SOFTIN partners with CALM to give abused families a happy adventure

Last evening, SOFTIN along with our collaborative partner Child Abuse Listening & Mediation (CALM) and Capt. Jason Diamond the owner of the vessel, Stardust, provided a much-needed seagoing adventure for nearly forty battered/abused children and moms. These families live daily with abusive situations that seem like nightmares, so it gave us a powerful sense of accomplishment to give them an opportunity to learn, interact with nature and just have some good clean fun.

The kids’ faced lit up when they came aboard and spread out around the beautiful vessel. All the sights and sounds were new and exciting and the kids went into “learn and have fun” mode in a supervised environment, allowing the moms to relax and enjoy the outing themselves. SOFTIN staff and Board of Director members, CALM therapists and the crew of the Stardust went into teach mode, pointing out interesting things about the waterfront, the sea and the critters of the sea and sea shore.

The happy group saw seagulls, night herons, brown pelicans, cormorants, egrets, harbor seals and sea lions. While we were out the kids caught and released a good number of fish, allowing us to teach first-hand lessons about resource management, water quality management and marine debris prevention.

We cruised back into the harbor as the sun set. As the smiling kids and appreciative moms disembarked, thanking us profusely, we volunteers were left with a feeling that we really helped some kids gain experiences their lives were lacking and we gave the moms a shared experience they can talk with their kids about to help them through rough times ahead as they try to improve their lives. We helped and it felt great!

Capt. David Bacon
Executive Director,
SOFTIN
dbacon@softininc.org
www.softininc.org

PS: We at SOFTIN are always looking for more collaborative partners to team up with to serve special-needs people.

SOFTIN offers edu-adventures during Santa Barbara Sea Festival

Santa Barbara is having a Sea Festival (www.sbseafestival.com) May 1st through the 15th and SOFTIN is offering educational adventures for special-needs people (okay to bring a caregiver if needed). Here is the schedule:

SOFTIN
Tue. May 4th (3:30pm until 5:00pm)
Thu. May 6th (3:30pm until 5:00pm)
Mon. May 10th (3:30pm until 5:00pm)
Wed. May 12th (3:30pm until 5:00pm)
SOFTIN, Inc. (www.softininc.org), a local nonprofit, provides free at-sea educational adventures… teaching enabling life skills and sense of self-esteem… to special needs people (disabled, impaired, victims of abuse, frail elderly and youth-at-risk). Okay to bring a caregiver for those who need one. To join in on an adventure, contact Capt. Tiffany Vague at: tvague@softininc.org

Capt. David Bacon
Executive Director,
SOFTIN
dbacon@softininc.org
www.softininc.org

SOFTIN website gets updates

SOFTIN's website www.softininc.org has a new look and features. Check out the page about our upcoming car show fundraiser at the WWII Air Museum in Camarillo, Ca., and also check out the page on Bentwing, our hero brown pelican. Let us know what you think and how you can help drive our mission.

Capt. David Bacon
Executive Director,
SOFTIN
dbacon@softininc.org
www.softininc.org

PS: Will you or your company be a sponsor of our car show in July? Contact Capt. Tiffany at tvague@softininc.org

A heartwarming SOFTIN memory to share

It is such a special treat to meet past SOFTIN passengers and listen to their memories. We had such a moment this past weekend while hosting a family yard sale at my home. A grandmotherly type with three kids in tow came walked up the driveway. I had a table set up with fishing gear for sale. The three kids (ages 7 to 13) stopped at the table to admire the fishing lures while the grandma walked on to look at clothes and household items. One kid said, “I’ve been on a boat. Do you know the ‘What-up’ birds?”

That question about floored me, since the What-up birds are a pair of seagulls who adopted the SOFTIN boat, WaveWalker and visit us every time we come back to harbor. If these kids met our pals the What-up birds, it had to have happened aboard our boat. So I replied, “Yes, the What-up birds are my friends. How do you know those birds?

The girl looked closely at me and I could see the recognition spark in her eyes. She said, “Hey, weren’t you on that boat?”

“Yes,” I laughed. “I’m Captain David of SOFTIN, and Captain Tiffany (I pointed across the driveway at her) was there, too.”

All three kids looked at her, and the same girl squealed, “I know Captain Tiffany!”

Tiffany rushed over and was immediately swarmed with hugs. The youngsters couldn’t talk and gesticulate fast enough to share their flood of happy memories from their SOFTIN trip with us. At times they talked over each other and at times they talked in unison. Through the whole story telling session they were wide-eyed and excited to relive and share their positive experiences and memories. They had been referred to us by our collaborating partner, Child Abuse Listening and Mediation (CALM). We have done many good works together.

These are moments to live for…..

Capt. David Bacon
Executive Director,
SOFTIN
dbacon@softininc.org
www.softininc.org