Our mission is to provide tuition-free sailing adventures for Gold Star Teens, veterans, and veterans' families. We want to do more than just say, "Thank you for your service," or "We appreciate your sacrifice."
Captain's Comments Captain Bryan Smith
Perception is tucked away for the winter, but that doesn't put a stop to the work our volunteers are doing. The engine, drive shaft, and transmission will get an overhaul to keep them running smoothly, and several other projects are in the works. We will widen and lengthen some of the bunks, and add some new ones so we can comfortably accomodate our Gold Star kids and crew.
A new marine toilet and on-demand water heater were donated to us and will be installed. Some of the beautiful teak woodwork will be touched up or refinished. Our woodworker Larry Ward is transforming our stainless steel steering wheel into a more classic teak-trimmed wheel and making new wooden blocks. Captain Denny is stripping and refinishing the masts. Others are going over the old blocks and spars and storing gear.
Our current stainless steel steering wheel (view with binnacle in front of wheel).
Larry's plan for covering the wheel with classic teak (view with binnacle behind wheel).
We are all volunteers--none of us gets paid for the work we do, and often pay for the materials we need out of our own pockets. We are very careful of our donated funds, and always are looking for new sources of income to run our Gold Star Teens programs and Free Sail for Veterans.
You Can Help
Contact Us about grants available from your organizations
Cherry Republic is selecting nonprofits for its 31 Days of Giving Campaign. Please click HERE to nominate Michigan Challenge! It'll only take a minute, and you don't have to sign up for anything!
Putting Perception To Bed For the Winter
Perception is staying in the water this winter, thanks to the kind people at Centerpointe Office and Marina Complex. Schooners Madeline, Utopia, and Manitou are berthed there, too, all under shrink wrap. Staying in the water, with bubblers to keep the ice from forming, saves us the expense of hiring a crane and truck both in the fall and again in the spring.
Mike Peleshok and Larry Ward erect the framework for the shrink wrap.
The framework is ready for the shrink wrap! Barb stows some extra lines.
Perception is draped in shrink wrap, ready for Captain Jason's heat gun.
The shrink wrap is tight and secure!
A zipper door is installed so we can get in and work in the winter.
All cozy and snug inside, a day before the snow hits!
The masts are taken to Captain Denny's for stripping and refinishing over the winter.
Captain Jason shrinks the cover over the masts, protecting them from the winter weather.
An access door is cut.
Thanks to everyone who helped put Perception to bed for the winter! Captains Bryan, Jason, and Denny, Loyal volunteers Judy, Steve, Vinney, Mike, Bill and Barb.
Captain Bryan Spreads the Word About Michigan Challenge
Now that Perception is in her winter berth, Captain Bryan has been making presentations at various organizations in Traverse City to explain our mission to help Gold Star Teens, Veterans, and their families.
Captain Bryan explains Michigan Challenge's mission to members of Power Leads, one of several networking groups in the Traverse City area.
Michigan Challenge Board members also gave a presentation to the Optimist Club. Pictured are Barb Horning, Judy King, and Captain Bryan Smith.
Optimist Initiation
Captain Bryan was initiated into the Optimist Club of Traverse City. The club's values align with ours perfectly!
One of the Optimist's projects, headed by Don Schmuckel, is providing boots for kids whose families cannot afford them. Here our treasurer Judy King and Captain Bryan help deliver boots to an area school.
In his spare time, Captain Bryan rings bells for the Salvation Army.
Over 70 1/2? You Can Reduce Your Taxable Income by Giving to Michigan Challenge
Giving from your IRA is a smart way to achieve your charitable goals and receive income tax benefits.
Current tax law allows you to donate to your favorite charities, such as Michigan Challenge, directly from your individual retirement account. Here’s how: When you turn 70½, you have to take a required minimum distribution (RMD) from your IRA. The withdrawal is counted as taxable income, which may increase your tax bill. If you make a charitable contribution directly from your IRA to Michigan Challenge, you benefit by reducing your income that is taxed.
This is called a qualified charitable distribution or QCD. You can make distributions up to $100,000 each year, and the amount will be excluded from gross income. QCDs can be made from the following IRAs: Traditional, Rollover, Inherited, SEP (inactive only), and SIMPLE (inactive only). You cannot make a QCD from a 401(k), 403(b) or Keogh plan during your lifetime.
To make a gift to Michigan Challenge from your IRA, follow these steps:
Consider how your required distribution will impact your finances and taxes overall.
Contact your IRA trustee to find out more about its process for arranging qualified charitable distributions.
Notify the trustee that you want to make a qualified charitable distribution, and fill out the required paperwork from the trustee. Please instruct them to provide your name and address on the QCD paperwork so we can provide the required receipt needed for your taxes.
The check should be made to Michigan Challenge and mailed to: Michigan Challenge, PO Box 673, Suttons Bay, MI 49682. When we receive it, we’ll provide the required receipt.
What is "Lake Effect" Snow?
Were you a recipient of the generous snowfall Northern Michigan received the week of November 10? Your editor in Suttons Bay woke up to 31 inches of snow filling up her driveway! So why do we get so much more snow than our neighbor Wisconsin? Thank Lake Michigan!
Lake-effect snow forms when cold, below-freezing air passes over Lake Michigan's warmer waters. There needs to be about a 25 degree difference between the air temperature and the water temperature. Lake water gives up warmth and moisture into the air. Winds push the moist air toward Michigan's mainland. When the air meets the colder temperatures over land it can no longer hold the moisture, so it falls as snow.
As cold air moves over Lake Michigan, bands of lake effect snow form, ready to dump their moisture as soon as they meet the even colder air on the mainland of west Michigan.
These bands may produce 2 or 3 inches of snow or more per hour.
Why do the clouds form in bands? As the warmer moisture-laden air rises it starts to cool again on the edges. The edges roll down forming long bands with clear air on either side. You can tell the snowfall is "lake effect" when you get sun, then snow, then sun, then snow, then sun, then snow, then sun . . .
Of course, "lake effect" is not just a snow feature. Lake Michigan affects Michigan's weather every day of the year. The lake is a buffer that cools us in the summer and tempers the cold of winter.
Many people believe that Lake Michigan is a buffer from tornadoes, too. Although meteorologists disagree, many sailors believe it's why Michigan gets very few tornadoes.
Do You Shop At Amazon?
Did you know that when you shop for the holidays at smile.amazon.com/ch/81-3333441, AmazonSmile donates to Michigan Challenge Traditional Sail Training?
I'm still waiting for my first drone delivery from Amazon, but I think it will be a long wait up here in Northern Michigan. However, whenever I buy something from Amazon I first go toAmazon Smile.
Calling All Sailors
I would like to invite all sailors and sailor wannabes to be a part of our growing organization. We need good people who are interested in crewing on schooner Perception. This may involve day sails with veterans, multi-day sails to Great Lakes destinations, and/or 4-day programs with Gold Star teens. Don't know how to sail a schooner? No worries, we'll teach you!
If you're interested or just curious, click HERE or in the box below and read our volunteer information and code of ethics. If we sound like the kind of people you'd like to work with, fill out the form on that page.
How Does The Weather
Look Today?
This month I've added St. Petersburg, Florida and the locks at Sault Ste. Marie.
Perception is docked at CenterPointe Marina on the water side of the big building with the seagulls on the side. The schooners are all shrink wrapped, so it's hard to tell who's who.The map below will help you find her!
