CYC-NEWS

COMMODORE'S COMMENTS

Welcome all to the Camden Yacht Club's 103rd year. It seems like just yesterday that we celebrated our 100th anniversary. To say that preparing for the 2009 season has been a challenge would be an understatement. Your Officers have met often over the past several months to prepare for the upcoming season. In this newsletter, your Officers and I will highlight what has transpired since our last report to the membership in December 2008.

First and foremost, there have been two key personnel changes. We are very pleased to welcome Sue Conover as the new Director of Sailing. Sue will be employed by CAYSP and have responsibility for the Junior Sailing Program, which also includes a rowing program for youngsters and a Women's Seamanship class.

All programs offered by CAYSP are open to members and non-members, so come join the fun. Sue reports to Fleet Captain Randy Whitney. Cullen Teel joined the CYC team on May 1st as our new Facilities Manager. As Facilities Manager, Cullen is responsible for overall maintenance of all the CYC grounds, facilities, and vessels in the fleet. Cullen reports to Vice Commodore Sandy Welte. Welcome aboard Sue and Cullen!

The most significant problem your Officers and Directors have faced this year has been membership. In a "normal" year, we have 8-10 resignations and/or deaths. This year we have had 23! Obviously the struggling economy has had an effect on CYC members. Upon realizing that we were facing an extraordinary situation, we asked Membership Committee Chair Jim Lewis to activate the Membership Committee much earlier than usual and the response has been outstanding.

At this writing, it appears that we will have a full membership for the 2009 season. However, our waiting list has been greatly diminished and all members are urged to consider nominating folks who they believe would make good members of the Camden Yacht Club. As a reminder, Article VIII, Section 3 of the CYC Constitution provides that "Each candidate for membership in the Camden Yacht Club must be sponsored and proposed by a member and seconded by two members, in writing, ....".

For membership applications and more information on the membership process, please see Operations Manager Elaine Booker in the CYC office or Membership Chair Jim Lewis. Also, in an effort to facilitate the requirement that candidates must be "made known to at least five members of the Board of Directors and three members of the Membership Committee",

There will be a wine and cheese reception at the Club on Sunday, May 24th, from 5 to 6:30 PM. Members are encouraged to bring a bottle of wine and a prospective member to the Club to meet the Officers, Directors and Membership Committee members. CYC will provide the cheese. More information from the Membership Committee is reported elsewhere in this newsletter in the report from Jim Lewis.

Also in this newsletter are reports from Vice Commodore Sandy Welte concerning the capital improvements at the Club, launch service, etc. Rear Commodore Rob Eddy reports on the upcoming social season, Wednesday evening Sunset Seminars and food service for the 2009 season. Fleet Captain Randy Whitney has given you an update on the sailing, racing and fleet activities planned for this coming summer.

The bottom line is that there is something for everyone at the Camden Yacht Club this summer, so come on down and join the fun.

Webmaster Jim Bowditch has been very involved in trying to promote increased use of the CYC website for information. A prime example of that is how we are delivering this newsletter to all members -electronically! A CYC first. Please let us know how you like the new delivery method and what we can do to improve. Read Jim's comments for more details and information.

CYC R&R should be the acronym for "Camden Yacht Club Rest and Relaxation" which, hopefully, is what CYC means for all members. However, one other acronym comes to mind which is "Camden Yacht Club Rules and Regulations."