Thai and foreign businesspeople raised about 75,000 baht for the Disabled Sailing Thailand project at a fundraiser in Bang Saray.
Project founder Peter Jacobs hosted the June 30 party for 250 sailors and supporters at the Bang Saray Beach Club that included afternoon activities for children and adults, games and live music from Pattaya Rose and Barry Upton.
Later, over a buffet supplied by the beach club, an auction and lucky draw were held with prizes donated by supporters, including a 14-foot kayak.
Proceeds from the raffle tickets and auction will go to the disabled-sailing project, which teaches the physically impaired to pilot sailboats on their own using watercraft outfitted with accessible equipment.
One disabled sailor, Kasempol Hundee, said four men and two women are the first participants in the project, using two twin-set sailboats donated by Jacobs.
They trained in the U.S. and Japan before competing in the Top of the Gulf regatta this year at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club, taking first and second place in their category among entrants from six countries.
Future competitions are planned in Hong Kong and Spain, which they hope to join. Their ultimate goal is to compete in the Paralympics Games.
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