Dear Fellow Corinthians!
It is hard to believe that in a few weeks we will hold our Decommissioning Ceremony. Where has the time gone? It will be a bittersweet day for me, as my term as Commodore of this wonderful little club comes to an end and I will be handing the baton over to my very helpful and accomplished Vice Commodore, Chris Morano. It has been a great privilege to work with an extremely motivated and supportive Board of Governors, which has made a rather demanding job a lot easier. I've also enjoyed support and helpful feedback from a lot of members, showing clearly who truly cares for our club and where it is heading in the future. As is customary, I will remain on the Board for another two years as Immediate Past Commodore to be at Chris' side should he need help. When Chris takes over in 2020 I hope that all of you will continue to support him as you supported me. While becoming a part of the governing board does entail a certain amount of personal sacrifice, it has been a very rewarding experience for me, and I wish Chris and his 2020 slate of Officers and Board Members the same with all my heart!
Before the Decommissioning we can still look forward to another traditional ECYC event, the "Trees in the Rigging Viewing Party" on December 1st. It is a pot-luck, BYOB event, which will also feature our annual Holiday Bazaar. Get a head start on some holiday shopping and support your Club at the same time! The items for sale were donated and proceeds will benefit the club. Sign up information will follow shortly. Please also bring a non-perishable food item, which we will collect for a holiday donation to the Food Pantry.
For more details on what is going on at ECYC for the rest of the year, please refer to the Entertainment Committee's column, our monthly calendar, and our website!
Of course, there are a few more "housekeeping issues" we have to attend to before the end of the year. I hate to put a damper on this newsletter by mentioning it yet again, but I unfortunately I have no choice thanks to a number of members among you who are still in arrears with their payments. As mentioned in the past, in order for the club to survive we depend on timely payments. To show that you care about this club, please pay your overdue charges so we can all move on to next year and spare our Treasurer the unpleasant task of calling or emailing you repeatedly. Thank you for your cooperation! And, a heartfelt THANK YOU to those among you who have been paying their bills on time!
On a lighter and much more positive note, I want to mention the achievements of a few members who have recently been honored at a couple of different events. First of all, ECYC was well represented at the annual ECSA Dinner last weekend. Past Commodore Terry Stewart represented the Bridge Officers at the dinner. ECSA, the Eastern Connecticut Sailing Association is the “league” our club sails in and consists of all yacht clubs from Milford to Watch Hill. Member Sharon Tracy took third for the season in the NonSuch Class in "Blue Heron". Jeff Going won first place in Class 8 in "Celebration". Congratulations to both Sharon and Jeff! In the overall club results ECYC came in fourth for the season in the non-spinnaker division. Not too shabby! ECSA also recognized the other club boats involved in the Eastern Connecticut regatta circuit throughout the year, including
Blue Jacket (Bill Robinson)
Dorian (Chris Morano)
Flo (Toby Doyle)
Irish Lady (Bill St. John)
Petrel (Jon & Cindy Gibbs)
Tartuca (Ruth & Peter Emblin)
Tesoro (Tim Brewer)
While we may not have a huge fleet of racing boats it is great to see that the competitive ECYC sailing tradition continues rather successfully!
Another member who was recently honored for her long-time involvement in "all things Essex" is Jacquie Wolff. Jacquie is a founding member of ECYC and has been an institution around Essex for over 50 years. The Town of Essex honored Jacquie by dedicating the annual town report to her. I attended the town meeting and enjoyed listening to Jacquie as she shared her memories of Essex "in the early days". Norm Needleman, Essex' First Selectman, recounted how she got the nickname "The Mayor of Main Street" and other panelists chimed in to create a heartfelt atmosphere of celebration of Jacquie's life and achievements. Congratulations, Jacquie!
Now we just have to face the "winter sailing drought" as boats are coming out of the water and are getting winterized one by one. I, for one, always get a bit melancholic when this happens and start binge-watching sailing videos! Fortunately, spring is not too far away (positive thinking may help overcome the winter blues and there are always club dinners where we can talk boating no matter what the weather!)...
And finally, I would like to wish you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Please feel free to contact me or any member of Bridge and Board if you have any comments, questions or concerns. And, of course, I will continue to be a presence at the club if anyone wants to chat!
Ruth Emblin
