Community Event featuring Award Winning Author, Sailor, and Teacher - Neal Petersen - Sat., Jan 26th 10-11AM

A Path in The Woods Foundation & Thrive Wellesley 

Present a Special Community Event with Neal Petersen 

In Life, There are No Barriers, Only Solutions

Saturday January 26, 2013 – 10:00AM-11:00AM

Katherine L. Babson, Jr. Auditorium

Wellesley High School - 50 Rice Street, Wellesley, MA

A book signing and sharing of ideas will take place after

Neal’s talk in the Wilbury Crockett Library

Neal will share his life lessons and story of hope & resiliency, including:
☼ The importance of realizing goals through perseverance and passion.
☼ Choosing conquest over adversity, never give up!
☼ The power of positive attitude and how if affects one’s performance.
☼ With choices there are consequences – choose wisely.
☼ Change – adapt to wind shifts and stormy seas by knowing when to alter course.


Neal Petersen overcame a childhood disability, poverty and apartheid to become the first sailor of African descent to complete the world’s premier solo sailing event.  Petersen sailed for 195 days to complete the 27,000-mile “Around Alone,” the longest race for individuals in any sport, in 1999. His 2004 autobiography, “Journey of a Hope Merchant: From Apartheid to the Elite World of Solo Yacht Racing,” won the National Outdoor Book Award in 2005. The book includes a harrowing account of his passage around South America’s Cape Horn. Petersen’s 1994 book, “No Barriers,” describes how he built a yacht and sailed it from South Africa to Europe using a sextant rather than a compass. A PBS documentary about Petersen is also titled “No Barriers.” Petersen’s No Barriers Education Foundation, based in Charleston, S.C., works with elementary schools to teach children “to believe in themselves,” set goals, and understand that education can help dreams come true.

Thrive Wellesley’s mission is to engage parents, students, community, business and religious leaders, senior citizens and others in the Wellesley community to create the opportunities and culture that enable every child to develop their innate gifts and thrive in life. We invite everyone in our community to bring his/her ideas to the discussions as we move beyond myths, build on Wellesley’s strengths, and put all our youth on a path to lifetime well being. This year we hope to expand opportunities for every student in sports programs and creative-arts activities.

Thrive Wellesley Advisors; Ellen Gibbs▪David Lussier▪Terry Cunningham▪Tom Harrington▪David Chapin▪Ilissa Povich▪Lesley Robertson▪Maura Renzella ▪Christian Milde▪Teresita Ramos▪Evan Rosenberg▪Christine Duvivier▪Gary McCabe▪Jim Brommers Bergquist▪Fred Wright