Sequim Bay Yacht Club grows hospice fundraiser

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, October 2, 2019

By sail or by paddle, the Sequim community once again came out in droves to help family members and individuals under the care of hospice.

Hosted for the first time over two days, the 2019 Reach and Row for Hospice brought together dozens of water sport enthusiasts in sailboats and rowing craft to Sequim Bay, raising funds for the yacht club’s annual Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County (VHOCC) benefit.

Totals were not available for this year’s event, but the club has raised more than $360,000 for VHOCC’s respite care services in the past quarter century.

Contributions are being accepted and can be sent directly to: VHOCC, 829 E. Eighth St., Port Angeles WA 98362, with “Reach and Row for Hospice” in the memo line of checks.

The club kicked off its 27th annual sailboat on Sept. 28 with 10 boats, including seven Performance Handicap Racing Fleet boats and three Flying Junior dinghies from Port Angeles High School. Michael Kalahar of Port Angeles, at the helm of Litonyo, won Division A while Sequim’s Durkee Richards, caption of Sirius I, won Division B.

On Sept. 29, 34 rowers and paddlers in 18 craft — including rowing shells, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards — participated in the “Row” portion” of the event. The race attracted 21 rowers from Port Townsend, 12 from Sequim and one from Port Angeles. Overall day two winners were: Sandra Wanstall of Port Townsend, first; Alan Clark of Sequim, second; Charley Kanienski of Port Townsend, third; and Tuf As Nails, a women’s Port Townsend team, fourth.

Originally dubbed “Reach for Hospice,” the event expanded to include rowers in 2018 and a two-day event this fall.

For more about the event, see sequimbayyacht.club/reach-for-hospice.