The River Rats recently received a surprise donation from a former student. Shawn Tumulty, previously from Fair Haven, learned to sail as a child with the organization and thought his old Sunfish would help others to enjoy the water just as he did. River Rats Skipper Jill Lynch, who was on hand to receive the sailboat, noted it will be put to good use as both the youth and adult summer sailing programs are in full swing.
“We are thrilled of course,” Skipper Jill stated. “As a non-profit, a donation like this can really make an impact and help us to provide the best experiences for our students and members,” she added. Tumulty, who now resides in Monmouth Beach, was more than modest about his contribution and quietly noted, “I’m very happy to help. There are lots of memories here.”
River Rats offers both a junior sailing program and an adult sailing program. Membership is not needed to take part in the classes; however, members do receive substantial discounts and have first priority. The flagship youth sailing program has trained over 5,000 children to date, and the adult training program allows entire families to learn to sail together. River Rats is an affordable, friendly and welcoming organization whose members are drawn together by a shared love of sailing.
River Rats also offers mooring space for members along with berths for kayaks and paddle boards, and very popular seasonal social events include sailing races and BBQ nights.
The River Rats organization is located at 120 Battin Road, Fair Haven, N.J. 07704. For more information on the organization, view the River Rats website at:
https://www.riverratssailing.org
Photo: Smooth Sailing! Shawn Tumulty, left, stands next to his sailboat, a Sunfish, which he recently donated to River Rats Sailing. His stepson, Sam Derdack, and River Rats Skipper Jill Lynch, happily look on.
About River Rats
River Rats, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt organization fully operated and maintained by volunteers. In addition to the junior and adult sailing programs, River Rats provides social events and a racing series for members, in addition to opportunities to join invitational regattas with other sailing clubs. River Rats is a member of US Sailing and the North Jersey Yacht Racing Association.
The 3 primary goals of River Rats are to promote aquatic activities amongst children and their families; to offer training that emphasizes and prioritizes safety; and to provide facilities to accomplish these goals which also include social events for both members
and the greater community.
All persons, regardless of race, creed, sex, gender identity or national origin are eligible
for membership.