The Spirit of Bermuda is sailing to the Dominican Republic for its first community service project.The Bermuda Sloop Foundation runs the Spirit and organises five-day voyages around the Island for local middle school students throughout the academic year.During the summer months the charity organises international voyages for teens and young adults. The ship has already sailed to islands in the Caribbean, various ports across the east coast of North America and across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe in the last four years.This year they have decided to add a new competent to their programme community service.On June 5 the ship will embark on a 20-day voyage to the Dominican Republic.The charity is looking for 36 people aged 14 to 25 to join them on their voyage and back.Half of the crew will fly to the Dominican on June 5 to start building a home with the “The Village” Mountain Mission Project charity. Ten days later the ship will arrive with the other half of the crew. The two groups will swap after a couple of days together, with the newly arrived sailors staying on to finish building the house and the other half embarking to sail the ship home. Everyone will be back in Bermuda by June 25.Director of Administration Denise Riviere said the charity decided it was time to add a service component to their sailing programme.“Maritime Administer Simon Colley mentioned it a while ago and we decided to do it this year,” she said. “We think it is important for the young people aboard to give back and also to learn how fortunate they are to be living in Bermuda, which is wealthier than the Dominican Republic.“We are going to help build a house while we are there and build relationships with people who don’t have as much. The Bermudians on the voyage will benefit from this as well as learning leadership, teamwork, accountability and responsibility from the sailing trip.”The voyage is also Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme approved, which means students can do the residential component of the Gold Award with the Spirit.This Thursday the charity will hold an information session on the Dominican Republic trip, as well as one to the Maritimes in Canada in August, at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club at 6pmThe 20-day trip to Dominican will cost $3,450, including airfare. The Bermuda Sloop Foundation has payment plans and bursaries available to people who need financial assistance. They will also hold fundraisers over the next month, which will help defray the cost of the trip.Related websites:www.bermudasloop.orgwww.villagemountainmission.org