Commodore’s Report – Spring 2018
By Beth Eller
Almost warm enough. . . Looking forward to our on-water season!
A big thank you to our Activity Committee chairs and the members of their groups who have been busily planning our upcoming season. More paddling, more rowing, canoeing, sailing and fishing! More instruction so we can all get better at all those things!
I encourage everyone to take a look at the calendar at www.sebagocanoeclub.org and see what an extraordinary amount is planned for the upcoming season – from our first-ever fishing meet-up days, to the always in-demand sailing classes and racing series, to canoe trips, to regularly scheduled all-level paddles and paddling instruction both in the Bay and at the Lake – there’s something for everyone. Don’t miss the opportunity to cheer on the racers at the All-Club Invitational as they vie to keep the Glickman Cup for the third straight year. Our kayak fishing committee has promised to catch some fish to serve at the post-race party. Come out and volunteer for City of Water Day on July 14. And mark your calendars now for the second Tony P. Scavenger Hunt in September – we’ve been told we will have water to paddle/sail in this year!
The planning, the leading, and all the behind-the-scenes coordination involved in making these events happen – at Jamaica Bay and at Lake Sebago – requires a LOT of volunteer effort, so thank you to everyone who has made this very robust schedule, including all our community outreach programs, possible. I am excited about what the upcoming season offers and hope you all are too.
That we will be able to get to the water this season is thanks to Jim Luton and his army of volunteers who are coordinating with the NYC Parks Department and working to make the dock secure after a winter of erosion, a project that requires lifting a lot of rocks! This is in addition to everything else they do to make sure the grounds are well-maintained and ready for the season. We all owe them our thanks.
Welcome to all our newest members!
We had over 35 people join last year – and already have a half dozen or so people waiting to join this spring. We now have over 220 memberships with about 300 members.
An additional shout-out to all those who do such a terrific job of making new members welcome – from answering initial queries, meet-and- greets and sign-ups to new member orientations, teaching introductory classes and always finding one more spot for a boat, as well as all the administrative tasks involved – waivers, managing the listserv and billing. It all helps communications flow better.
I particularly encourage the newest members to review the calendar and see what opportunities are available to all our members, from beginner to experienced. Not sure if you have the skills for a class? Interested in getting more involved? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me, a committee chair, or any member with questions.
Hope to see you all on the water!
Wow, you captured the energy of a winters worth of work in a few well chosen words! Great job Beth, thanks for being our leader!