Foundation Introduces New Community Sailing Program at Monroe Harbor

June 25, 2024

by Megan McNichols Mahon

Community sailing camps for kids are coming to Monroe Harbor this summer. The CYC Foundation is thrilled to announce the launch of a new Monroe Harbor-based community sailing program for Chicagoland children beginning Monday, June 24. Six one-week sessions through early August will bring nearly 100 Chicago area kids, ages 10-18, to the Club’s south station to experience the joys of sailing.

“We’ve dramatically increased the number of community sailing camps at Belmont over the past few years to the point of running out of space and capacity. We’re excited to nearly double the number of kids we can get on the water through the new Monroe Harbor program,” said Greg Miarecki, CYC Foundation President. A bonus is that Monroe Harbor is closer for many kids coming to the sailing camps from the city’s West and South Side neighborhoods.

Helping to make this new sailing initiative a success will be Caroline O’Malley, the Foundation’s new Community Sailing Manager. Caroline began sailing as a teenager at Belmont Harbor where she fell in love with the sport and continued competing at the collegiate level at the College of Charleston. The Chicago area native has nearly a decade of experience as a sailing instructor and said she is excited to take on this new role. 

“Sharing my passion for sailing with kids who haven’t experienced it before is what I really love. My favorite thing is seeing their eyes light up when they understand a new concept,” Caroline said. “I’m also excited to introduce kids to job opportunities on the water. My hope is that kids who fall in love with sailing see there are so many ways to make a living doing something they love,” she said.

Since taking on this new position in May, Caroline has worked closely with Francesca Sigmond, Foundation Program Manager, to expand programs with Foundation partners including the Union League Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago, SOS Children’s Villages Illinois, Build Chicago, and St. Joseph Services. Kids from these organizations will participate in the new Monroe Harbor sailing program as well as Belmont-based camps.

While campers at Belmont sail primarily on the Club’s sonar boats, the J/100 will be the flagship for the new Monroe sailing camp. Paul and Susan Herer graciously donated the inaugural J/100 to the program and other generous donors have committed to purchasing a second J/100 to be delivered later this summer.

“This new camp is an introduction to boating. Most of our kids have never been on a boat before In fact, many of them have never seen Lake Michigan,” Caroline said. “Our goals are to get them comfortable and wanting to come back and get more involved. They’ll learn boating terminology, how to trim the sails and how to steer the boat. But most of all, we want them to have fun.”

The Monroe Harbor location also offers some new sailing destinations for campers. “The kids will be sailing in the south harbor. If it’s a nice day we’ll go beyond the breakwall. Maybe we’ll take a tour of Navy Pier,” Caroline said. “We have a new collaboration with the Columbia Yacht Club so we’ll be joining their boats and doing some things together with them, too. It’s going to be a great summer.”