Team Alvimedica looks to raise funds for heart health

PROVIDENCE – Fans of Team Alvimedica have the chance to bid on two unique sailing experiences and raise funds for heart health in Rhode Island when the crew competes in Newport waters next month.
Team Alvimedica is the youngest entry in the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15, the world’s toughest and longest sporting event
The auction winners will be part of Team Alvimedica as they compete during the Volvo’s Newport stopover from May 5 to 17. Bidding is currently open on seven Pro-Am Race spots and the “Jump Seat,” two separate experiences on board Team Alvimedica. Bidding closes May 5 for the Pro-Am spots and May 8 for the “Jump Seat.” Bids can be placed on the team’s website, www.TeamAlvimedica.com/auction.
Team Alvimedica has raised nearly $65,000 to date for pediatric heart health charities since the Volvo started from Spain in October.
Sailing fans have the chance to bid on bringing their own team of up to six people to join the Team Alvimedica race crew on one of the Pro-Am Races in the stopover. The inshore races precede the leg start and offer the opportunity to be involved in crew maneuvers with the professional race team as they compete against the Volvo fleet.
The funds raised through the online auction will support heart health in Rhode Island with the auction funds benefitting Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Newport Hospital, along with the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Heart Association.
The “Jump Seat” experience involves departing the dock with the race crew and being on board for the initial racing before the fleet leaves the stopover port on May 17. The “Jump Seat” riders experience the exhilarating moments of the start before leaping overboard at a safe moment in the race. The “Jumpers” are then retrieved by a tender boat and brought safely back to shore.
“We are proud to be able to give back to heart health in each of the local stopover communities where the Volvo Ocean Race takes us,” said Team Alvimedica Skipper Charlie Enright of Bristol. “Clearly, to be able to raise funds for Lifespan and the American Heart Association in our home state of Rhode Island is important for us. We are looking forward to visiting both Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Newport Hospital as part of this charity initiative during the stopover.”
Dr. Timothy J. Babineau, president and CEO of Lifespan, said the hospital community is grateful for the team’s support and commitment to heart health for the youngest patients across the Lifespan system.
“The lucky winners of these amazing experiences will not only gain the memory of a lifetime, but also the satisfaction of knowing they’ve helped to make a difference in the lives of others,” Babineau said.
“The American Heart Association is thrilled to have the support of Team Alvimedica,” added Michelle Karn, communications director at the American Heart Association in Southern New England. “Heart disease and stroke remain the leading health threats to Americans. The dollars contributed will be invested in cutting-edge research, education and advocacy to build a healthier community here in Rhode Island.”