This Veterans Day, as Americans pause to recognize the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, we’re taking a look at ways the boating and watersports community can share those experiences with veterans, support veteran-owned businesses and help organizations that give back to those who served.
And while Veterans Day provides a fitting occasion to highlight these opportunities, many are available throughout the year.
Getting Veterans Out on the Water
For some organizations, honoring veterans means getting people out on the water. While personal watercraft are our particular passion, the opportunities extend to other forms of boating and watersports, too. After all, the freedom and enjoyment of being on the water aren’t exclusive to jet skis.
In Southwest Florida, the Freedom Waters Foundation is partnering with MarineMax Fort Myers for its Waves of Freedom Veterans Day event on Nov. 11. The event brings together veterans, volunteer boat owners and captains for a day of boating and camaraderie.
Meanwhile, Siesta Key Watersports in Sarasota, Florida, is offering complimentary Veterans Day cruises for veterans, with advance reservations required and space limited.
The Florida Keys Elks’ Vets on the Water program takes a year-round approach, providing eligible veterans and active-duty military personnel with opportunities to enjoy fishing, kayaking, sightseeing and snorkeling excursions. Supported by lodge fundraising, the program offers participants a chance to experience the Florida Keys from the water.
For veterans who enjoy outdoor recreation, these programs offer more than simply another day on the water. They provide opportunities to connect with others, try something new and enjoy an activity that so many of us already love.
Research also suggests that organized water-based recreation may offer short-term benefits for veterans. A study involving 74 veterans participating in the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic, which included activities such as surfing, sailing and kayaking, found improvements in depression and anxiety immediately following the program. Those improvements were not sustained at a three-month follow-up, but the findings offer an encouraging look at the potential benefits of recreational programs.
Connecting Veterans With Outdoor Adventures
Finding these opportunities isn’t always easy, particularly for veterans who may not know what programs are available in their area.
That’s where US Vet Connect comes in.
Through its National Veterans Outdoors Resource HUB, the organization helps connect veterans with outdoor recreation opportunities across the country, including fishing, boating, sailing, surfing, scuba diving and other adventures.
Rather than focusing on one location or activity, the resource gives veterans and their families a starting point for discovering programs closer to home.
Readers can explore available resources at USVetConnect.com.
Supporting a Veteran-Owned PWC Business
Giving back doesn’t always require participating in a charitable event. Sometimes it can be as simple as choosing where to spend your recreational dollars.
Vet Adventures LLC, a veteran-owned and operated watercraft rental business in East Tennessee, offers jet ski rentals and guided adventures on area lakes, including Douglas, Cherokee and Watauga.
The company also advertises military discounts for veterans, retirees and active-duty military families.
For PWC enthusiasts visiting East Tennessee, it’s an opportunity to support a veteran-owned business while enjoying the kind of adventure that brought us all into this sport in the first place.
Rental locations, offerings and reservation information are available at VetAdventuresLLC.com. Readers should confirm current availability and seasonal operations directly with the business.
Giving an Unused Watercraft a New Purpose
Not everyone has the time or opportunity to volunteer for an organized event, but there may be another way to contribute.
Vehicles for Veterans accepts donations of boats and, on a case-by-case basis, personal watercraft. Donated vehicles and watercraft are sold or recycled to generate funds for veterans charities.
For someone with an older jet ski sitting unused in the garage, that could mean turning a watercraft that’s no longer being ridden into financial support for veterans.
The organization advertises nationwide pickup and provides information about eligible donations and the donation process at VehiclesForVeterans.org/donate-boat.
The Spirit of Giving Doesn’t End Nov. 11
Whether it’s volunteering a boat, supporting a veteran-owned PWC business, donating an unused watercraft or simply helping a veteran discover a new recreational opportunity, there are plenty of ways the watersports community can recognize those who have served.
And there’s no reason those efforts need to be limited to one day each November.
The personal watercraft community has always been about more than horsepower, speed and the latest upgrades. It’s also about the people we meet, the friendships we build and the experiences we share.
This Veterans Day, perhaps one of the best ways to honor those who served is to help make those experiences available to more of them.
Know of a PWC club, riding group, nonprofit or other organization that hosts rides or watersports events for veterans? We’d love to hear about it. Tell us who’s making a difference in your corner of the watercraft community, and we may feature their efforts in a future edition of The Watercraft Journal.
