Small Boat Builders of Racine named as the 2026 Client Survey appreciation donation recipient
Every two years, Financial Service Group conducts a client survey to ensure we’re acknowledging our strengths and identify opportunities to enhance the value we provide. Our surveys typically yield very positive findings, and we want to continue that momentum. It’s rewarding to hear appreciative comments, and it’s vital that we also hear new ideas, suggestions, and feedback from our clients.
As a token of our appreciation for taking the time to respond, we select an organization to receive our Client Survey Appreciation Donation. This year, we are pleased to announce that we will be making a donation in the name of FSG clients, to the Small Boat Builders of Racine.
“I like to say that high water rises all boats,” said Mike Haubrich, founder and president of FSG. “In this case, it’s the Small Boat Builders who are raising the ‘water’ in our community by teaching valuable skills our youth can put to use throughout their futures. We invite you to learn more about the Small Boat Builders and the work they do in our community.”
More about Small Boat Builders 
Small Boat Builders is a volunteer-led organization that uses wooden boat building to teach woodworking, problem-solving, teamwork, and confidence. While our students learn practical skills, they also discover the satisfaction that comes from creating something beautiful and lasting with their own hands.
Boat building has deep roots in Racine. For generations, the city’s location on Lake Michigan fostered a rich maritime tradition, with skilled craftsmen building and repairing boats that served both work and recreation. Small Boat Builders is proud to help preserve that heritage by passing traditional woodworking and boat building skills to new generations while using those skills to strengthen our community.
Our current programs include:
Racine Youthful Offender Correctional Facility – Volunteers teach weekly classes where incarcerated young men develop woodworking skills, patience, accountability, and pride while building wooden boats.
Racine Friendship Clubhouse – Twice each month, adults living with mental illness gather with our volunteers to learn woodworking in a welcoming environment that encourages friendship, purpose, and accomplishment.
The Prairie School – In January, we worked with 12 upper-class students during an intensive eight-day program that introduced them to traditional boat building, craftsmanship, and collaborative problem-solving.
Our projects extend far beyond the boats themselves. We believe woodworking is a vehicle for building confidence, resilience, and meaningful human connections. Every class creates opportunities for mentoring, encouragement, and personal growth while preserving the traditional craft of wooden boat building.
Small Boat Builders is fiscally sponsored by the Racine Heritage Museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, allowing the group to receive tax-deductible donations while independently carrying out its educational and community programs. This partnership provides financial stewardship while enabling our volunteers to focus on what they do best—teaching skills, inspiring confidence, and making a positive impact throughout the Racine community.
What inspires us is witnessing the transformation that happens in the workshop. We see students who have never held a hammer discover they can master new skills. We watch individuals gain confidence as they solve problems, support one another, and complete projects they never imagined possible. Every finished boat represents far more than craftsmanship—it represents perseverance, hope, and the belief that people can accomplish remarkable things when someone believes in them.
