Friday, July 24, 2009

Five battered families served by SOFTIN in one very special evening

Five families living under abusive conditions, and trying to break the patterns of abuse, had a chance for a healing adventure thanks to a special trip arranged by SOFTIN in collaboration with Capt. Jason Diamond, owner/operator of the vessel Stardust in Santa Barbara. A special “Thank you” to Capt. Jason and his crew, Sal and KC.

These families are in a special program, working with therapists from Child Abuse Listening & Mediation (CALM)… a collaborator of SOFTIN’s. CALM contacted SOFTIN and we put together a special evening trip for this large group.

The weather was perfect, seas were calm, critters were friendly and in wonderful abundance. A special treat was cruising slowly by a navigation buoy in use by nearly a dozen California sea lions hauled out and sunning themselves. We studied pinnipeds, shore birds and pelagic sea birds and plant life. We talked about local shipwrecks, conservation, water quality management, marine debris prevention and wildlife management as we taught the principles of ethical angling. The kids had a blast catching a releasing fish and it was readily apparent that some of them discovered a healthy outdoors hobby.

One of our volunteers noted that the children had come aboard with traces of sadness in their eyes, but left with smiling faces and eyes lit up with the joy of adventure.

Capt. David Bacon
http://www.softininc.org/
http://softininc.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Car Show FUNdraiser countdown

Final days of preparations brought many pleasant surprises for SOFTIN’s car show and silent auction, this Saturday (July 25th) at Santa Barbara’s Earl Warren Showgrounds at Las Positas offramp from the 101 freeway, 10:00am to 4:00pm. We have commitments from many car clubs to bring their gorgeous show cars… hotrods, classics, lowriders, trucks and even custom bicycles. We have good turnout from the vendor community with lots of goods and services represented. Stacks of great used books will be for sale at a special table. We’ll have games and plenty for kids to do. Adults and kids alike will enjoy listening to RedFish classic rock band. We expect two DJ’s to mix music, games, fun and announcements. Take a chance on a valuable raffle. A huge rack of trophies will be awarded to the best show cars, trucks and bicycles. Judging will be done by professionals. Food and drinks are available at the concession stand in the dome.

We’re ready to roll out a great show. All we need now is a solid turnout from the community. Please plan to come and generously support SOFTIN’s programs. If you are unable to attend, please consider supporting SOFTIN by using the Donate Now button here on SOFTIN’s blogspot page.

Capt. David Bacon
www.softininc.org
http://softininc.blogspot.com

PS: More detailed information about the car show/silent auction is at: http://www.softininc.org/SOFTIN/Fundraising_Event.html

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Boat work... the other full time SOFTIN job

Anything that has to do with boats comes with a hidden agenda… boat work. SOFTIN’s good deeds are no exception. For every hour spent with our special-needs passengers, there is an hour and a half worth of boat work to do.

A SOFTIN day begins at the office getting the paperwork ready and progresses to the boat well in advance of the time we plan to meet the passengers. The boat must be cleaned and made safe and presentable inside and out (even though it may have been cleaned after a trip the day before… there are birds around the harbor, don’t ya know). Life vests must be checked. Curriculum supplies must be checked and stowed in a readily-accessible location. There must be time to check the boat’s electrical systems, navigational and hazard avoidance systems and steering. We start and warm up the motors, while listening to the latest reports on the marine radio station. We begin the passenger manifest and prepare the mandatory paperwork for the passengers or their caregivers to read, fill-out and sign.

Now the real fun begins. Once the passengers arrive the crew is thoroughly enjoying ourselves meeting and getting to know the people, fitting life vests and giving a safety orientation so that everyone feels and behaves safely. Now we get to cast off and work through our curriculum, tailored to meet the special needs of this particular group of people. We are flexible enough to bring the adventure to life for the people we serve.

After the trip and the passengers leave, more boat work remains. We go to the fuel dock, fill up and return to the slip. We write logs and file paperwork. We stow safety gear and curriculum materials where they belong. We clean the boat again, just as thoroughly as before the trip. Finally we lock up the vessel and go back to the office to catch up on business matters and line up more SOFTIN excursions before going home to a much-needed meal and a well-deserved night’s sleep.

There may be a lot to it, but SOFTIN work is bliss because it is deeply touching to help special needs people so profoundly.

Capt. David Bacon
Executive Director,
SOFTIN, Inc.
www.softininc.org
www.softininc.blogspot.com

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

SOFTIN's Needs

SOFTIN has some immediate needs and also ongoing needs you may hopefully be able to help with.

IMMEDIATE NEEDS:
Our major fundraiser and community awareness raiser event, a car show and silent auction, is coming right up… Saturday, July 25th at Earl Warren Showgrounds at the 101 freeway and Las Positas offramp in Santa Barbara. The show runs from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Our needs are for donated items of value for the silent auction. Can you help? Please send items (shipped to arrive before July 25th) to SOFTIN’s offices at 691 Camino Campana, Santa Barbara, Ca 93111. Your donations will help support SOFTIN’s programs for disabled, impaired, victims of abuse, frail elderly and youths-at-risk.

We want to see a great community turnout, so please exercise your own social networking capabilities to help us get the community there.


ONGOING NEEDS:
The educational adventure programs of SOFTIN require cash funding. Please help. There is a Paypal button on this blogspot page. We can also accept credit card deposits. Just call us at (805) 895-3273 to arrange your donation. Please mail checks (made out to SOFTIN, Inc.) to us at: 691 Camino Campana, Santa Barbara, Ca 93111.

