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Help Needed Dive Charity
Hello everyone! It has been a while since I have been on here as I have been busy with a new project that I would like to introduce to each of you. My goal here is to get feedback from all of you on this project as it involves two of the things I know we all share.
1. Promoting our sport
2. Helping Children
I am currently gathering information to start a non-profit organization here in South Carolina. This organization will be focused on introducing scuba diving to underprivileged teens who would not otherwise have the opportunity to do so.
As I get wet as a Divemaster I have always noticed the fellowship and the smiles that are associated with not only learning to dive yet continuing to dive as a lifestyle. I have also noticed that besides an agencies attempts to involve children and teens it is usually if not always a family memeber (Mom or Dad) that brings a teen or child to dive for an expensive vacation. Yes, there are the regular programs that show kids how to dive and they tailor the curriculum to teach the necessary skills in a manner in which children can learn YET I think we can do so much more for those that can't 1. afford or 2. feel they can't achieve some of these things that I am talking about.
We learned as open water student and we were taught that the buddy system was the way to go. Diving is a social sport though and I can't remember a time that someone didn't say hello to me that I either dive with or knew or assisted in their open water class. I also have a new friend every time I buddy up and entrust not only my life with his or hers yet they do the same with mine. Each time that student comes up they have that same smirk on their face and the same thing occurs on the boat (we can't stop talking about what we saw or how we could better ourselves). This leads me to what I am trying to achieve.
There are several thousand orphaned and underprivileged kids in South Carolina. Why not promote the environment (which they may never experience) and teach them the skills necessary to advance and become those smiling, non-stop talking and sharing social butterflies that we all become as we learn to dive or continue. Diving is so much more then just the water and a tank on your back. Diving promotes math skills. Diving promotes trust. Diving promotes a total lifestyle which I feel each of these teens surely needs and desires. Lastly, diving in areas and travelling to destinations outside of our world as we know it makes us more worldly in our lives. I don't know about you, but in my travels I have seen people that have made me surely appreciate the fact that I am blessed. I want to give that back to a child that would not otherwise have the opportunity. This is why I am starting this non-profit organization.
Starting locally here in the Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg area and with a desire to expand to other locations as it grows.
So what is it I am looking for from you guys? Ideas, thoughts & comments!!!! I am reaching out to each of you in an effort to see what each of you thinks can be done to link current divers and spark the same desire and passion that I share and give an underprivileged child the chance to enjoy the underwater environment while learning the sport that we all are passionate about.
My thought is that once the interest is sparked in that child a cooperation can be formed between the agency in which the teen is housed and aid in the development and advancement of that child. Scuba diving then becomes the incentive. Getting out of the orphanage, home or facility and being in the outdoors with people that are upbeat and share the social skills that some of these kids surely may not otherwise be afforded. Opening up a new world and environment and making that child aware of the lake, ocean or pond.
I cannot think of a better way to promote the sport that I truly love all the while giving an underprivileged child the chance to grow.
Share your thoughts and let me know what you think. Any and all ideas are welcomed as I begin this adventure and desire to share what it is that I truly love
Dan
Right now this is something that I am truly passionate about yet I know that I can't do this alone. This is why I am asking all of you to just jot down some ideas and share what you think with me.
Hello everyone! It has been a while since I have been on here as I have been busy with a new project that I would like to introduce to each of you. My goal here is to get feedback from all of you on this project as it involves two of the things I know we all share.
1. Promoting our sport
2. Helping Children
I am currently gathering information to start a non-profit organization here in South Carolina. This organization will be focused on introducing scuba diving to underprivileged teens who would not otherwise have the opportunity to do so.
As I get wet as a Divemaster I have always noticed the fellowship and the smiles that are associated with not only learning to dive yet continuing to dive as a lifestyle. I have also noticed that besides an agencies attempts to involve children and teens it is usually if not always a family memeber (Mom or Dad) that brings a teen or child to dive for an expensive vacation. Yes, there are the regular programs that show kids how to dive and they tailor the curriculum to teach the necessary skills in a manner in which children can learn YET I think we can do so much more for those that can't 1. afford or 2. feel they can't achieve some of these things that I am talking about.
We learned as open water student and we were taught that the buddy system was the way to go. Diving is a social sport though and I can't remember a time that someone didn't say hello to me that I either dive with or knew or assisted in their open water class. I also have a new friend every time I buddy up and entrust not only my life with his or hers yet they do the same with mine. Each time that student comes up they have that same smirk on their face and the same thing occurs on the boat (we can't stop talking about what we saw or how we could better ourselves). This leads me to what I am trying to achieve.
There are several thousand orphaned and underprivileged kids in South Carolina. Why not promote the environment (which they may never experience) and teach them the skills necessary to advance and become those smiling, non-stop talking and sharing social butterflies that we all become as we learn to dive or continue. Diving is so much more then just the water and a tank on your back. Diving promotes math skills. Diving promotes trust. Diving promotes a total lifestyle which I feel each of these teens surely needs and desires. Lastly, diving in areas and travelling to destinations outside of our world as we know it makes us more worldly in our lives. I don't know about you, but in my travels I have seen people that have made me surely appreciate the fact that I am blessed. I want to give that back to a child that would not otherwise have the opportunity. This is why I am starting this non-profit organization.
Starting locally here in the Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg area and with a desire to expand to other locations as it grows.
So what is it I am looking for from you guys? Ideas, thoughts & comments!!!! I am reaching out to each of you in an effort to see what each of you thinks can be done to link current divers and spark the same desire and passion that I share and give an underprivileged child the chance to enjoy the underwater environment while learning the sport that we all are passionate about.
My thought is that once the interest is sparked in that child a cooperation can be formed between the agency in which the teen is housed and aid in the development and advancement of that child. Scuba diving then becomes the incentive. Getting out of the orphanage, home or facility and being in the outdoors with people that are upbeat and share the social skills that some of these kids surely may not otherwise be afforded. Opening up a new world and environment and making that child aware of the lake, ocean or pond.
I cannot think of a better way to promote the sport that I truly love all the while giving an underprivileged child the chance to grow.
Share your thoughts and let me know what you think. Any and all ideas are welcomed as I begin this adventure and desire to share what it is that I truly love
Dan
Right now this is something that I am truly passionate about yet I know that I can't do this alone. This is why I am asking all of you to just jot down some ideas and share what you think with me.
