Challenged America Tammy
Why Donate to the Disabled Businesspersons Assocation’s Challenged America program?

100% of your generous gift goes directly into the program.
There are no salaries or hidden administrative or fundraising costs.
Challenged America is an all-volunteer program, as are all the programs with the DBA charity.
The DBA and all its programs are overseen and directed by volunteers from the community.

Please consider Challenged America during this gift-giving time of year, and then come on down to the dock to see how your generosity is being utilized. Better yet, come on down and volunteer and join the others who contribute their time, expertise and resources to assure that Challenged America continues for another 36-plus years.

You can make your tax-deductible donation by check to ‘Challenged America’ and mail directly to the Challenged America office or online! and use your credit card to make your gift via PayPal.

Recurring monthly donations can also be set up through PayPal. This is an extremely valuable way to help support Challenged America on an on-going basis.

Many employers will make matching donations when their employees donate to charitable causes. Check to see if your employer might have such a program. You might be able to double the impact of your gift!

 Securely Donate with PayPal

Challenged America
at Sunroad Resort Marina
955 Harbor Island Dr., Suite 130
San Diego, California 92101

(619) 523-9318

Tax-Exempt (EIN) : 33-0484461 – Disabled Businesspersons Association

Challenged America Martin 16s in PLYC Big Bay Charity Race

August 17, five frequent Challenged America sailors were joined by two guests from Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (BAADS) in San Francisco for this month’s Martin 16 mini-regatta and PLYC Big Bay Charity Race.  Special thanks to Point Loma Yacht Club for adding an additional start for the Martins to their Big Bay Charity Race on San Diego Bay and for the after-race party.

Aug 17, Challenged America and BAADS crews preparing for the PLYC Big Bay Charity Race

Tammy Airhart and companion sailor Brook Wilson led the fleet over the finish line after 3.25 nm.  Amelia Opean and Marshall Lubin took second

Position Boat # Sailor Companion
1 5 Tammy Airhart Brook Wilson
2 7 Amelia Opean Marshall Lubin
3 3 Eric Berkey Joe Berkey
4 2 Carwile Leroy Steve Edenson
5 1 Steve Muse Jennifer Muse
6 4 Fernanda Castillo Stan Bolle
7 8 Sue Taetzsch Anna Rossitto

Racing to Hawaii Without Sight, Transpac 2013

SWYC Sail Fleet Presents… Racing to Hawaii Without Sight, Transpac 2013

Urban Miyares…Transpac 2013, Racing to Hawaii Without Sight?

 Everyone is guessing and speculating about the Challenged America double-handed entry of Urban Miyares and David Hopkins in this year’s legendary, 2,225 nautical mile Transpac Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu. Now you can get the answers, first-hand, from Urban Miyares, co-founder of San Diego’s Challenged America Program.

Southwestern Yacht Club
Monday June 24, 6pm

Transpac 2013, Racing to Hawaii Without Sight PDF