Re: Quick Tahiti Update

Damn, that was supposed to have pictures in it. Not sure why they didn't post. Next time...

Re: Quick Tahiti Update

Ok, this was a good post...appreciated...glad it's now oranges instead of brie that has your fancy, not to mention the young things. Sounds like a really rough trip around the world...but you'll handle it all...somehow. Will keep on keeping an eye on you. ;)

Re: Quick Tahiti Update

More pictures of the "young things" please. I am really enjoying this blog as I live your "old" life on the road. Yours is a unique life and one we here in the "world" are just loving to live through you.

As you unfurl Jargo's sails....

My Tweet today, remembering that you sail for Moorea Wednesday:

@SailingForSOS: My Follow from Arue (TahitiYachtClub) to Papara, SOS Children's Village: 42.5km along the coast, says Google. What a drive!

Would love to see some photos of the kids *and* the fantastic Tahitian scenery, Lee!

Fair Winds,
Captain Gigi

Sometimes you get a feeling that all is not what it's made out to be....

Here Jargo and crew are ready to set sail for Moorea then the Society Islands, but it's only the last day of a more than two-week stay in Tahiti that there's time to visit the children at the SOS Village at Papara, where they not only go to school, but also live. An online press article tells us: "The village can handle about 50 young children in 12 fully equipped houses and a private garden. Each house has four bedrooms for children and two bedrooms for staff members. Besides offices, the village has meeting rooms and a large recreational area. There are 26 salaried employees working at the village" ("Microsoft donates $15,000 to SOS Children's Village," TahitiPresse.com, November 2007 en.tahitipresse.pf/2007/11/microsoft-donates-15000-to-sos-childrens-village/ retrieved July 21, 2010).

I just find it very strange that if the purpose of SailingForSOS is to raise awareness of SOS Children's Villages International, why you would not make a point of contacting and visiting the village as soon as possible after you rested up from the last 200-mile sail.

You say, "I’ve reached out to the SOS Children’s Village here, but during the school break the kids don’t seem to be living in the village. I am still hoping for a chance to visit, but it may not be in the cards this time."

Unless there's something else we, your virtual supporters and financial sponsors of the International Villages, need to know of why you didn't see the children, or visit the Village, especially after blogging that you took an "80 some odd kilometers [drive] around the island taking in some of the more beautiful land and seascapes along the way." Looking at Google Maps, you would have had to pass within a few streets from the Village, and you didn't visit?

Help me understand that this voyage around the world isn't just something Lee Winters is doing for himself, his canine companion, and friends, because that's the sense I'm getting from not only this latest blog, but also from previous ones. And looking at Flickr pics under Sailing For SOS, there's only about two dozen or so photos (out of around 240) of kids, who could have been from anywhere, not necessarily SOS Villages. No where is there any 'evidence' that the children in the photos are associated or connected with SOS; outside of a few words, there are no descriptions of what the photos are all about.

Is this sail around the world really about SOS Children's Villages, Lee, or just about yourself, with a 'legit' reason, i.e., the orphaned children, tacked on for credibility's sake and to have people throughout the world foot the bill for your sail? Because if that's the case, oooh, I could get really hot under the collar that you would even consider using orphans in this way, much less actually try to do that.

Can you convince me that I'm way off base in my thinking?

~ Captain Gigi

Re: Quick Tahiti Update

i kind of have to agree with captain gigi....any answers?

Don't think you are doing what you say you are doing, Lee Winters

@SailingForSOS Vimeo Galapagos vid posted 24 das ago shows 4 people on vacation, not Lee Winters singlehanding around the world. :-(

@SailingForSOS UnFollowing you, Lee Winters...no mention to you on SOS sites; your ship's log doesn't belong to Jargo.

Re: Quick Tahiti Update

Gigi,

To be perfectly honest I don't know if I should ignore, delete, or respond to your comments. For better or worse, I'll probably respond with a full post regarding your statements in the next day or two. However, for now, I am getting the boat ready to sail again and spending the evening in Papara at the SOS Village. Regardless if you care to read that post or not, if you no longer care to follow the blog I'd invite you not too. One of the greatest pleasures of writing this blog has been the interaction with the readers. That is true even when readers express different opinions and points of view. This seems like something entirely different.

You might try the SOS USA Blog for one reference. soschildrensvillagesusa.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html

You might also try the Feruary 2009 Newsletter direct from SOS of which this is an excerpt:

"It is wholly within our power — yours and mine — to enable more children to grow up in safe, loving homes."
This was the reaction that Lee Winters had upon visiting the SOS Children's Village Hampolol near Campeche, Mexico. Lee's journey is remarkable. A non-sailor turned sailor, and businessman turned philanthropist, Lee changed his life completely to devote 100% of his time to children in need. Read more about his journey below.

