Milwaukee Community Sailing Center

Adventure awaits in 2025! We’re thrilled to partner with World Ocean School to offer two incredible expeditions aboard the Tall Ship Denis Sullivan for MCSC youth sailors!
⛵️ Ages 12–15: Summer Ambassador Program (Aug 1–8)
⛵️ Ages 16–19: Advanced Ambassador Program (Aug 17–26)

Live aboard, sail by day, anchor by night, and dive into maritime history, marine science, and leadership training.
💸 Need-based financial aid available
📋 Limited spots – apply today!

🔗https://sailingcenter.org/denis-sullivan-expeditions/

Let’s clean up McKinley Marina together! Join the MCSC team for Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup on Saturday, April 26 from 9 AM to Noon and help protect the water we love. 💙

🧤 We’ll provide gloves, bags, supplies—and a FREE T-SHIRT!
All you need to bring is your energy and passion for clean water.

👉 Sign up today and don’t forget to select your t-shirt size:
https://buff.ly/sMrp8Up

One of MCSC's frequent partners and collaborators, Reflo, is doing a talk, hosted by , featuring their Green & Healthy Schools program. This event is online! So you can learn while you have your lunch.

Reflo will be talking specifically about their Green & Healthy Schools program, which converts concrete schoolyards into green spaces.

Register here: https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=701Po00000jhKUbIAM&mapLinkHref=

🌊 Registration is OPEN for the 30th Annual Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup! 🌊
Join the MCSC team at McKinley Marina and help make a difference!

🧤 Milwaukee Riverkeeper will provide bags, gloves, and FREE t-shirts—just bring your energy and passion for clean water.

📅 Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – Noon

👉 Register now (and don’t forget to select your t-shirt size!): https://buff.ly/KEVFgAn

Be part of something BIG—join nearly 4,000 volunteers working together for swimmable, fishable rivers in our community!
💙♻️

Only 24 days until Opening Day (April 26)! We need volunteers to help get everything shipshape—putting docks in, rigging and launching Ensigns, and gearing up for Big Boat Day (May 9). You can volunteer for part or all of the day—whatever works for you! Dress for the weather and bring your enthusiasm! 💪⛵️

More info and sign up here: sailingcenter.org/work-days/

🌊 Feeling Stressed? Escape to the Water! 🌊

Studies show that being near water helps reduce stress—so why not learn to sail this summer? Experience the freedom and adventure of the open water with us!

💙 Financial support is available!
👉 Learn more and register at sailingcenter.org

🚨 Join the Beach Ambassador Team! 🚨
Love spending time by the lake? Want to help keep Bradford and McKinley Beaches safe this summer?

Milwaukee’s Beach Ambassadors are hiring! We’re looking for friendly, outgoing individuals to educate beachgoers about water safety, beach hazards, and resources to stay safe.
✅ Work outdoors all summer
✅ Engage with the community
✅ Make a real impact on beach safety

Ready to dive into this opportunity? 🌊☀️ Apply today: https://beachambassadorsmke.org/

Milwaukee Beach Ambassadors – Milwaukee Beach Ambassadors The Beach Ambassador Project aims to create an innovative platform for effectively communicating current and potential Lake Michigan beach conditions and increasing awareness and knowledge among the general public. This platform aims to utilize water safety strategies designed to increase equitable....

Thank you, Governor Tony Evers, for lifting up the importance of our common waters by proclaiming March 23-29 Wisconsin Water Week. Water is a gift of the and essential to all life on Earth. Together we must ensure equitable access to fresh, clean water for everyone, in our rivers and lakes and in our water faucets.

🌊 Beach Ambassadors are Hiring! 🌊

Love the beach? Passionate about keeping our community safe? Join the Beach Ambassador Team and engage with Milwaukee residents—especially beachgoers between Bradford and McKinley Beaches—to educate them on beach safety, hazards, and best practices.

📢 What You'll Do:
✅ Communicate with the public about beach conditions
✅ Promote water safety strategies
✅ Help make our beaches safer & more enjoyable for everyone

☀️ If you enjoy being outdoors, talking to people, and making a difference, this is the perfect opportunity!

📍 Apply today and be a part of the team keeping Milwaukee’s beaches safe and fun! Visit https://beachambassadorsmke.org/ for more info and to apply.

🍀 Share Your Lucky Charm, Give Blood! 🍀

This St. Patrick's Day, share you luck with someone by saving lives! Join us for the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center Blood Drive on March 31 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 1450 N Lincoln Memorial Dr, Milwaukee.

🩸 New Tech Alert! The American Red Cross now uses a ring-shaped sensor that measures your hemoglobin levels — no more fingersticks! This quick and comfortable method makes donating easier than ever.

📋 Plus, all successful donors in March will receive free A1C testing — a great way to monitor your health.

🚩 Join the MCSC Donor Team! Download the Red Cross Donor App and sign up as a team member.

Let’s save lives together — schedule your appointment today!
📞 Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)
🌐 Visit RedCrossBlood.org

💚 Give blood, give back, and get lucky this March!

