Sail-Habilitation
Sailing for Those with Special Needs

About Team Odyssey
It is with great pride that New Jersey’s Sail-Habilitation announces Team Odyssey as the 2008 Paralympic Sonar USA Sailing Team.  Rick Doerr, Bill Donohue and Tim Angle are the only Sonar racing team representing the UNITED STATES at the 2008 Paralympics in Quingdao, China.   Rick Doerr has been on our Sail-Habilitation Board of Directors since 1998 and Bill Donohue joined us four years ago.   

Sail Habilitation, founded to support and encourage sailing for people with special needs, is spearheading a fundraising campaign to support Team Odyssey in their Olympic quest. We are actively seeking corporate sponsors and individual donors to meet the expenses of competing in this prestigious event.

The enormous commitment of time and energy to compete in the Olympics is matched only by the enormity of the financial hurdle. Our goal is to fund the team’s budget for travel and training  which is over $150,000.  The US Olympic Committee provides limited support.  Additionally, the participating sailors have an overwhelming personal financial burden. This year’s travel and training costs, in preparation for the September Paralympics, will include: airline costs to 4 regattas in Florida and the Quingdao International Regatta in China in May; gas and tolls for travel to 11 additional regattas out of state regattas and training competitions; approximately 75 days food and lodging; and professional coaches.   

In March, their competition boat must be shipped to China.  As a result, they need a training boat to use April through August. This boat needs to be outfitted with adaptive equipment and rigged for Olympic level competition.   The cost is estimated at $40,000 for a pre-owned boat, one fourth of the total budget.

Last year, Team Odyssey competed in ongoing sailing events.   Doerr, Donohue and Angle opened the season at the 2007 US Sailing Rolex Miami ORC. Competing against a tough international fleet, they placed second and captured a silver medal. In September, they competed against 27 teams from 16 nations in the 2007 International Foundation for Disabled Sailing ( IFDS) World Championship and captured the title of  World Champion. They won first place at the U.S. Paralympic Team Trials, which determined the Sonar team that would represent our country in China.  U.S. Sailing’s 2007 Olympic Committee (USOC) named Team Odyssey’s members, Donohue, Doerr and Angle, as Paralympians of the Year for outstanding performance and achievement.

We need your help to bring the Gold back to the U.S.  
 Please support Team Odyssey by making a donation now !!

Tax deductible donations should be made payable to   Sail-Habilitation   c/o Donna Burslem, 727 Knollwood Terrace, Westfield, N.J. 07090.   Please note “China 2008 Sonar Campaign” on your checks.

Thank-you in advance for your donation.

Sincerely,

Stephanie P. Argyris, M.D.

President of Sail-Habilitation