Capt. David Bacon
Executive Director
http://www.softininc.org/
http://softininc.blogspot.com

PS: Expect to owe state or federal taxes? You can give money to SOFTIN to reduce your tax burden. And we'll do GOOD works with your money!

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Our mission and curriculum, your mission

Our Mission Statement

With funding from the public, SOFTIN enables the disabled, builds self-esteem in the physically and mentally impaired, helps victims of abuse overcome trauma, assists elderly in living fuller lives, educates children and teaches troubled youth the values of nature, conservation and community spirit... all through unique and tailored at-sea learning/research experiences.

Curriculum specifics (short version)

Teaching enabling life skills and sense of self esteem to challenged special-needs people (including disabled, impaired, victims of abuse, frail elderly, youths-at-risk) though one-on-one, hands-on educational lessons and experiences at sea; practicing marlinspike seamanship; viewing, identification and monitoring of marine mammals and seabirds; demonstrating subsistence/recreational fishing skills focused on the principles of ethical angling; teaching ocean conservation values and water quality issues; learning about the people, infrastructure, vessel types and job/career opportunities among our waterfront communities; monitoring and educating the public and resource managers about sea life and habitat.


Your Mission Statement

Help us help them. Your tax deductible donation to SOFTIN, Inc. will enrich the lives of the disabled, impaired, victims of abuse, elderly and youths-at-risk we serve. Give them educational experiences and skills that they would otherwise never gain. Imagine the nurturing power of close interaction with the creatures of the sea – mammals, birds, fish, shellfish and plants. Imagine their joy of learning life-enriching knowledge and skills including reading the signs of weather, monitoring various marine life, fishing, working with ropes, learning to use charts/maps and understanding the lifestyle and career possibilities of the waterfront community. Finally, imagine the genuine and profound appreciation of the special people we serve and empower to live fuller lives. Our mission is made possible by your mission. Give generously and do it now because the need is now.

Capt. David Bacon
Executive Director, SOFTIN
http://www.softininc.org/
http://softininc.blogspot.com

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Foster care kids - serving a disability of neglect

Disabilities and impairments come in many forms, some are difficult to fathom but just as real as a leg that cannot support weight. One such condition we see on SOFTIN trips is a disability caused by neglect. From among the various groups we serve, this is most readily apparent among foster kids. The sad truth is that too many foster parents are in it for the monthly check and the kids suffer from lack of homespun education and familial experiences They struggle with who they are and what they are capable of. These are the forgotten kids of our society and become our youths-at-risk.

I’m happy to report that not all foster parents are like that, and we can see tremendous differences among foster care kids. During our trips, we strive to serve the needs of each individual as can only be done in small group settings with nearly one-on-one caregiving.

Seafaring Opportunities For Those In Need (SOFTIN), Inc., adjusts our curriculum differently to meet the needs of the physically disabled, or the mentally impaired, or terminally ill, or neglected kids. When foster care kids come aboard, we give them a great deal of personal attention, listen to them when they share their own stories, and focus on the educational aspect of our trips. We also strive to help create that important emotional connection to the critters of the sea, which becomes a very healing force.

Interestingly, foster kids tend to focus most attentively (and more so than any other group) on our talks about job and career opportunities along the waterfront and at sea. What they are capable of and what they can accomplish in their lives are areas where they have commonly had the least adult input yet have the greatest hunger for knowledge. By feeding that hunger for information and knowledge, we empower them to see themselves in satisfying professional roles such as Coast Guard crew, Harbor Patrol Officers, vessel-for-hire crew and eventually captain, commercial fishers, oil rig workers, chandlery clerks, waterfront custodians, seafood chefs and numerous other seafaring positions.

By inviting foster care kids to see themselves in these positions, they feel empowered to develop and believe in a professional goal. In turn, this motivates them to become academic achievers and have a dream to believe in and work towards. And that… is the greatest lesson we can possibly teach.

Capt. David Bacon
Executive Director,
SOFTIN, Inc.
www.softininc.org
http://softininc.blogspot.com

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Public service announcements for car show

We are getting good publicity for SOFTIN's car show & silent auction, sceduled for Saturday, July 25th at Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara (101 fwy and Los Positas exit).

During the weeks before the event, the following radio stations/shows have agreed to air our Public Service Announcements:
KZSB
Fish Talk
KDB
KMIX
Gold Coast
KVTA
KDAR
KRUZ
Magic

This list is a work-in-progress and we anticipate adding to the list.

Capt. David Bacon
Executive Director,
Seafaring Oppotunities For Those In Need (SOFTIN), Inc.
dbacon@softininc.org
http://www.softininc.org/

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Special preparations for special adventures with special-needs people

Preparing for a SOFTIN trip is such a special time for the crew. Sure, there is always the boat preparation work to do because we run a clean and tidy vessel, but we also go through an emotional preparedness process that begins with eager anticipation.

Eagerness stems from knowing we are preparing to help people gain profound experiences by connecting them with nature and sea critters in a new (to them) environment. You see…very few of the special needs people we serve have experience on boats. This is new, wild and a little intimidating at first. So we prepare ourselves to be calming influences and earn our passengers trust by interacting directly and openly and by showing seagoing competence. The kids are generally pretty quick to recognize us as trustworthy people and that helps tremendously as they work to feel comfortable on a moving boat.

We prepare the passengers by talking to them about the boat and the sea and telling them stories, as we fit their life preservers and take care of paperwork. We provide a brief safety orientation and then we cast off. Once free from shore… the adventure begins!
You can learn more about the adventure by visiting our website, www.softininc.org. While visiting, please check out the page about our car show/silent auction fundraising event.