Freedom Boat Club Hosts Big Brothers and Sisters

Freedom Boat Club hosted a day on the water on May 21 for children and their mentors from Big Brother Big Sisters. The group of 23 “Bigs” and 24 “Littles” boarded six boats at the Freedom Boat Club docks at Beach Marine and then headed out on the water with Freedom Boat Club members at the helm to share their love of boating.

“The weather was just perfect for a day on the water and the kids and their mentors really enjoyed it,” said Lisa Almeida, co-owner of Freedom Boat Club Jacksonville. “Many of these kids had never been on a boat before, so it was really great to be able to give them this experience and to pass along a little boating knowledge to the kids.”

The group traveled past Fort George Island so they could see the boats rafted up for the day, spotted dolphins and a manatee and passed by a large container ship. The trip lasted about two hours and was followed by an ice-cream party sponsored by Mavi Waterfront Bar & Grill, a new restaurant at Beach Marine.

Freedom Boat Club is a supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters and launched a national campaign in 2016 to raise awareness and funds for the organization. Events, like this one, are part of the campaign to support the largest volunteer supported mentoring network in the nation.