The Keyport Yacht Club Annual Bill Volk Regatta & The RAINE Foundation
2027 Annual Bill Volk Memorial Regatta dates coming soon!
The Keyport Yacht Club hosted its first Annual Bill Volk Memorial Regatta in 1994 to honor longtime club member, William Volk, Sr., who served as a Trustee & Race Committee Chair, and significantly upgraded the club’s race program. Since June 2001, we held our first Regatta helping a charity to raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Their mission since 2001 has been to “Reach All in Need Everyday”. For the last lucky 14 years, we fundraised for the RAINE Foundation of Hazlet. Funds raised by KYC equaling to $317,511 over the years help those in our community who need immediate or ongoing support or aid in their daily lives. While we collected $35,511 in 2026, we look forward to having you race and participate in the many fundraising events such as tricky tray, silent auction, RAINE music night, 50/50, sponsorship in program, employer matches, Venmo, and other opportunities in 2027. Let's work together to double or triple the amount next year as the KYC celebrates 15 years of fundraising for RAINE Foundation
Links to Sponsor Packet, Program Book Page and Tricky Tray forms, coming in 2027.
Visit us again for updates when to register for the 2027 Bill Volk Memorial Regatta.
The Keyport Yacht Club and the RAINE Foundation “Sailing for the Bayshore”
Eight months after Superstorm Sandy hit the Jersey shore in October 2012, the Keyport Yacht Club and the RAINE Foundation launched the first “Sailing for the Bayshore” campaign to help people in the community recover from the storm.
“We were fortunate to have so many members volunteer their time and skills to help us rebuild and we wanted to do the same for our neighbors who needed the most help,” said Ann Quinn, Keyport Yacht Club commodore from 2012-2014.
The first “Sailing for the Bayshore” campaign was held in June 2013 and raised more than $16,000 for the RAINE Foundation. The weekend-long event, held in conjunction with the Bill Volk Regatta, featured a beautiful “Light the Bay” ceremony on the water and along the shore as a sign of resilience and hope for the community. Donations and volunteer efforts from members, friends, racers and local businesses helped make the event a big success.
Since 2013, the annual regatta has supported the work the RAINE Foundation does throughout the Raritan Bay’s Southern Shore area to help families in need. Over time, the “Sailing for the Bayshore” campaign has raised over $317,511 thanks to the generous support of racers, donors, and sponsors. The RAINE Foundation works with school counselors and administrators to find and aid kids in crisis and families in need. Efforts can be as simple as helping a family struggling with a recent job loss to pay bills, funding mental health counseling for a teen dealing with difficult issues or helping entire families cope with a major illness or tragedy. Annually, RAINE helps families celebrate the holidays by providing toys and gifts tailored to the needs of each family. Other programs like Easter basket and holiday meals programs help put smiles on the faces of many of the less fortunate in our area. Without your continued support, we would not be able to support this amazing organization and help our neighbors in need
About The RAINE Foundation
RAINE (Reaching All In Need Everyday) is a 501(c) (3) organization established in 2001 to aid children and families who are in crisis. Since its beginnings, RAINE has positively affected our communities by providing food, clothing, and aid during the holidays, along with other various necessities for families in crisis throughout the year. The RAINE team consists of compassionate, caring volunteers striving to make a difference in the lives of others.
In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, RAINE's reach and resources were extended to include the entire New Jersey shore area. In the days and weeks following Superstorm Sandy, RAINE was able to organize its "army of volunteers" to provide food, clothing, and other assistance to those affected, including serving over 20,000 meals per day to victims and first responders.
The money raised through the Bill Volk Regatta and the “Sailing for the Bayshore” campaign helps the RAINE Foundation extend its reach to more people each year. In addition to managing an average of 10 cases a week, the all-volunteer RAINE Foundation helps children and other families throughout the year. Please go to https://www.rainefoundation.com/ for more details about this organization.