South Shore Sailing School

Our hearts are with the family, friends, and first responders affected by last night’s tragic drowning incident near Washington Park Beach.

Many members of our sailing school community spend time on these waters, and news like this impacts all of us. We know families may have questions, and we want to reassure our students, campers, and parents that safety remains the foundation of the programs we offer.

South Shore Sailing School maintains strict safety protocols, including required life jackets while on the water, trained instructors and safety boat operators, continuous supervision of students, weather monitoring, and emergency response procedures that are regularly reviewed and practiced by our staff.

While no words can ease the pain of a tragedy like this, it serves as a reminder that Lake Michigan is a powerful and ever-changing environment that deserves our respect and attention.

Please join us in keeping those affected in your thoughts during this difficult time.

Water search underway for child in Michigan City, police say Michigan City police said they are searching for a child who was seen going into the water and disappearing.

Our training days, included lunch each day where we reconnected with old friends and welcomed the new CITs into our family. Classroom is ready with all our decorations and a new welcome/check in station. Instructors are ready for Monday!!!!

Training day for our instructors and CITs. A little friendly racing helps sharpen skills and promotes teamwork and camaraderie. Everyone did great today and learned a lot. ⛵️ 💨 🌊 ☀️ 🤩

Some things in a community go beyond a program or a season.

South Shore Sailing School is one of them.

As a nonprofit, our mission is simple — to open the waters of Lake Michigan to more people, and to do it in a way that is accessible, welcoming, and rooted in opportunity.

Each year, we’re proud to:
• Teach hundreds of youth and adult students
• Partner with Michigan City Area Schools to expand access and reduce barriers for local students
• Create pathways for young people to build confidence, leadership, and life skills
• Provide a welcoming entry point into sailing for individuals and families across our region

What makes it work isn’t just the program—it’s the people.

Our volunteer instructors.
Our board.
Our families.
Our donors and community partners.

Together, they make it possible to deliver meaningful experiences while keeping participation within reach for more members of our community.

Programs like this don’t happen by accident—they happen because a community chooses to invest in them.

Beyond the classroom, we’re proud to contribute to Michigan City’s waterfront in a real way:
• Introducing new participants to boating
• Promoting safety and stewardship on Lake Michigan
• Supporting local activity through visitors, families, and regional engagement
• Helping grow the next generation of boaters and marina users

We’re grateful for the support behind this work—and proud of what it represents for our community.

⛵️💨🌊⚓️🛥️🛟📚

There’s a lot of conversation right now about rising costs and how programs like ours keep going.

For us at South Shore Sailing School, the answer has always been people.

In the summer, it takes about 30 people to run our programs…
And only about a third of those roles are paid.

The rest?

They show up because they believe in what this program does.

• Volunteer instructors out on the water
• Counselors-in-training mentoring younger sailors
• A working board of directors guiding things year-round
• People stepping in wherever they’re needed

And something really important happens when people give their time:

They don’t just participate… they take ownership.

They care more deeply.
They invest in the kids.
They help shape the future of the program.

That’s what turns a program into a community.

We’re incredibly grateful for every single person—paid and volunteer—who makes this work.

If you’ve ever been part of this program, supported it, or believed in what we’re building… thank you.

And if you’re looking for a way to be involved—whether that’s volunteering, spreading the word, or supporting the mission—we’re always glad to have you as part of it.