Sail Beyond Cancer® Annapolis Featured Feb. 2026 CAPCA Log Publication

By Sail Beyond Cancer® Annapolis 

Sail Beyond Cancer® USA has chapters in Virginia, Annapolis, North Shore, MA; Newport, and Vermont offers free, private three-hour sailing experiences on the Chesapeake Bay for those currently in cancer-related treatment and their loved ones. Each “nominee,” as participants are called, may invite up to five guests aboard, creating space for connection, reflection, and respite. 

Last year, Sail Beyond Cancer Annapolis (SBCA) picked up a new skipper with Dr. John Wojcik taking over as Board Chair. “I’ve been volunteering with Sail Beyond Cancer Annapolis since 2022 and am looking forward to leading this amazing organization through its next transformation,” John said. The organization is deeply investing in strategic planning to enable SBCA to streamline to build a cadre of quality volunteers who make each sail a success. Matt Seidel, a member of the strategic planning team said, "Volunteers are the backbone of our organization. I’m excited to be working hard behind the scenes to make our volunteers feel engaged and heard so that we can continue to provide life-changing experiences." 

 “We don’t just need volunteers to sail—we need ‘shore team’ members to coordinate the sails and call nominees, manage spreadsheets and forecast SBCA needs. You can do that from your kitchen table,” Wojcik said. SBCA is looking for volunteers to serve as nominee coordinators, fundraising, outreach and events, photo management, social media, and crew coordinators. Of course, if someone wants to go sailing, SBCA needs sailors too. 

Rick Lober, a member of CAPCA, heavily endorses the SBCA: “every time I take a nominee and their family out on a sail I see them settle in when the wind hits the sails. You can see it. They’re letting cancer go and reading the wind in their own way.” 

SBCA’s mission is captured in its motto: Honoring Those Challenged by Cancer by Harnessing the Healing Powers of Wind, Water, and Sail. What begins as a simple day on the Bay often becomes a powerful reminder of normalcy, dignity, and hope during an otherwise difficult chapter of life. 

SBCA welcomes nominees of any age, any cancer type, and from any location. For mariners seeking to give back in a way that aligns professional skill with purposeful service, Sail Beyond Cancer Annapolis offers a uniquely rewarding opportunity. Anyone interested in volunteering (or nominating) someone for a sail can call John at 517-626-1283 or reach out to their website: sailbeyondcancer.org 

Point of Contact: 

Priscilla Travis 

Log Editor 

www.capca.net