Join Now! - Waiving Initiation Fee!
The club is currently waiving it’s $400. initiation fee for new applicants. This is a great time to join so let’s spread the word to our friends and neighbors who might have an interest. WRYC is a fun place to be…don’t keep it a secret!
We have received our first membership application for 2020! Hopefully this will be the first of many.
Remember that applications can be downloaded on the web-page or I am happy to mail them out if you send me the prospective members address.
Beve Hermanson, Membership Chair
Rental News / Upcoming Calendar
2020 will be another busy rental year for WRYC. As of mid January, 15 Non-member rentals and 2 Non-profit rentals have been booked and I have already begun booking 2021. It is never too early to book your next life event at WRYC so for your preferred date, book early!
By spreading the word on our “Jewel on the Ware”, you help to keep our club vibrant. So please continue doing so in 2020 and tell everyone what a wonderful facility we have at WRYC.
Layne Brown, WRYC Rental Manager
Taco Extravaganza, ABC License Update
January 11th the WRYC had their Annual meeting with 57 people in attendance. A Taco extravaganza was hosted by the Board/specifically Dave Brown and extended family members doing the lion share of the preparations.
Upon entering, every family unit received the Club’s Annual Report. Any additions or corrections to the report were asked for; the budget reviewed and passed; and awards presented.
One item that was brought up was no longer selling beer and wine. Monthly ABC lic. costs $85. It seems that many people already BYOB, so we are going to offer sodas, mixers and water. If we find that we need to have the lic after all, we will go back to our previous procedure.
Now I am progressing into the future to let you know that the Valentine Brunch will be held on Feb. 16th beginning at 12:30 PM. A formal invitation will be included in this issue. I want to stress to the members that we need to be more prompt with our RSVP’s. Whether the event is catered or done by a member group, they have to know how many to shop for. Please keep this in mind.
A calendar of events as well as the membership list were in the Annual Report booklet, so if you were not in attendance or didn’t get one, please let a board member or Layne Brown know. We will have some at the door for the February meeting.
Social Chair/co-chair, Alice Bredin-Karny/Jane Smith
Commodore Letter - Annual Meeting recap, Thank you Steve!
I want to start out by thanking all of the Club members who attended our Annual Meeting on January 11th. It was a great opportunity to fellowship with other Club members, discuss Club business and enjoy a delicious taco dinner prepared by renowned taco chefs and Board Members, Bill & Dave Brown. As a member driven Club this is your opportunity to have your voice heard, vote in new Board Members, approve the proposed budget, congratulate Club Award Recipients and enjoy each others company.
This being my first correspondence as your Commodore, I would like to take a moment to thank outgoing Commodore, Steve Hanson, for his leadership of the Club these last couple of years. To use a little sailing lingo, Steve has a very “even keel” and I think we can all agree that the Club has prospered under his leadership. While extolling the virtues of our illustrious outgoing Commodore, I would be remiss if I didn't mention his fine writing skills. I am learning this as I write this month’s announcement, that it is not as easy as it reads. Please bear with me as I hone my skills.
In conclusion, I would like to thank the Club for its vote of confidence in me to lead us into the next couple years. I look forward to my term as Commodore and am excited about the plans we are developing for the “Next 50”. As mentioned at the Annual Meeting we will be gathering a Committee to spear head efforts for the Club’s 50th Anniversary and discuss strategies for keeping the Club we love so much thriving over the next half century.
Jonathan Matthews, Commodore
Help Wanted!
It, finally, feels like Winter but , before we know it, the weather will start to warm and activity at the Club will be back in swing with socials, sailing and rentals. In preparation for those activities, we have many projects that need our yearly “tending to” in support of Building and Grounds. All of these projects can be accomplished with the help of our club membership and the proverbial “many hands make light work”, definitely, holds true. We will have our first work day on March 28 - not in April - and hope to have many volunteers to tackle the projects - pruning bushes around the club and bath house, window washing, cleaning of the grills and chairs on the screen porch, thorough cleaning of the kitchen, cleaning paddle fans, polishing the trophies, restocking of First Aid Kit, road maintenance, blowing debris off the roof, etc. We will take our instructions from the Building and Grounds committee.
Our plan is to start around 9am and we will hand out order slips for lunch sandwiches from Nuttall’s kitchen. With a good turnout, we should be finished by noon and will have lunch delivered for all the helpers. These work days make such a difference in the appearance of our facilities for both members and rentals. I hope all of you will consider giving a few hours of your time to help WRYC continue to be the Jewel On The Ware.
Thank you in advance!
Bill Brown, House Chair
The Next 50 Years
The year is finally winding down. We had a fantastic Oyster Roast thanks to our hosts, the Grant Family, and a great group of volunteers including Beve and Gary Hermanson, and the entire Morgan clan who helped move the grill (Joe is leading the committee to figure out a better way to move the grill top next year to avoid scorching hands). We have one final event in 2019 as we ring in the New Year so get your reservations in soon.
With the end of the year, my time as Commodore will end too. Lorna and I deeply appreciate the warmth and friendship that WRYC members have shown us since moving here in 2014, and I particularly appreciate the help I have had from so many of you in my two years as Commodore. I am particularly grateful for our fantastic Board who made my job easy by coordinating club activities and ensuring our facilities were in fantastic shape. I would like to thank Ginger and Clayton James for their outstanding coordination of Summer Sailing camp and the Governor’s Cup, both huge undertakings and key programs for outreach to the community. In addition, my special thanks to a group of talented and energetic sailors who have reinvigorated our adult sailing programs - Jim Garrett, Joe Morgan, and Scott Titus (and a honorable mention to Tom Bernard for his weekly Albacore coaching). Their efforts have been key in fulfilling WRYC’s core mission of bringing Corinthian racing to the community. Finally, my thanks to Layne Brown for managing our rentals, a critical source of funds for the club, and our bookkeeper, Shannon French, for ensuring we keep track of spending and budget appropriately. We owe all these volunteers (and others) for ensuring WRYC continues to be a source of fun and enjoyment for all.
As we look to the future, the Board has started to discuss a key anniversary that will be upon us before we know it. Specifically, 2021 will mark WRYC’s 50th anniversary. In our last Board Meeting we began to discuss “what is next” and “how should WRYC shape itself for the next 50 years?” As we enter 2020, we want to use the year to start planning for our Golden Anniversary, and more important, establish the “Next 50” initiative to start thinking about where the Club should be in another 50 years. We are looking for volunteers. We are looking for ideas. Be ready to discuss this in the January Membership meeting!
I wish you all a Merry Christmas.I hope to see all (or at least many of you) at the New Year’s Eve event.Once again, thank you all for the honor of serving as Commodore.And I will certainly want to be part of “The Next 50” project and helping to ensure WRYC keeps bringing people to the joys of boating and sailing into the future.
The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
As I sit to write, it is the Monday before Thanksgiving. I thought I would take a moment to share some thoughts on what I am thankful for (among many other things, as well). I am thankful that I took my dear friend up on an offer to visit a quaint little sailing club down on “the rivah”. I am thankful to live in a county with one of the truly most wonderful sailing grounds on The Bay. I am thankful for keel boats and dinghies, canoes, kayaks, and docks. I am thankful for the Sunday Series and Adult Sailing Lessons. I am thankful for Junior Sailing and the Governor’s Cup. And, I am thankful for friends. Wishing you all a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season.
Welcome Alice Bredin-Karney
WRYC extends a warm welcome to Alice Bredin-Karney. She is newly retired and resides in Gloucester. She is anxious to volunteer with Socials and become involved with Adult Sailing.
Welcome Alice, we look forward to many happy times together!