Hello Everyone!

What a busy summer! So much has gone on – races, book signings, kids’ events. It’s going to take a few updates to get caught up. I’m sorry I’m so far behind, but these are good reasons!

Two items for this update, first, the book has been very well received, but I’m going to hold off telling you about it and the accompanying video until after I fill you in on the great kids’ events that took place this summer.

FIRST OFF… before I update you I want to tell you that this coming Tuesday, November 5th,the good folks at The Chicago Maritime Arts Center will be hosting its second annual Meet and Greet fundraiser at the Lagunitas Brewery Company in Chicago. This will be great! Come please! Tickets are HERE!… Hope to see you there!

So, on to the update… The Chicago Maritime Arts Center, which I support through my ambassadorship with 11th Hour Racing, had a great summer of classes. Our mainstay is a class building the Bevin Skiff. Groups of young people, over a few weeks of after-school hours, build, paint, and launch a Bevin Skiff. This has proven to be a wonderful experience for young people, and our stack of Bevin Skiffs is growing. Each one colorfully painted to reflect the spirit of the kids who built it. One boat, from the class hosted by the Carpenter’s Union in Chicago, came out painted like a baseball stadium after the students and instructor found out they had a shared passion. The bow was home plate, and the scoreboard was painted on the stern!

It’s fun and amazing to watch these shy kids turn into confident tool users, launch their creation and then learn how to row it. I know you would all get the same thrill I did from working with these kids.

At the Southern Shores Yacht Club, CMAC held its first Boating Skills and Ecology Program. From 10am to 3pm each day for a week, a group of 14 kids took part in learning to row the boats, paddle a kayak, tie knots, be safe around the water and sail a boat. We also learned about the water and ecology of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River– two very precious local resources in our lives.

On Thursday of that week, Greg and Joe Rickard graciously hosted the young mariners on their large sailboat for an excursion out onto the big waters of Lake Michigan. This was met with trepidation and excitement — depending on the mindset. But by the end of the sail, even those most reluctant to venture out were bounding around the boat, taking a turn at the wheel, and enjoying the spirit and freedom of traveling with just the wind.

So, to explain this a bit more…  this Tuesday, November 5, CMAC will be hosting its second annual Meet and Greet fundraiser at the Lagunitas Brewery Company in Chicago. We had a blast last year and plan for an even larger crowd this year.

If you’re in the area, try to set aside the evening and join us as we celebrate the wonderful summer, present our plans for next year and gather to support Chicago Maritime Arts Center. Full disclosure, this is our annual fundraiser, the kids enjoy your consideration and support. So, thanks for purchasing a ticket and making a donation to support CMAC. GET YOUR TICKETS RIGHT HERE!

Okay, onto news of my book, Spirit of a Dream. I’ve received two royalty checks now, so I can fully declare I’m an author. I can add the title of Author to those of Carpenter, Sailor, and Storyteller on my resume!

Everyone who’s read the book tells me it touched them and how much they’ve enjoyed it. A few of you commented you thought it would be a consolidation of the blog posts from the circumnavigation and were pleasantly surprised and engaged by the intimate and inspiring story that unfolded. Thanks so much for that great feedback.

I’ve had some great book signings and talks scattered throughout the summer. Boswell’s Books in Milwaukee now stocks Spirit of a Dream after holding a full house talk. Those of you who wish to pick up a book in person and support an independent book store, stop by one of these excellent places — Boswell’s Books in Milwaukee, The Book Stall in Winnetka, Crowley’s Yacht Yard store on the southern end of Chicago, and if you’re wandering up the Maine Coast, you can find a copy at The Nautical Scribe on Rt.1 in Stockton Springs, ME.

Something else exciting is that we’ve finally been able to upload our VIDEO TRAILER for the book! My great friend Rob Forney jumped in to help me put together a trailer video for the book. You can check it out at this link. https://youtu.be/wblmlKtGXrU.  It’s also on the Author’s Page on the Amazon Listing and soon to be found in other locations. For those of you uncertain if you want to read the book, take a three-minute break, and watch the video, Hopefully, you’ll want the rest of the story.

That’s it for this update. Please check out the Chicago Maritime Arts Center link above for tickets to our Meet and Greet; we dearly appreciate, and thank you for your support.

Coming in December, a book signing at The Captiva Yacht Club, Captiva, FL on Tuesday, December 3 for you early snowbirds. If any of you have a club or group that would enjoy hosting a talk while I’m in Florida or on the road to and from there, I’d love to hear from you. Or if your group or club is looking for something fun to do on a winter weekend, let’s set up a talk/signing. I’ve got a four-wheel-drive so bring on the weather, light a fire in the fireplace and let’s spin some yarns!

Thanks, as always, for coming along for the journey.

“The journey you are on will teach you what you need to learn,
not what you plan to learn.”  — from the pages of Spirit of a Dream.

– Dave and his merry band of characters