25th Annual Hospice Cup
On September 9, 2006, the Hospice Cup—America’s largest charity regatta—will celebrate its 25th year of racing on the Chesapeake Bay. The Hospice Cup has become popular across the United States since the original Hospice cup was held by the Hospice of Northern Virginia, Inc. in 1982 on the Chesapeake Bay. To date, over $6.5 million has been raised for Hospice support programs in local communities.
While Hospice Cup is native to the Chesapeake Bay, the race serves as the local qualifying race for the National Hospice Regatta Championship. Twenty-four other hospice regattas around the nation have formed their own sailing regattas to raise money and awareness for hospice care. The nationwide race championship among all of the races will be held in the spring of 2007.
The Hospice Cup is a cooperative effort of Shearwater Sailing Club, the committees of Hospice Cup, Inc. (HCI), and Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC area hospices. A year of fund-raising by the hospices, and planning by HCI and its volunteers, is capped by donors being treated to a day on the Bay watching the exciting race and enjoying a great post-race awards party.
Supporting Hospice Cup means that there will continue to be no out-of-pocket expenses for any patient or family seeking the services of one of the participating hospices. Hospice Cup funds help pay the 25 to 30 percent of the expenses not covered by Medicare or private insurance. These dollars enable the hospices to provide skilled compassionate care, comfort and dignity to the terminally ill, their families and friends, regardless of their ability to pay.
Hospice enables patients to carry on alert, pain-free lives so their last days may be spent in comfort, at home or in home-like settings. Hospice care concentrates on care, not cure. Bereavement counseling and support groups are part of hospice services after the loss of a loved one.
The 2006 participating hospices. which include Hospice of the Chesapeake, Capital Hospice, Montgomery Hospice, Calvert Hospice, Hospice of St. Mary’s and Community Hospices, must meet the standards of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Hospice Cup, Inc. is a proud member of the National Hospice Regatta Alliance, www.hospiceregattas.org.
The Hospice Cup is sanctioned by the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association (CBYRA) and counts for CBYRA season-long High Point competition. Hospice Cup, Inc. is a non-profit, all volunteer organization, chartered under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia for the purposes of conducting a benefit yacht race and related events. Administrative and operational activities connected with the event are carried out entirely by volunteers. Net proceeds are disbursed to the participating hospices on a pro-rated basis. Back
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