The sailing community is known for its volunteers who generously donate their time and share their skills to encourage and teach new sailors. Ask any volunteer about their experiences and they will likely tell you that giving back feels great and enhances their own lives.
One such volunteer is Beth Fincham, who was nominated by Hannah Garbee to be SpinSheet’s 2025 Volunteer of the Year. After moving to Baltimore at age 35, Fincham was looking for a way to add more peace and relaxation to her life and to make new friends. She discovered the Downtown Sailing Center’s (DSC) Women on the Water program through a quick Google search, and after her first sail with them was instantly hooked.
In 2022, Fincham began to volunteer with DSC’s Access-ability program, which provides Saturday open-house-style sailing events for anyone with a disability. The free, volunteer-supported program allows individuals with disabilities to experience the freedom of sailing through therapeutic recreation, sailing instruction, and racing.
What inspired you to volunteer at the Downtown Sailing Center?
Fincham: At first, I thought volunteering with the Access-ability program would just be an extra opportunity to get out on the water and practice crewing, but it quickly became near and dear to my heart because of the people, the mission, and the community impact.
Describe your volunteer roles.
At DSC’s Access-ability Saturday events, there are a variety of volunteer roles. When I first started volunteering, I usually signed up to crew one of the Sonars or as a dockside greeter to help sign participants in and get them set up with lifejackets and ready for their morning on the water. After a while, I learned how to work the Hoyer lift to transfer participants from wheelchairs on and off the boats and learned how to rig the Hansa accessible dinghies.
What keeps you coming back?
I really cannot think of a better way to spend a Saturday morning than being on the water or on the docks sharing my love of sailing with others, especially those who might otherwise not have access. Sailing brings so much joy into my life, and it’s so much fun to help others experience it as well.
Do any standout days come to mind?
One of my favorite events was in the summer of 2024. It was a very windy day, and the accessible race team had a practice scheduled on the Hansa 303s (a specifically designed accessible sailboat for one or two persons). The Hansas were heeling so much that water was coming into the cockpits (the boats will not capsize!). Two newer sailors were in one boat together, and the cockpit got so filled with water that they were sitting in water. They came back to the docks, I started getting organized to transfer them out of the boat, but to my surprise they asked if I could just pump out the water so they could keep sailing. So, with huge smiles on all of our faces, I grabbed a small pump, emptied out their cockpit, and pushed them off the docks! They had a blast enjoying the sporty conditions, and I had just as much fun watching them fall more in love with the sport.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities at the DSC, visit downtownsailing.org.
