Chicago Yacht Club's Special Needs Cruise helps dozens access scenic lakefront ride

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Yacht Club's annual Special Needs Cruise brought dozens of guests to the lakefront for a scenic ride aboard spacious boats.

The club provided lunch to 150 visitors from Miseracordia, Good Shepherd Manor and Helping Hands Rehabilitation. They dined a few feet away from the large boats waiting to take them on the water.

Rita Anderson and her husband have been members of the yacht club for years, and offered up their boat for the afternoon cruise. It was one of 20 boats carrying special needs passengers on lake Michigan, sailing south along Grant Park, east of Museum Campus and then north to Navy Pier.

"It's a delight to see them happy and enjoying the new experience," Anderson said.

Wintrust Bank sponsored the cruise, which lasted close to 90 minutes.

"It's such a great way for the community to come together and our employees fight for spots to volunteer for this every year," said Katina Panagopoulos of Wintrust Bank.

Loren Wolf is a yacht club member who has volunteered for this event for the last several years.

"You could have someone who's non-verbal and the will go out on the water and they will pick up speed, or they see the fireboat, and they light up," she said.

The Chicago's Fire Department's boat, which shoots water cannons into the air at Navy Pier, has become a highlight of the annual event.

Many of the passengers have done the cruise before but still say it's a thrill.