“I felt 20 years younger on the water!”
Igniting passion for people in the second half of life, this is what we do at Lifespark. On Thursday, May 10th we did just that for Bob and Meg, two of our Lifespark clients. Bob has a passion for sailing and since he hasn’t be able to do it for 10 years, we wanted to spark his life by giving him the opportunity to enjoy his favorite pastime. We started off the day by picking Bob up in one of our Lifespark vehicles and then took him to the Wayzata Yacht Club. There we met up with his family including son Peter and grandson Cavan who would join us on the excursion as well as our CEO Joel Theisen.
We were fortunate enough to have amazing weather! The sun was shining and the skies were blue, what more could you ask for when granting a Lifespark Wish for an amazing individual? After everyone had arrived, we got ready to launch in a sonar sailing boat with Captain Ernie. Bob was excited, according to him the wind was perfect for sailing and he couldn’t wait to get started! After getting everyone situated, our spirited Captain proclaimed, “all ashore that’s going ashore!” which is generally said right before you set sail so we knew it was time!
Bob was at ease in the sailboat, settling into the role of managing the tiller, like a steering wheel for the boat, right away. Bob has been sailing for 73 years so it came as no surprise that he was such a professional! Peter and Cavan are also sailors and Cavan informed us of something really interesting. Not only had Bob taught Peter to sail who in turn taught Cavan, but this was the first time Cavan had sailed with his grandfather! It was an incredible sight to watch all three generations work together as a team. This was a memory in the making for young Cavan who may not grasp the importance of this experience for many years.
Throughout the trip, Bob and the other sailors even taught us some sailing terminology like “ready about” which means you’re going to turn the boat. We could tell Bob was totally in his element! He was once again able to feel the wind in his face, the speed of the boat, and experience the tranquility that comes from being on the water. After a long sail around the lake, we headed back to the club to enjoy some lunch and reminisce on the wonderful time we had. As we got off the sailboat Bob exclaimed “I felt 20 years younger on the water!” Now that’s a sparked life! Sail on Bob, sail on!
Background Story…
Bob Slocum loves the wind in his face, the speed of the boat, and the feeling of peace that comes with sailing. Yet that was all was put on hold when Bob became the primary caretaker of his wife, Meg. Meg has been hospitalized numerous times causing stress and strain on both Meg and Bob. After being referred to Lifespark, Denise, their Life Care Manager/RN worked closely with them to alleviate stress and help them maintain control. As the Slocum’s got to know Denise and our community, Bob shared his love for sailing. As he talked about sailing, his face lit up with excitement. He said, “I’m not able to do it anymore because it’s too hard for me to get in and out of the boat, but I sure did love it!” Despite his inability to sail, at 80 years old Bob is still a member of the Wayzata Yacht Club (where he has served as President) and the Minnetonka Yacht Club. After learning this, we knew exactly what we wanted to do – give Bob the chance to experience his passion once again.
See the Other Dream Rally Wishes We Granted Here:
Golf On! Wish
Sail On! Wish
Love On! Wish
Shine On! Wish
Play On! Wish
Share On! Wish
Party On! Wish