News

08/20/2012,

Pirates draw their paintbrushes in joint effort to raise funds for Cayman BRAC JR. Achievement

Brac Reef Beach Resort and artist Rogest part of powerful partnership

In an effort to give back to Cayman Brac and its community that always welcomes the Dive Pirates Foundation and its motley crew of adaptive scuba divers, The Brac Reef Beach Resort and the artist Rogest are joining forces with the Dive Pirates creating a weeklong dive trip to include art classes and a live art auction to benefit the local Jr. Achievement Program.

"Since 2005 the Dive Pirates Foundation has come to Cayman Brac with its yearly recipients who have suffered injuries of war, or accidents or disease that have left them disabled in some way," explained Sophie Wimberley, co-founder of the Dive Pirates and trip leader for the reunion trip scheduled for Sept. 8-15, 2012. "Now we've grown to add this second reunion trip so past recipients and their friends and family can enjoy this place, but we've added this extra component as a way to give back to the community."

Manager of the Brac Reef Beach Resort Trudy Viers worked closely with the head of the Cayman Brac Jr. Achievement program, Mr. Alphanso Gayle, to best structure an event that divers and members of the community alike can enjoy and reap the benefits. Three high school students will participate in nightly art classes during the week, with all of the art created to be auctioned off during a dinner event Friday, Sept. 14, 2012.

"We usually have a nice crowd on Fridays to enjoy music, food and our beach atmosphere, it's become tradition on the island, and we're hoping more will come out to meet our dive pirate friends, our friend Rogest and our budding local artists," said Viers. "We'll also have Derrylee Martin-Rankin of the Sister Islands Department of Tourism joining us for the classes and the auction; it's something we've looked forward to for a long time."

Members of the Dive Pirates Foundation and the Jr. Achievement Program will be treated to art classes focusing on "all things ocean," and will be led by artist Ron Steven, better known as Rogest, who teaches a dotalistic style of painting and is passionate about educating others on the importance of respecting and preserving our oceans, lakes and streams.

To Contact Dive Pirates during their trip, contact Theresa Cortez at 877-393-3483 or Theresa@divepirates.org.

You may also contact Trudy Viers, Brac Reef Beach Resort at 800-594-0843.

Follow the week's adventures on Facebook or our website's blog.

The Dive Pirates Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing scuba diving to persons with disabilities and joining them with the mainstream of 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. For more information about the foundation go to www.divepirates.org.

The Brac Reef Beach Resort is a family-owned all-inclusive getaway located on four and a half acres of white-sand beachfront on the island of Cayman Brac. While Cayman Brac diving is its specialty, Brac Reef caters to divers and non-divers alike, welcoming families, small conferences, weddings, honeymoon guests and adaptive divers.

Junior Achievement has a range of different programs teaching concepts relating to entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness. For more information go to www.ja.org.

About the artist

Ron Steven, better known as Rogest, uses the Australian Aboriginal dot art style in his painting. Rogest's work has been used on the front covers of many magazines around the world, with articles and portfolios of his work featured prominently. An ardent supporter of the environment, Ron has worked closely with DAN both in the USA and Australia. He has donated his work to O.W.U. Scholarship Society, Conservation International, Ocean Pals, Oceans for Youth Foundation, REEF, Catalina Conservancy Divers, W.W.F., the Marine Mammal Care Centre in California, Cayman National Trust and the Cayman Islands Department of the Environment.