Has anyone on this board ever tired or had any success setting up a volunteer wakeboarding program? What I've been trying to do over the course of this winter is set up a program for kids who don't have the opportunity to wakeboard to get out and give it a try. My plan was to work with an association like the YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, local park boards or the Boys and Girls club and set up a couple days a month where I would take a small group of kids out and teach them how to wakeboard. Totally free, all volunteer, my equipment, my gas, my time. I have totally hit a brick wall on trying to give people a free ride and am looking for some suggestions. <BR> <BR>I had a guy at the Boys and Girls club who was totally hyped on the idea, but we got shot down because their insurance would go up 4k. Wish I had the 4k to give um but I don't. Anyone know anyway to get around the insurance hassle of something like this? I'm covered on my end as long as I'm not charging everyone in my boat is covered under my policy. <BR> <BR>Anyone in MN interested in helping me set this up maybe if I had a larger group I could get somewhere faster? <BR> <BR>Anyone have any experience with any other volunteer stuff, is it always a huge pain?

Jason, i would LOVE to help you out, that means more time for me on the water as well..and i will NEVER pass that up, and the fact that i love teaching people is a plus. I'm from woodbury, will be moving out to St. Paul this summer...still not too far. <BR> <BR>I have a friend with a cabin on the whitefish chain of lakes too so if you're doing it up there maybe we can help out, and if not up there, we can still ride together sometime bro! <BR> <BR>Anywho, let me know how i can help, i dont know much about the insurance issue but i would be more than willing to donate my time, free of charge, whenever! PM me or email me <a href="mailto:eder10986@yahoo.com">eder10986@yahoo. com</a> <BR> <BR>P.S...check out the MN Riders Thread too. theres a bunch of guys who would be willing to help you out too i bet!

10,000 Wakes camp in MN works with the school districts and YMCA they may have some insite. <BR><a href="http://www.10kwakes.com/" target="_blank">http://www.10kwakes.com/</a>

Jason, I helped out with In His Wakes when they came through Georgia. They are a Christian based ministry that teaches under-privileged kids to ski and then correlates the time on the water to life lessons. Anyway, I showed up at the lake with my wakeboards and well, if you had the opportunity to ride 2 ugly looking skis or an awesome wakeboard you can imagine which the kids chose. We taught 7-8 kids how to get up and wakeboard that day, it was a blast. I just looked at their schedule and they don't get up to MN, but I'm sure there are other organizations like that...heck, you could call local churches and pitch your idea to the youth pastor...I'm sure they'd jump at that opportunity.

Jason, I would love to help out with a project like that... but i live in CA. Anyone in CA want to do this for our youth?

Jason <BR> <BR>I can help you out. Im NWL Chairman and VP of USA Wakeboard. We are the official national governing body and United States Olympic Committee member. We can sanction your event as a grassroots event and provide you with insurance under our group rate. I can donate some tshirts ect. <BR> <BR> You may call me personally on my cell 765-744-6310 an I can give you the quick run down but here is a link to about 1hr worth of info <BR><a href="http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/TournKit/Grassroots/Tournament%20Kit.htm" target="_blank">http://www.usawaterski.org/pages/TournKit/Grassroots/Tournament%20Kit.htm</a> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by redsupralaunch on February 17, 2008)

This is one of the things that our non-profit does.. <BR> <BR>I sent you a private message.

There is a guy on here named Tuneman that is from the Minneapolis area and I believe the organization that he volunteers for is called Walk on Water. It sounds very similar to the In His Wakes program. Maybe he will chime in here, otherwise you could send him a message.

Thanks for all the help so far, I have a few things in the works and hopefully something plays out. <BR> <BR>Any other advise I'd sure like to hear it.

i could be way off here...but couldn't you get the kids/kids parents to sign a waiver saying you and the ymca (or big brothers/sisters, or whoever you were working with) wouldn't be held liable for any injuries and whanot. i would think that would cover it. just my two cents

You could do a combined fund raiser with both the YMCA and your local Wake board community. I think with that and local dealer support you could make it happen.

I could get the kids parents to sign off I'm sure, the biggest problem is I don't have a group of kids at this point that's what I'm looking for.

true, i'm sure you can get a group at the YMCA, or an inner city church and just have them sign off. there has to be PLENTY of kids who want, if nothing else, to go out on a boat ya know?!? I'd say big brothers/sisters, ymca and churches would be your best bet.

If you want to use wakeboarding for fund raising, I have donated 3 hours of wakeboarding lessons (boat, gas, beginner instruction) at charity silent auctions. Usually that turns out to be lessons for some kids that are just starting out so you get to expose some new riders to wakeboarding and make a few bucks for a charity. I know you have bigger plans, but thought that might help you raise some money and interest in the sport.

Why sure I'd love to ride for free:D <BR> <BR>jk sounds like a nice thing to do.