Race to Save our Artisans

Yes, we’ve all heard the hubbub of Charleston possibly making the nation’s 11 most endangered historic places list. People are looking at cruise ships as the cause, but maybe they should instead look to ACBA for the solution.

Our American College of the Building Arts (ACBA) is an incredible institution preparing the artisans of the future with the craftsmanship of the classic building trade. What does it mean to you? Plenty. Anyone with a condemned balcony knows that building buildings that last is essential to our community. If it’s broken? Fixing, rather than rebuilding, helps us all with our environmentally-friendly carbon footprint. And when (not if) the next earthquake hits, the fixings will come from right here, resulting in jobs and stimulating the local economy at a horribly low time. Independence is a beauty.

And here’s the skinny: ACBA is endangered. And if they are, so are we. So is the country.
So what do we do?
We raise money the way Charlestonites do best. We sail.

The President of ACBA himself, Colby Broadwater (bottom left in photo above), is climbing aboard the gorgeous ’44 ketch First Light in the Charleston to Bermuda Race, setting sail May 21, to race 777 miles to raise money for his College.

First Light owner and captai
Rob Turkewitz has become something of a Philanthropist of the Sea. Having raced for Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy during Charleston Race Week ’10 and ’11, he was most recently hopping around his boat with his flip-cam, excitedly interviewing each crew member, asking what ACBA means to them.

It all comes together perfectly on the water – the rare, meticulous, and beautifully classic craftsmanship of the Cherubini sailing yacht being a literal representation of everything ACBA stands for. It will be Rob and Colby, along with a small crew, day and night, charting the course for victory…for the race and for the College.
And they’re inviting you aboard. Figuratively.

First Light is officially open to honorary crew members. From anywhere between a $50 and $5,000 donation, you can be part of the crew, getting all sorts of goodies, including an invite to a private welcome home party at the Old City Jail…possibly pirate-themed, and what’s more fun than that?
You’ve sworn like a sailor. You’ve drunk like a sailor. Now it’s time to give like a sailor.