Born to Manifest the Light Within Us

Thirty-five young girls and women learned the sense of “Fearlessness”, the topic of Mary Anne Ward’s keynote address, at the first annual Inland Lake Yachting Associaton ‘Sail Strong, Sail Pink’ clinic on June 19-20, held at Lake Beulah in Wisconsin.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the light within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson, as edited and adapted for Sail Strong, Sail Pink by Mary Anne Ward

Women from IA, MN, IL, WA, RI and WI gathered to celebrate the sport of sailing and the empowerment they gained from learning to control a boat they all wish to enjoy. Thanks to twelve instructors, many of whom gave up two days of vacation, to make this experience a success for the participants. The vision was coined by Lake Beulah’s Nancy Roble…

“Empower girls and young women with confidence through the sport of sailing & support breast cancer research.”

From there Mary Berg, a high-schooler, challenged us to add service and leadership to the components of a regatta and $2500 later to Breast Cancer Research Foundation (Estee Lauder connection), it was a one-of -a-kind two days.

“I wanted to extend a big thank you for putting so much work into the women’s clinic this week,” said Kate McMurray. “By the end, I really felt empowered, which is what I believe the point was.”

Full report – Event details