Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating Wins Award For Program

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating has received the Robie Pierce Award for outstanding adaptive programs from U.S. Sailing. CRAB was founded in 1991 to provide the thrill, freedom and therapeutic value of sailing to those with disabilities, recovering veterans, military service personnel and at-risk youth. The organization was founded by Don Backe, a lifelong sailor who was paralyzed in a car accident.

CRAB provides sailing experiences and instruction to hundreds of guests annually from its base at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. Last year, CRAB hosted 26 different nonprofit or governmental organizations which support people with disabilities, wounded veterans and children from at-risk communities. In the past 12 months, they taught sailing to more than 1,000 guests, family members and caregivers with more than 60 percent of the guests having a disability of some kind.