Hello Facebook friends, this is me – Melv. In an unguarded moment I agreed to help
in a fund raising event for a Bermuda charity that potentially involves me
willingly or unwillingly ending up in Hamilton harbour in March – which is
practically the middle of winter now global warming is changing weather
patterns even here.
Really, can you see this amiable buffer dunked into
the oily, smelly and …. Very chilly waters of Hamilton harbour? I am sure that your better natures will
come out with a resounding ‘No’ and that you will contribute big time to my
ultimate safety and comfort.
Actually I think that’s how it works anyway. Pay a lot and he skips a dunking, pay a
little and in he goes. Don’t pay
and I think there was talk of being sold to the galleys if they have them any
more… but I know that that’s not what you really want. Is it?
The following is the official bit, logo + some vital
information on the why’s and wherefore’s and in particular the how of actually
ponying up the big bucks to help me miss out on that soggy and decidedly
unhappy ending. So do please read it as opposed to skipping it and moving onto
the more interesting bit at the end.
The Pirates of Bermuda have named me, MARK MELVIN, as a person of value and
are conspiring to take me hostage!
My ‘Wanted’ poster is all over the Island and the pirates are demanding that I walk the
plank. I need your help to raise
my ransom! On Sunday, March 5th,
my fate will be determined at # One Car Park and Dock between 2:00pm - 4:00pm, so please come and show your support.
AS A DONOR, YOU HAVE A CHOICE!
Donate towards me
walking the plank (SINK) into the chilly waters of Hamilton Harbour L
or
Donate towards my
ransom (SAVE) so I am safely escorted off Spirit
of Bermuda….dry! J
Go to:
https://www.ptix.bm/pirates
When you
visit ptix.bm/pirates, you are not actually buying tickets, you are donating to
SINK or SAVE (as many hostages as you like- it’s like a shopping cart).
Choose the hostage, enter the amount you wish to contribute, and click on
SINK or SAVE, then hit the back button to go back to another hostage.
It’s easy, and it’s all in good spirit for a very worthwhile youth
programme. When you are done, proceed to checkout. You will get a “ticket”
as a receipt emailed to you.
PLEASE,
Spread the word!
•
Bermuda Sloop Foundation is the organisation that runs Spirit of Bermuda
and the learning expeditions on board Spirit of Bermuda at no charge to
Bermuda’s public school students, taking an entire class of middle school
students out on 5-day voyages throughout the school year, where the trainees
learn the value of being healthy and the power of taking responsibility for
oneself. These and other character development opportunities are in
addition to the STEM based experiential activities that connect to the middle
school curriculum.
•
Their programme and the Foundation recently received the highest award
from Sail Training International at the Tall Ships International Conference in
Quebec, Canada: for “Vessel Operator of the Year”, awarded to a sail
training organisation, operating smaller vessels, that demonstrates excellence
in ‘innovation’ and ‘best practice’ in sail training for young people.
•
Through vigilant fund raising, grant applications, corporate and private
charters, and special Foundation events such as PIRATES OF BERMUDA, BSF is able
to offer their programmes to Bermuda’s public school youth at no charge
to the students, who may not otherwise be able to benefit from such an
experience. As many as 400 Middle School youth per year benefit from this
programme.
•
Donations help to fund student voyage bursaries for school voyages and
summer learning expeditions on Spirit.
•
Your participation and contributions are greatly appreciated by all involved
with Spirit of Bermuda and the Foundation!
The official stuff was pretty dull beside my preamble,
wasn’t it? What it didn’t cover is some other interesting things.
First, a did you know. Did you know that the Bermuda Sloop takes passengers on its
trips overseas? As in paying
passengers. There’s some
particularly nice sounding ones this spring (after the March ending to this
promotion) in the West Indies as it’s the 400th anniversary of
Antigua. Check out the website.
And the other thing is of course the America’s Cup
this summer. The sloop actually
has received a bye into the play off final between Team Oracle and the winner
of the Challenger Series so the final races will be between 3 vessels not the
usual 2. This is a Bermuda first
for the America’s Cup (and OK I may have made it up, but it does sound fun!).
That’s it then.
I do hope you find it in yourselves to make a contribution no matter how
small (although I hope its not too small) for this is a great charity and the
sloop itself is a masterpiece of old engineering that showcases how we all used
to get around before cars, buses, aeroplanes and space craft. Much slower, so plenty of time to smell
the roses and just kick back (if you’re a paying passenger anyway otherwise
there was always the risk of a keel hauling).
Melv
