For Immediate Release
Contact: Theresa Brown Cortez (210) 347-9383
Barbara Thompson (832) 212-1967

Monday, February 09, 2009

Dive Pirates Prepare for Biggest Bash Yet, 5th Annual Pirates Ball

Preparing for its fifth annual Pirates Ball, the organization’s largest fundraiser for equipment, gear and scuba training for injured veterans of the Iraq war, the Dive Pirates Foundation of Houston is gearing up for its largest ball to date on Friday, February 20, 2009 at the Downtown Aquarium with keynote speaker CPT (Ret) F. Dawn Halfaker.

“Dawn was an amazing student, learning to dive, and she is such an inspiration to others as she works very hard for other injured veterans, we were honored to have her go through our adaptive course and learn to scuba as an adaptive diver,” said Sophie Wimberley, co-founder of the Dive Pirates Foundation and Dawn’s scuba instructor. “Having her speak at this year’s event will be moving, to say the least.”

Halfaker commanded a military police platoon in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She was wounded during a combat patrol near Baghdad in 2004, earning a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for her service. After returning home she has started her own national security consulting business while supporting veterans’ affairs efforts.

“This is a unique organization that delivers a quality experience for those of us who are wounded and want a new adventure,” said Halfaker. “No other organization delivers the same experience.”

For the fourth year in a row Houston’s Fox News affiliate anchor Jose Griñan will serve as the master of ceremonies. A scuba diver himself, he accompanied the pirates on last year’s trip to Cayman Brac, the site of this year’s trip planned June 20-27, 2009. Also on deck for this year’s ball are the owners of the Brac Reef Beach Resort, Mary and Russ Brandes, and resort manager Trudy Viers. The resort will play host to 12 adaptive students, their dive buddies and other foundation members who not only support the foundation but also look for any excuse to go scuba diving with these great people. The Pirates will take over all 40 rooms and 5 dive boats at the resort.

To fund this year’s trip as well as dive equipment and lessons, the foundation is looking forward to its 5th Annual Dive Pirates Ball and Live Auction planned for Friday, Feb. 20, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at The Downtown Aquarium in Houston. Table sponsors and individual tickets are still welcome.

“What’s new this year is a live auction, we’ve had very successful silent auctions in the past, but we’re not a very quiet group, so we decided to let loose,” said foundation co-founder Barbara Thompson.

Look for another announcement this spring for the second Houston-area fundraiser on April 4, 2009, Music for Soldiers, currently planned for Sam’s Boat in The Woodlands, Texas. 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 or to make a donation, go to www.divepirates.org.

-- DIVE PIRATES--