Celebrating 12 Years of Sharing Diving with People with Disabilities
On the heels of a successful showing at DEMA The Dive Pirates Foundation announced its plans for the 12thAnnual Dive Pirates Ball to include its silent auction in a real-time online format so members and chapters anywhere can barter for booty and take part in the event that continues to grow to empower people with disabilities to scuba dive.
“This is our largest fundraiser of the year, and we’ve looked for ways to be more inclusive with our event, and now those in attendance and anyone who wants to dial in with their smart phone, tablet or computer can see and bid also on our silent auction items,” explained Executive Director Susan DeVore. “The program opens a few weeks before the ball and the bidding can actually start early, it’s really exciting.”
The Foundation requested the assistance of GiveSmart™ to facilitate the auction as well as ticket sales. Anyone wanting to go to the event can purchase tickets now at www.divepirates2016.auction-bid-org.
The site also shows visitors auction items and allows them to register too for the auction, in case they are unable to attend the actual Dive Pirates Ball.
“We are still loading items to the site as donations come in, so keep checking back, new fun auction items are coming in daily, and we also will have a professional auctioneer for the live auction who will add a few new bidding games, it’s really taking shape,” DeVore continued.
The Foundation expanded the 2016 Dive Pirates Ball to include a separate room to hold its auction items, scheduled for February 19, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at the Four Seasons Hotel downtown Houston.
The Foundation plans to support 14 recipients and their buddy teams with equipment and travel to one of two trips offered next year to Cayman Brac Beach Resort, Cayman Islands. Dive Pirate Chapter dive centers donate training and fund raise in their local communities to assist with travel costs while Scuba Schools International (SSI) contributes educational materials and certification cards. Donations are still needed to ensure all recipient dive teams can complete the program. Donations can be accepted through the same link www.divepirates2016.auction-bid-org or by calling DeVore at 877-393-3483.
“Thanks to our growing network of divers who believe in welcoming everyone to diving, we have people come on our trips and fill out dive teams as instructors, dive buddies, and just fellow divers who want to experience that first diving adventure with them,” said DeVore. “Our trips are already listed on our website and registration is open for anyone wanting to join the crew.”
Trip availability is based on first-come, first served registration, with a good number of past recipients funding themselves to continue diving and acting as peer mentors to new recipients.
The Dive Pirates Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing scuba diving to persons with disabilities and joining them with the mainstream of divers. Its vision is to create a community of adaptive divers that will dive and travel in the mainstream world of scuba diving through education and overcoming obstacles. For more information about the Foundation go to www.divepirates.org.
