It’s pretty amazing the talent that stems from this small island. Take Mimi Roller, for example. Mimi started sailing in 2001 at the age of 10, and has represented the Virgin Islands both nationally and internationally since 2002. After competing in the 2012 London Olympics, Coral Bay’s hometown sailor has now set her sights on the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. But before she can do so, she needs our help.
“A successful Olympic Campaign is not only acheived by the athletes, but also by the support of the community,” Mimi wrote on her website MKSailing.com. “The path of Olympic sailing in the Virgin Islands is quite different than in other countries. International competition and leading Olympic teams are fully funded through means such as the lottery or full time sponsorship. Unfortunately, we do not have access to such means and rely on our suppliers, corporate sponsors and the generosity of our family, friends and community supporters to help support our various expenses.”
Well the folks over at Skinny Legs are planning to do their part this Saturday when they hold a fundraising event for Mimi and her teammate Kayla McComb. The event will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature Caipirinhas and Brazilian food specials, as well as raffles and a chance to buy MK Sailing gear.
For those of you unable to make Saturday’s event, but still want to help, you can contribute online by clicking here. Financial contributions are not the only types of donations that can be made, however. Housing in training or competition venues can significantly help reduce costs. Local motorboats would also enable Mimi and Kayla to support a coach. Other donations could include frequent flyer miles, free meals, your company’s product, or any other creative ways you can think to help.
Mimi recently released a nice little video on her and Kayla, how they met and what they’re hoping to accomplish. Check it out below:
http://youtu.be/PeD7B0SqcPk
Fun fact: Mimi’s parents own Coral Bay Organic Gardens. Click here to read a story we wrote on the business also known as “Josephine’s Greens.”
Thank you Jenn for the great blog post!
We hope to see everyone at Skinny’s on Saturday – 12:30pm – 4:00pm!