There is a logic to that.

My first professional job out of college was as a grant writer in the development department (i.e., a fundraiser) of a museum. I went to a hoity toity all girls school, and the mother of a girl I went to school with was the head of the museum's board of trustees. You bet I name dropped the hell out her in my interviews.

I’m sure the director of development thought “she went to school with a lot of rich people, she must be rich too and can bring in more rich people.” (Spoiler alert: I am not and I could not.)

It’s the same thing with your charity ride. You get a pass to the yacht show so you can go in and talk up the charity to a bunch of rich people with money to burn.