Amy Seeley Memorial FUND

To sit in an Amy Seeley seminar about weather was to receive three things: excellent information on weather, her passion for the mysteries of nature, and the realization that she was sharing these because she cared deeply about keeping mariners safe.

Amy Seeley died in 2019 at age 49, following complications from a stroke. This brought an abrupt end to a 29-year career with the National Weather Service, Chicago, where she arrived as a college intern and never left.

Expanding people’s understanding of weather was her core passion. She taught hundreds of seminars to gatherings including the Midwest Women’s Sailing Conference, Strictly Sail, Coast Guard and U. S. Power Squadron, International Shipmaster’s Assoc., Great Lakes Captains Assoc., and dozens of yacht clubs.

She boarded several Great Lakes freighters to install weather stations and teach crews to gather real-time weather data, filling in a matrix of information used by sailors and boaters. Seeley worked with volunteer weather observers across the 23 counties served by the Chicago office of NWS, frequently visiting their sites to make sure their equipment was in working order.

Midwest Women’s Sailing Conference is grateful to have hosted seminars by Amy for each of our first nine years. We miss her infectious humor and enthusiasm. Because we shared Amy's core value for increasing the knowledge and skills of women mariners, we have established the Amy Seeley Memorial Fund to provide conference tuition.

FUNDING IS AVAILABLE

Please don't let cost be the reason you decide not to attend!

All attendees are eligible to receive a discount up to the full amount of their registration fee. To apply, submit a letter via email stating how receiving this reduction in cost will impact your ability to give back to your sailing community—however you define it—after the event. Note: This is not a competition. We will consider all requests that we receive.

Deadline for applications is March 15th for the conference that year. Unfortunately, we are unable to cover any housing and/or travel costs. If you are seeking help with accommodations, we may be able to find you a private home that will host you for the weekend. We welcome both new and returning attendees to apply, although prior recipients are not eligible.

How to Donate

The Amy Seeley Memorial Fund is maintained by the MWSC using donations that may be tax-deductible. Donate online below. To contribute by check, please make it payable and mail to Midwest Women's Sailing Conference, P.O. Box 1099, Milwaukee, WI 53203. Include "Seeley" on the memo line. You will receive a receipt via mail for your donation. We thank you for your generosity and support!