MATTAPOISETT — When Marion resident and sailor William Mee unexpectedly died in 2006, his sister and friends decided to form a youth sailing program in his honor. Eighteen years later, the program, which is hosted by the Mattapoisett Community Sailing Association, continues to grow.

Sixteen children participated in the program’s pilot run; this summer, 95 children are set to unfurl their sails.

“It just keeps growing and growing and growing,” said Audri Silveira, who works in the administration and operations department at the Mattapoisett Community Sailing Association, or MattSail.

At the program’s inception, Atlantic Boats donated boats and “everybody kind of came together” to create the program for kids, Silveira said.

She explained that kids learn the fundamentals of sailing, including tying knots and learning the aspects and fundamentals of the boat itself, as well as camaraderie, friendship, respect and water safety.

“They kind of learn a little bit of it all,” she said.

Silveira noted that it’s important to have the program because there are many kids in the area who have parents who sail but don’t necessarily have the time to teach their kids.

“It’s great to be able to put their kids in a program where they can learn the fundamentals of sailing,” she said. “They can feel safe, and they can learn how to be safe on the water.”

The program, which is open to kids ages 6 to 15, often sees the same kids returning for additional sessions. This has led the organization to purposely leave seats open so kids can sign up again.

“We’re always going to keep it open for kids because our max is 125 kids and we’re at 95, so there’s always availability open,” Silveira said.

John Cornish, president of MattSail and Atlantic Boats, said there have been some kids who started in the program at 7-years-old and stuck with it until they were 19.

“A lot of them come back until they get old enough to become an instructor [or] volunteer,” he explained, noting that with the proper qualifications 15-year-olds can become paid instructors.

He added that the program has seen students who started in the program at 7-years-old go on to Mass Maritime Academy and get degrees while others have become doctors and lawyers.

“We’re very proud,” he said.

MattSail, which is a non-profit organization, runs the program through fundraising events and community donations, such as Atlantic Boats donating boats to the program and covering costs for boat repairs.

“I think that one of the biggest things is the community support is huge,” Silveira said.

The program runs a morning session from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 for kids up to 10-years old. The afternoon program, which runs from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. is for kids between the ages of 10 and 15.

Kids can still enroll in the program and can sign up on the MattSail website, https://www.mattsail.org/summer-sailing/.