Southeastern Wisconsin Regatta

The First Annual DHA Regatta was held on September 20, 2011. Sailors, party-goers, volunteers, advocates, and the Milwaukee Brewers Famous Racing Sausages all enjoyed the day while raising funds for kids GI research.

The event was attended by digestive health supporters from as far away as Chicago. Attendees enjoyed the barbecue lunch, harbor sailboat rides, live music, and games for the children.

Representatives from two of the DHA Children's GI Research Centers attended the event. Dr. Miguel Saps of Children’s Memorial Hospital, and Dr. Manu Sood, of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, were on hand to help give out awards to the sailors. One of Dr Sood's patients, Amanda Hintz, also attended the event, and was interviewed by the Kenosha News:

Amanda Hintz, 17, of East Troy has had gastroesophageal reflux disease since birth and chronic intestinal pseudo- obstruction that leave her unable to eat solid food except occasional ice cream.

Hintz, who hopes to go to medical school to be a doctor, has a 4.0 grade average but is behind a year in school due to illness. She receives medication and is fed through a port in her chest.

Her mother, Sonja, who is a nurse, said that taking care of the tube and medication "is a full-time job, and I'm a nurse."

"The pain of this condition is very difficult to control," Amanda said. "The hardest thing is seeing how much you can take of this. The biggest thing they need is research funding. It (her condition) is rare enough that there doesn't seem to be enough awareness."

Nineteen boats participated in the regatta which began as soon as some early storms passed out of the area. Doug Vaccarello and his boat Sirocco won the regatta and as well as the Patients' Champion Cup for collecting the most donations. Gary Powell with Contentious and Jim Buck with Rainbow were the Pickle Boat winners.

  

Special thanks to the following sponsors:

Crate & Barrel Weber Grill/ Weber Grill Restaurant Carson’s Ribs Restaurants Kenosha Yacht Club Kenosha Community Sailing Center Vielle & Frances Fluid Equipment Sales Elements East Pro Source Wholesale Floor Pfister Hotel

Harley-Davidson Company Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club 2-Story Creative Ron & Kathy Otto Great Lakes Distillery Cruzan Rum Vineyard Vines Gruvy Wear Bakery On Main