Raffle for Garmin Descent G1 Solar smartwatch and compact dive computer supports adaptive diver recipients
Gearing up for its annual trip sharing the fun, accessibility, and comradery of scuba diving with people of various mobile abilities, the Dive Pirates Foundation is offering a fundraising challenge as well as a raffle to help its recipients reach their fundraising goals and pay it forward for future Dive Pirates.
“We’re traveling with 64 pirates, 15 adaptive divers, and we want the dive industry to know they can help support this effort and try for a Garmin smartwatch and dive computer,” said Tyler Brandes, Dive Pirates Foundation President. “Thanks to one of our chapters, Jupiter Dive Center, we have this great raffle item as well as one of this year’s recipients.”
Raffle tickets are $50 each and only 50 tickets will be sold, making the odds for this raffle item quite favorable, while raising much needed funds for new recipients. Anyone can also take part in the Deep Down Challenge, with any donation of $250 or more receiving a complimentary pair of Dive Pirate Bermuda shorts.
Thanks to Jupiter Dive Center in Jupiter, FL., Todd Camarata is now an open water certified adaptive diver, along with his adaptive dive buddy Justen Perry. Camarata, a successful chiropractor, had just made a cup of coffee one Saturday morning when he collapsed due to an aneurysm in his aorta which cut off the blood supply to his spinal cord. Luckily, he was able to call for help, and since then he’s been rebuilding his life as a person in a wheelchair. He joins 4 other new recipients June 17, 2023 in Cayman Brac:
Staff Sgt. Andrew (Drew) Carpenter, US Army trained by MidWest School of Diving, White Bear Lake, MN
Private First Class Adam Cherney, US Marines trained by Diventures in Alpharetta, GA.
Staff Sgt. Brian Dupree, US Air Force trained by Diventures in Alpharetta, GA.
Petty Officer Karl Olson, US Navy trained by MidWest School of Diving, White Bear Lake, MN
We welcome everyone to follow the fun of the trip on our social media channels and thank our sponsors who helped make this trip possible, including:
And key trip sponsors Tyler Brandes, Gillian Tilbury, John Oldmixon, Tommy Smedley and Rhonda Sizemore.
The Dive Pirates Foundation is actively accepting applications year round and welcomes anyone with a mobile disability to consider applying.
