Regatta to support children’s hospital

Linda Dam

Veteran sailors Kerry Deaver and Bob Williamson spent Thursday

working on their 43-foot sailing boat and getting it ready for the

fifth annual Children’s Hospital of Orange County regatta, hosted by

the Balboa Yacht Club.

Williamson, a retiree and staff commodore at the Balboa Yacht

Club, and fellow boat owner Deaver, are among hundreds of

participants who will race in the two-day sailing event in the

Newport Harbor Saturday and Sunday with hopes of raising money for

the hospital. The pair seemed to be taking the race seriously.

“We are cleaning the boat up and getting our sails looked at,”

Deaver said, adding that they’ve taken the boat out once a week in

preparation for the races.

The proceeds from this regatta will go to the hospital’s research

department, said Donna Di Bari, chairwoman for the Cinderella Guild,

an organization that raises money for the hospital.

“We are so excited about the pledges,” she said, referring to the

donations to the event. “It is eight times more than we expected, and

that’s before the entry fees.”

The regattas have been small in the past, organizers said. About

$3,800 was raised last year, Di Bari said. This year, more than

$25,000 was raised in pledges. Di Bari said the biggest contributor

this year was Jim Devling.

Racing sailor Jim Devling, of Newport Beach, looked to his

company, CEG Construction in Pico Rivera, for contributions, Delaney

said. He also tapped his business associates to sponsor the race.

Devling will race on the boat Campaign II.

“If we win, we will raise about $41,700.”

Organizers also are pleased with the timing of this year’s event.

In previous years, the event’s time had been sandwiched between

more popular events in the boating calendar, event co-chairwoman

Megan Delaney said.

“We had a disappointing turnout last year, with only about 10

boats racing,” said Delaney, who will race in this year’s regatta on

a boat called Scavenger. “That inspired me to make it a bigger event.

This year we are anticipating over 100 boats.”

This year, for the first time, the Children’s Hospital of Orange

County regatta will sail in conjunction with the popular Sunkist

series -- a mainstay race during the winter that draws boats from

clubs and schools from around the state. The two regattas will sail

at the same time and use the same course.

The theme for this year’s regatta is “Sail With Someone Special in

Mind.” “We are all very lucky to have [Children’s Hospital of Orange

County] in our communities to support our families,” Delaney said.

“[The hospital] is near and dear to every parent’s heart. It is an

easy thing to give back to.”