Donor Spotlight | Bill & Jude Bloom
October 25, 2022
When Bill Bloom joined the Chicago Yacht Club in 2009, it changed his life. A longtime athlete with a competitive spirit growing up, Bill was introduced to the sport of sailing that year and never looked back. He’s now competed in seven Chicago Yacht Club Races to Mackinac and loves both the challenge and the teamwork of sailing.
“There are so many great life skills that correlate with boating. You have to anticipate, you have to make decisions in the moment, you have to work as a team,” he said. “There are so many things that go into sailing that both expand your mind and help you think differently.”
And it’s those kinds of life lessons that Bill and his wife, Jude, hope Chicagoland kids will experience through the range of programs offered by the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation.
“The premise of the Foundation is giving kids permission to succeed. Giving kids permission to grow. Giving kids permission to have confidence in themselves,” Bill said. “I really think that’s what the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation offers Chicago-area kids – and that’s why Jude and I are so committed to supporting the Foundation.”
Bill served as treasurer of the CYC Foundation from 2017 through 2020 and saw firsthand many of the transformational experiences offered to underrepresented Chicagoland kids. “We’d get letters from young women who sailed on a tall ship through the ‘Lead HER Ship’ program describing the life-changing experiences they had. Those stories really resonated with both Jude and me.”
Now with two young children of their own, Bill said he and Jude are even more committed to helping underrepresented Chicagoland kids get out on the water and experience the joys -- and life lessons -- of boating.
“This is an opportunity to give back to young people who will really benefit from all they can learn on the water,” Bill said. “And if we can give the next generation of kids a head start – why wouldn’t we do that?”
CYC Foundation President Greg Miarecki said the Blooms have been tremendous supporters of the Foundation for many years and are always ready to step up in any way needed. “We’re so appreciative of the Blooms’ continued support and their commitment to helping Chicagoland kids experience all that boating has to offer,” Greg said.
If you would like to join the Blooms in donating to the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation, please click here.