In this newsletter, I am not asking you to radically change your life as Lee did. But I am asking if you can help spread the word about SOS in the U.S. Each of us has a circle of influence which can help to bring awareness to SOS. If we are all connected to each other through just six degrees of separation, children in need in the U.S. and around the world, aren't so far away. And your network of close friends, relatives, co-workers and neighbors has the power to change lives. Read below about how our supporters in Atlanta are educating others about SOS.

You can help us to spread the word about SOS now. As a first step, please forward this email to just three people. This small action can help change thousands of lives.
Thank you for your continued support,

Heather Paul, PhD
Executive Director
SOS Children's Villages - USA
________________________________________
Sailing for SOS
SOS Children's Villages supporter Lee Winters gave up a successful job last November to prepare for a sailing journey. His mission...to help raise awareness for SOS Children's Villages.
Starting from his home port of Kemah, Texas, Lee is currently sailing around Mexico on his way through the Panama Canal and off into the Pacific Ocean. Throughout his journey, he will visit SOS Villages, blog about his experiences, publish videos, and raise $10,000 for SOS.
Lee recently stopped at the SOS Children's Village Hampolol near Campeche, Mexico in the Yucatán Peninsula as part of his Sailing for SOS campaign.
He visited with children at the village and the experience moved him deeply.

"Smiles come easy and the happiness permeates anyone who dares to visit," said Lee of his visit. "The joy comes from the knowledge that these are the lucky children. These kids have real homes and loving families."
"My day with these children taught me many things," he continued. "First, the only thing these kids ask for is love. Luckily for me, hugs are easy to provide and the return on investment is immediate."

"Secondly, the village runs more lean than any corporation in the world and their 'products' are the most well-behaved children I've ever encountered," said Lee. "Finally, it is wholly within our power — yours and mine — to enable more children to grow up in safe, loving homes like the one I saw in Hampolol."
Track Lee's current position, read his blog and check out his photo gallery for the latest updates on his Sailing for SOS web site. You may also make a donation to SOS in support of Lee.


Certainly I haven't published as much about every village as I might like and that's a downfall I can admit. You might also consider the privacy laws surrounding photos and personal information regarding orphaned children. Not to mention the language barrier that exists in setting up these visits in foreign countries and making the necessary contacts to get the ball rolling. I won't defend my position any more today other than to say that the idea that I've used orphans to fund my sail is beyond laughable. To date, less that $300 USD has been donated directly to me where several thousand has so far been raised for SOS CV. Not one penny of those donations pass through my hands, but go directly to the secure page the created for me on their servers.

Re: Quick Tahiti Update

Captain Gigi,
There are very few young men taking this kind of voyage who would even think of adding a wonderful association such as SOS to their schedule. But this is the kind of man Lee Winters is! As he said, he makes no money, although because of his travels; many dollars have gone to SOS. It seems you must have some lacking in your own life to spend time making adverse comments about Lee. Or as was said in an earlier post, perhaps you didn't eat your Wheaties!
Sandra

Attacks on the person are the lowest form of attacks....

My comments were related to *what* Lee Winters *says* he's doing, and what the photos show, and the blogs say. My focus is on the behaviour not the person.

1. Lee doesn't use Jargo's ship's log, a gross error on his part, in my opinion, to say the least;
2. The Vimeo video (uploaded 25 days ago now) does not show anything connected with SOS Children's International, only 4 people on vacation;
3. Lee Winters finds no time to visit the SOS Children's International Village on Tahiti, gives a lame excuse why;
4. Photos, esp., in the July 18 blog, could have been taken anywhere in the world; again, no connections to SOS; and
5. The SOS Children's International sites *do not list* Lee Winters or Jargo anywhere! Visiting one Village in 2009 has nothing to do with this SailingForSOS enterprise Lee Winters would have the digital world believe. Having 'friends' write testimonials proves nothing.

All of the above has nothing to do with Lee Winters, the person, but Lee Winters' behaviour. I get the sense that he could very well be sitting on a beach somewhere in Mexico or Central America, and vacationed in the Galapagos Islands with a few friends. That's it.

I just get a very strong sense that what Lee Winters isn't doing what he says he's doing. Period. And he has said nothing to this point to convince me otherwise.

~ Captain Gigi

Re: Quick Tahiti Update

Captain Gigi,

You make valid points and I must say that I can respect your opinon. However I do not agree with you at all.

I won't give you another "testimonial" about Lee and his character since it simply will not convince you otherwise of what you have already concluded. It is clearly a case of your perception being your reality, key word "your" reality. I get the feeling that if there were more pictures and more visits to villages you still wouldn't be satisfied and if in the coming days, weeks, months and years it takes Lee to complete this amazing trip you'd simply say that he is doing it since you pointed it out.

Lee owes you nothing, no explaination, no apology and no promise of what will happen in the future. This type of trip cannot be planned out to the level of detail that I'd imagine would satisfy you.

Re: Quick Tahiti Update

Captain Gigi,
Perhaps you are going through Menopause!! Maybe your husband left you because your glass is always 1/2 empty.
Not rose colored glasses, but broken!