The second night of our Introduction to Fiberglassing Seminar focused on repairing a holed ILCA (formerly Laser) sailboat. The boat will be put back into rotation this year, thanks to Abby and her students!

🌊⚓️ Set Sail This Summer! ⚓️🌊

Summer sailing classes are now open for registration at sailingcenter.org! Whether you're a beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, we've got a class for you.

📅 Register online or give us a call at the office to secure your spot! Don't miss out on a season of sun, wind, and adventure. 🌞🌬️

🌊 Celebrating Women in Sailing this International Women’s Day! 🌊

Today, we honor Phyllis McDonald, a trailblazer in the boating industry for over 40 years and a champion for women in sailing.

As president of the Midwest Women’s Sailing Conference from 2016 to 2020, Phyllis played a key role in empowering women of all skill levels through education, networking, and hands-on training. Under her leadership, this one-of-a-kind conference—held annually in Milwaukee at MCSC—became a vital resource for women sailors in the Midwest, with no other events like it until you reach the East or West Coasts.

Beyond her work with the conference, Phyllis helped found and lead the Milwaukee Bay Women’s Sailing Organization (MBWSO), creating opportunities for women to learn, race, and build confidence on the water. Through her mentorship, countless women have purchased and built their own boats, competed in local and international races, and even taken on challenges like the Race to Alaska!

Her passion, leadership, and dedication to fostering an inclusive sailing community have left an incredible impact on the sport. Thank you, Phyllis, for inspiring so many women to set sail, take the helm, and chase their dreams! ⛵💙

To learn more about the upcoming Midwest Women's Sailing Conference visit https://mwsc.wildapricot.org/

🌊 Happy International Women’s Day! 🌊

Today, we celebrate the incredible women who lead, inspire, and make a difference—starting with Holly Church! As the leader of the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center, Holly has been instrumental in growing our organization, expanding access to sailing, and fostering a love for the sport in our community.

Holly’s journey began in 1984 when she took her first sailing lessons with MCSC. After gaining experience sailing in the Virgin Islands and earning her Merchant Marine Captain’s License in 1991, she returned to MCSC as Program Director in 1996. Her impressive credentials—including certifications as a US Sailing Instructor, Powerboat Instructor, Safety and Rescue Instructor, and Keelboat Instructor—have made her a trailblazer in sailing education. She has trained countless sailors and instructors, ensuring the next generation has the skills and confidence to take to the water.

Notably, Holly is one of the few women in the Midwest to hold a 100-ton commercial captain’s license—a testament to her expertise and dedication. Under her leadership, MCSC has expanded membership, created year-round programming, and strengthened community outreach, making sailing accessible to all.

Thank you, Holly, for your passion, leadership, and commitment to sharing the joy of sailing! ⛵💙

Another great volunteer option! Have some free time to share while waiting for sailing season to begin? Forward Scholars is looking for short-term and long-term substitute tutors.

Forward Scholars is looking for individuals to tutor students in K-3rd grade during the school day. You’ll work one-on-one with a student for an hour to improve their reading skills. 📚

We offer:
⏰Flexible hours that fit your schedule
💪Training and guided lesson plans
✨On-site staff to support students and tutors

We’re seeking both short-term and long-term substitute tutors for the 2024-2025 school year. If you’re interested in making an impact, we’d love to hear from you!

Contact our administrative assistant today by emailing [email protected]!

Looking for a way to do good in the sailing off-season? At the Sailing Center, we’re surrounded by an amazing community of volunteers. Many of our members also give their time to Eastside Senior Services (ESS), helping older adults in need—and you can too!

ESS is looking for volunteers to provide rides, companionship, help with shopping, light chores, and errands. The time commitment is minimal—just two hours a month—but the impact is huge.

If you’re able, please consider joining fellow MCSC members in making a difference.

Learn more and sign up here: https://buff.ly/3CYNQ7j

Did you know that every eight weeks MCSC hosts the American Red Cross for a blood drive? Since 2020, we've hosted 23 total drives and collected 776 blood donations.

Donors and Red Cross staff love being in our upstairs space (the Windhover Room) with natural light, and a view of Lake Michigan. We strive to be a good neighbor and community supporter, and with the Red Cross, we have been able to help people in Southeastern Wisconsin first, and then all over the U.S.

From our local Red Cross team leader about our last drive: "When I say its been a tough start to 2025 in terms of donor turn out, it really has been. I'm sure looking at the turn out you had at your blood drive yesterday, you would not have been able to tell. Wow, just wow! Thank you for all you do to encourage your fellow MCSC members and the community to come out and save lives yesterday. All your efforts made an incredible impact. We hoped to end the day with 35 successful blood donations. We had 32 whole blood donations and 14 donations came from power reds with a total 46 blood donations. You knocked it out of the park!"

Our next blood drive is March 31. Download the Red Cross App and join our team and follow how we make an impact though blood donations. https://buff.ly/35Ugm5q