Hoofers Offers Free Kiting Class for people with disabilities, Sat, Dec 5, U-Bay Fields, 10 am to noon

From: Marc Kennedy <mhkenned@wisc.edu>

Date: December 2, 2009 2:59:02 PM CST

To: Marc Kennedy <mhkenned@facstaff.wisc.edu>

Subject: Hoofers Offers Free Kiting Class for people with disabilities, Sat, Dec 5, U-Bay Fields, 10 am to noon

For Immediate Release For Immediate Release Contact: Tom Barry, Hoofer Sailing Head of Instruction
December 2, 2009 608-265-3111; cell 608-695-7883; headofinstruction@hoofersailing.org

HOOFER SAILING CLUB OFFERING FREE ACCESSIBILITY KITING CLASS
Saturday, December 5
10 am to Noon
University Bay Fields

The UW Hoofer Sailing Club with the UW-Madison Department of Kinesiology will be holding the first-ever performance kiting class for people in wheelchairs and accessibility challenges on Saturday, December 5, at University Bay Fields from 10 am to noon. The class is free thanks to a trust fund established by the family of Leonard Bessman, a long-time Hoofer.

“Six people are already signed up for this course,” said Hoofer Sailing Club Head of Instruction Tom Barry. “Six kiting instructors will be showing these students the finer aspects of flying high performance kites.”

This long-lasting partnership between Hoofer Sailing Club and Kinesiology Department offers a great outdoor education to people with disabilities, Barry added. It’s possible due to the Leonard Bessman scholarship fund, established to help teach people with disabilities to ski, sail and enjoy other outdoor activities. Bessman was a Hoofer Sailing Club member from 1977 until his death in 1993. A retired federal judge and World War II veteran, Bessman is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. His family created the trust fund in his name.

As a Hoofer instructor in the 1980s, Barry taught Bessman to sail. “We loved Leonard, his smile, his sharp mind, his gentile demeanor. For me it’s an honor to put together such a fun program for students and teachers and honor one of my favorite sailors. This allows us to recognize him for a long time to come.”

For more information about this program, Hoofer Sailing or the Bessman fund, contact Tom Barry, Head of Instruction, UW Hoofer Sailing Club, headofinstruction@hoofersailing.org, 608-265-3111, cell 608-695-7883, or www.hoofersailing.org.

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Marc Kennedy

Communications Director

Wisconsin Union

mhkenned@wisc.edu

608 262-5079

608 347-8630 (cell)

608 262-5487 (fax)

For Union event updates, visit www.union.wisc.edu/events