On the voyage to recovery
Sailing event supports veterans suffering from PTSD and depression
A recent event at the Sea Cliff Yacht Club offered veterans a unique way to address PTSD and other mental health struggles: through sailing.
Organized by the yacht club in collaboration with Philanthropy in Phocus and SailAhead, the July 14 event aimed to provide therapeutic benefits and foster a sense of community among veterans.
Tommy DiMisa, host of Philanthropy in Phocus, a radio weekly radio show highlighting philanthropic events and organizations around Long Island, played a key role in connecting SailAhead with the Sea Cliff Yacht Club. DiMisa, who resides in Glen Head with his family, said that he first came across SailAhead’s work through his show, and became friendly with the co-founders Sean and Kilian Duclay.
“I’m very wired into the nonprofit sector,” DiMisa said. “I see opportunities to make connections and bring people together who may never have met otherwise. That’s what happened with SailAhead and the Sea Cliff Yacht Club.”
SailAhead, a nonprofit founded by the Duclay brothers in 2013, is dedicated to using sailing as a therapeutic platform to help veterans cope with PTSD and depression. The organization’s mission is driven by a desire to reduce the veteran suicide rate, a cause that resonated deeply with the Duclay brothers when they learned that 22 veterans die daily by suicide.
“This is the second year we’ve partnered with the Sea Cliff Yacht Club,” Sean Duclay said. “We had nine volunteer skippers who brought their sailboats to take 40 veterans sailing. It’s incredible to see the impact this has on the veterans and the volunteers alike.”
The event provided a day of sailing and a barbecue, fostering camaraderie among participants. For many veterans, the experience of sailing offers a unique blend of excitement, challenge, and peace.
“I think that sailing is multifaceted in its therapeutic benefits,” Duclay explained. “There’s a sense of isolation, like being on a spaceship, where you have to be completely self-sufficient, and you have nothing but the people around you to help you move the boat.”
The collaboration between the Sea Cliff Yacht Club and Sail Ahead began through a connection facilitated by DiMisa. He introduced the Duclays to his neighbor, Eric Hamm, who serves on the yacht club’s board. The support and the enthusiasm of Hamm and his fellow yacht club members was crucial in making the event a success.
“It was an honor to be able to spend some time with these folks that were joining us on board,” Hamm said. “They’ve served their country, and this is really a great way for us to hear them, to engage with them, and to share with them.”
The therapeutic value of sailing lies not only in the activity itself but also in the sense of community it fosters, according to Duclay. Veterans often miss the camaraderie of military life, and events like this help recreate that bond.
“There’s a lot to be said for the camaraderie and the bonds formed during military service,” Duclay noted. “Sailing provides a similar environment where veterans can work together, support each other, and feel like they’re part of a team again.”
Hamm explained that the organizers wanted to make the event a bit bigger than last year, and it featured a guest speaker who talked about his experience serving in the military.
DiMisa, reflecting on the success of the event, said that the best part of working with non-profits was seeing how the connections he helps make can have a real impact on people and the community. He emphasized the importance of supporting his community and the power of connections.
“This is the coolest thing I get to do every day. Bringing people together and seeing the positive impact it has is incredibly rewarding,” he said. “And the ripple effect of these connections is profound. The veterans, the skippers, everyone involved is better off because of it.”
The Sea Cliff Yacht Club, Philanthropy in Phocus, and Sail Ahead plan to continue their partnership, with hopes of making this an annual event. Their shared goal is to provide more veterans with the opportunity to experience the healing power of sailing, building a supportive community one voyage at a time.
For more information on the work of each of these organizations, visit Sailahead.org, PhilanthropyInFocus.com or SeaCliffyc.org.
