If you wanted to learn how to sail in the beautiful waters of St. Joseph, Michigan, where would you go? What would you look for? You’d want the organization to be progressive and community-oriented, where Water Safety was a focal point in your education, and passion and generosity helped lay the foundation for the mission statement of the program. A place that is open to anyone, no membership required, where they ‘grow their own’, and offer classes to all ages of students. The St. Joseph Junior Foundation, nestled between the St. Joseph River Yacht Club and the West Basin Marina, has been providing all of this and more, for the past 68 years.
“There’s something about sailing and the special students it attracts,” says board member Eric Mallen, who has been active with the foundation since 1988. “It takes brains to sail, involving math and science, and we provide a safe setting for girls and boys to learn together.” The St. Joseph Junior Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1952, and began as a passion project and memorial to Phil Upton, a champion sailboat skipper who lost his life in the merciless waters of the Hudson River.
Phil and father Louis Upton, co-founder of Whirlpool Corporation, spent many years sharing the excitement of sailing with friends and colleagues, including Bill Campbell, the program’s very first director. Bill is forever named an honorary board member, and through the generous contribution and support from Bill’s daughter Ann Campbell, the William Campbell Memorial Education And Training Pavilion construction has begun. The outdoor structure will serve as a visual reminder of Bill’s dedication to the program, as well as offer a space to teach outdoors. The pavilion is scheduled for completion sometime in the Spring of 2022. The need to expand the SJJF facilities has grown each year with increasing class sizes, and this year was no different, even amidst the pandemic. They were pleasantly surprised with record enrollment numbers in the summer of 2021, due to the efforts of Dr. Katherine Andries, who worked closely with the Health Department to change protocols and safety procedures in order to keep the foundation open.
Students being taught on the old platform, around 2008. The new pavilion will provide shade during the scorching summer heat.
“We are an adult and youth sailing school, but what we do goes far beyond just sailing,” says board member Ken Zimmerman. Since 1953, over 7,000 students have completed the program, learning the importance of community involvement and leadership, with some even choosing careers that were inspired by the foundation in some way. In the past, they have offered scholarships for the Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor, worked with Boy Scouts to help them earn badges, and have built up quite an endowment fund. “We make sailing affordable for those who don’t have their own boats,” adds Ken, “Anyone in the area can take classes.”
The foundation prides itself on “growing their own” instructors, a motto that supports the camaraderie and one of a kind experiences this group offers. Instructors are certified in CPR, First Aid, and US Sailing. Dr. Gary Sisson, for instance, began as a student, became an instructor in 1955, served as director, and now sits on the board. Board members remain active in the community, and students who have gone through the S.J.J.F. continue to support the program throughout their lives.
There are two main fundraisers the foundation uses to keep the community involved in what they do. Timothy’s restaurant in Union Pier hosts an annual dinner in which 100% of the evening’s proceeds go to the St. Joseph Junior Foundation. Owner Chef Tim Sizer went through the sailing school as a student, and he and his wife continue to contribute and support SJJF. At the end of the sailing season, the foundation holds their Chili Regatta, where people pay to vote for the best bowl, raising funds that cover operational costs. They are still accepting donations to fund the completion of their new floating dock, and you can follow the construction updates on their facebook page.
The St. Joseph Junior Foundation offers classes during the week to all ages and runs through the summer, and is modeled after the U.S. Sailing training system. Youth classes are available for ages 8 to 18, and Adult classes for and 18 and up, with a Women Only class that fills up every single year. There is the option to enroll in a morning class or an afternoon class, and racing competitions against other sailing schools occur on Fridays. A high school program is offered twice a year, in Spring and Fall, meeting on Sunday afternoons for students between 6th grade and 12th grade. Enrollment opens on their website at the end of winter, and classes begin after school lets out for the summer. Visit sjjf.org to donate, and find out more information about the 2022 season.
Architect rendering of finished pavilion, sjjf.org
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
