(DiverWire) Sgt. (ret.) Travis Clennon, a 2011 recipient of the Dive Pirates Foundation, will address those attending the 8th Annual Dive Pirates Ball at the Houston Intercontinental Hotel Friday, February 17, 2012. He will be telling his personal story of four tours to Iraq, injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) and his road to recovery that includes now being a certified adaptive scuba diver through the Dive Pirates Foundation.
“If you needed any help, you could just ask one of your peers, any of the group, everyone was tuned in to make sure you had everything you need,” said Clennon after a week of diving.
“Travis not only completed our program, he’s still diving in an around the Austin area, and is making plans to go on a dive trip in the Middle East sometime soon,” said Foundation Co-Founder Sophie Wimberley. “That is the ultimate compliment of our success as a foundation, to give these men and women everything they need to learn to scuba dive, and enjoy it for a lifetime.”
The Foundation, through its chapters, sponsors returning injured military with lessons, gear, and a trip to the Brac Reef Beach Resort and Reef Divers ll at Cayman Brac so that the recipients can truly dive in a mainstream dive location and experience their true potential as a certified diver. All learning materials are donated by Scuba Schools International (SSI).
Tickets are still available for the event by calling 877-EYE-DIVE (877-393-3483) or by sending an email to divepirates@divepirates.org The event starts at 6 p.m. with a silent auction, followed by a live auction, dinner, and a video presentation of Clennon and other 2011 recipients’ diving experience.
For more information about the foundation go to www.divepirates.org. Click here to see the invitation.
The Dive Pirates Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing scuba diving to persons with disabilities and joining them with mainstream divers. Its vision is to create a community of adaptive divers that will dive and travel in the mainstream world of scuba diving through education and overcoming obstacles.