Re: Quick Tahiti Update

People like you Captain Gigi make me so mad I can't even gather my senses to write a defending post for Lee.

Oh wait a second, he doesn't need a defense - You Gigi, are the poor sod stuck at the dock writing your hourly log of windspeed and course heading (that static figure on the compass which barely moves when tied up), while dreaming of somewhere far away... And there Lee is, out there living a dream he worked his ass for (and continues to), while trying his best to do some good while he's at it.

What a crime!

Re: Quick Tahiti Update

I think "Captain" Gigi needs to put her/his "behaviour" where his/her ship is. But I'm skeptical it would be in a place that SOS has an interest in. Lee never pretended to be an SOS marketing VP, but SOS remains a grateful beneficiary of the awareness he intended to bring to their successes. I am a devoted fan of Lee's voyage, and as a result a devoted supporter of SOS.

Re: Quick Tahiti Update

It's only because of Lee's doing that I got the awareness of the SOS CV and pledged my supports to the organization and Heather Paul...

SOS and Lee's efforts

I just want to thank you Lee for raising the awareness of SOS children's villages. When I went sailing I did it without any beneficiary other than myself.
I have now donated yet again to SOS because of your voyage and the raising of awareness. BTW if you run into the sailing vessel Nakia say hi to the crew from me. They are old friends.

Re: Gigi and your attack....Quick Tahiti Update

Gigi, as I do not think I that you deserve the respect that is associated with the title of Captain, you are not following Lee as closely as you portray yourself to be...or you would realize that not only has Lee given up his job, his life and thousands upon thousands of his own personal money but he gave up his best friend of almost 12 years, his "dog" Georgia. BTW, she would be incredibly insulted at the term of dog to accurately describe her. She was flown back to the states to live because Lee was not only selfless enough to give up a very rewarding, high paying career but he was selfless enough to give up his best friend, Georgia and she is in my care in the states. You would also take a second just a second to think about three things: 1. you are more aware of SOS C/V because of Lee than you ever were prior to following his journey, 2. when Georgia, his canine companion was lost in Colombia for two weeks, he spent every waking minute in search of he, risking his life in doing so and still sent her to live in the states for her benefit because I can tell you with out a doubt that it was not in his benefit to give her up, and 3. Lee does not take one single dollar in donations without making sure that an equal amount was donated to SOS C/V first and has only recieved a few sponsorships which consist of items for the boat and not himself. Lee prepared for this journey long before any of us ever heard of it and started putting money away to cover expenses in case he couldn't obtain enough donations. He is a realist and a dreamer, the dreamer wants to help others and raise money the realist knows that he will most likely need to find a way to foot most of the bill.
Lee is young, he is adventurous and he is giving in a way that you will NEVER understand. It would be a shame and something that he would regret in the future if he did not explore the islands or places that he has visited. You do not skip an opportunity to see things and places that you may never see again once you are there, you make the time to make memories to last a lifetime. When Lee is 75, should he skip the sightseeing, he will regret not having the chance or making the time when he was young enough to enjoy them. Maybe that is your problem, you didn't do that?! We should all make a point of taking the time to smell the roses and see the sights because some people will never get the chance whether it is for lack of finances or inability to physically do or see the things that Lee has seen or will see. So, how dare you judge him or what he is doing. Maybe he hasn't given enough pictures but what is enough and who are you to decide? In addition, SOS C/V are not as likely to mention Lee's visits as they would someone like Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt, Lee is a normal person and normal people don't want to hear about what other normal people are doing.
Lee has accomplished more in his young life and given more to strangers than most people ever do, so don't you dare judge him harshly, if you can't offer words of support then you need to leave him alone. He has given up parts of himself that no one will ever know. You could not do what he has done, most of us couldn't. You have no idea what a trip like this could do to someones psyche and the toll it has taken on Lee. He isn't going to post it but I can tell you that giving up his friends, family and Georgia were the equivalent of losing a family member to cancer with constant reminders each time that we write or contact him. Whether you feel that his excuse for not visiting a village was not a good one is up to you but I can tell you that after any trip, most normal people take a bit to unwind before jumping into work whether it is earning a paycheck or meeting a bunch of kids and people that could change a life changing effect on yourself and them. You have no idea why he wasn't able to visit the village but don't for one second think that he has lost sight of his original mission or that you will influence when he visits a village. He is a man on a mission and I can tell you with 100% certainty that Lee Winters is NOT someone who will abandon something that he has his mind set on. Once he has something planned, nothing will stop him. He is not one to give up and the more hurdles he has to overcome, the more determined he will be to complete his mission, whatever it may be. So, with that said, if you can't be supportive, then don't be. Didn't your mother ever teach you that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all? I would suggest medication or yoga or maybe just some meditation techniques because you obviously have bigger issues emotionally than Lee not living up to your expectations. You should be so lucky to ever meet someone like Lee because just think, for one second, if he is willing to give up everything he knows and all things secure in his life for children that he doesn't know, just imagine how much he would be willing to give up for friends and family in need.