Sailability
Sailability
The people of Hong Kong have hearts of gold!
Words John Ball
They’ve donated three world class 2.4mR keel boats to Sailability since April!
On 12 April in a jolly carnival atmosphere, Victoria 1026
(Sailability’s first 2.4mR) was named and launched. Charles
Doyle, Charity Steward of Hong Kong’s Victoria Masonic Lodge
said, “The Lodge is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
Five years ago we decided to collect $1million to give to Hong
Kong charities.”
Together with Jeremy Stowe, while Victoria’s immediate Past
Master held aloft a symbolic giant cheque for $150,000,
Doyle continued, “The reason we chose Sailability as an
ideal charity to support is because it is a cross-culture, and
a cross-gender organisation supporting people with physical
disabilities and those with special needs and it is a Hong
Kong–based charity.” Stowe added, “We looked at several
charities and found Sailability to be perfect for us. It has been
wonderful for us and our families to come to HHYC and see
what our donation actually paid for.”
Hugh Chiverton, Head of RTHK Radio 3, and Ellen Yeung, Project Manager, Operation
Santa Claus, SCMP, gently pouring champagne to name and launch one of the two
2.4mR keel boats Operation Santa Claus funded for Sailability.
Santa Claus may have arrived at Hebe Haven a little late
this year…But the delay was well worthwhile! His ‘sack of
donations’ to Sailability was simply awesome!
RTHK and the SCMP’s Christmas 2013 Operation Santa Claus
donated $827,500 to Hebe Haven Sailability Trust. Of this,
$220,000 was given towards the cost of the two new 2.4mRs
and the remaining balance is to pay for the training, instructors
and safety boat drivers during training and to go towards the
cost of actually going to Korea. This is a Hong Kong first and
the first ever Asian Para Games sailing event, to be hel [[