Dear Fellow Corinthians!

Welcome to the first issue of the Bell 8 Newsletter for 2019! We celebrated the end of 2018 with a great Raclette Dinner at the club, which was the perfect ending to a busy year.

January was not exactly quiet, either, as it is the month when we traditionally give our club a makeover. Thanks to a large group of volunteers we were able to do all the required maintenance in record time this year. I am very grateful to everyone who lent a hand! The club is looking great and awaiting our February 1st opening just around the corner!

We are also very excited that our dedicated Galley Search Committee headed by Vice Commodore Chris Morano was able to sign a temporary galley contractor to start serving meals on February 1st. Gourmet Galley will be with us in February and March, giving us more time to select the best possible caterer for the long term. Please make Gourmet Galley's chef welcome and support the efforts that have gone into ensuring that we have continuous dining service. Please refer to VC Chris' column in the newsletter for more details.

During the month of January we always receive a number of resignations and requests for reclassification to non-resident. Some members are moving away, have experienced changes in circumstances or cite other reasons. Our membership numbers fluctuate at this time of year, and we need to make up for these changes by acquiring new members. The number of active members is the foundation for our budget calculations. We are discussing a number of strategies to create a membership drive this spring. We can only accomplish this with your help. Invite your friends to the club, show them what we are about, and let them know that membership in ECYC truly has its privileges!

We are also planning a number of member events this year that may attract more attention. You may have noticed a screen being installed above our fireplace (thank you, Pete Simms!). We are planning to hold a variety of presentations at the club, so stay tuned for more details!

Please feel free to contact me or any member of Bridge and Board if you have any comments, questions or concerns. I plan to be available for a quick chat at the club on most Friday nights!
   

Ruth Emblin