It is a new year and yet it feels as though sailing season never ended. I don’t know who this “El Niño” guy is, but he is welcome back any time.
For those of you who may not know me, I am Perry Cameron. I have only been a member since 2008, but several in my family, have been active members of this club in the past. You can usually find me racing a J/24 or Highlander on Wednesday nights. This is my first time as Commodore, but I have recently served as Racing Chairman. I will do my best to serve the club well.
The board met for the first time on December 8th to establish and approve the 2016 operating budget. Due to increased operating costs, the board decided to increase dues by $10 and slip fees by $10 for 2016. It is never popular to increase the cost of membership, but every few years, dues must go up to maintain the quality of the ECSC experience.
Our long time Secretary David Fort was notably absent from this meeting. Shortly before our meeting, David called 911 and was transported to St. Vincent’s with a ruptured colon. He had an Emergency surgery and has been in ICU since. The road to recovery will be long and tough for David. As a longstanding member of our Eagle Creek family, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
This club is a “sublime” place for many due to the countless hours put in by its members. It is a labour of love, and an expression of camaraderie to those who share our love of wind on sail. It is with pleasure that I introduce a few volunteers who make it all possible.
- Larry Conrad is our Vice Commodore. He will be assisting me and “Taking notes” for next year.
- Kenny Chapman has returned after several years to once again be Harbormaster. He will be working to finally replace the lighting on the club grounds as well as looking into what what it will take to replace our aging ramp.
- Rick Graef will continue to run the racing program, and I for one look forward to the many top notch regattas again this year.
- Tom Moore, after taking a long break has decided to return to the position of club bean counter. We are definitely in good hands.
- Jane Schmidt will continue her role as Membership chair. She consistently exceeds expectations in this role, paving the way for new members to join the club without difficulties, and old members to seamlessly transition to the next year. There are not words to describe how professional Jane is at conducting this role for our club. Next time you see Jane please give her thanks, as this club would not be what it is today without her efforts.
- Geoff Endris will remain as Publicity Chair. He dedicates a significant amount of time to keeping us all informed. This is his third year at this position, and I am confident that it will continue to go smoothly.
- Chuck Lessick will be in charge of Safety and Education this year. It will be his first time in this role, but he exudes an enthusiasm and competence that gives me the confidence that our junior program will be headed in the right direction for years to come.
- Our other newcomer Vickie Greenough also exhibits these qualities. She will have big shoes to fill in replacing our long time Social Chair Chauncey Olin, who held the position for so many years that it was easy for the rest of us to take social events for granted. Make no mistake, Chauncey’s hard work and patience are what made this several year endeavor look so easy. Please take time to pat him on the back and say thanks.
- Al Wilkins will be returning to run the ships store after a few years hiatus. He did a wonderful job in the past. Come out and get your gear at any social/racing event.
Finally, I would like to give a hat tip to our past Commodore Nick Mates. He has been Commodore three times. His past experience has played an integral part in ensuring continuity to this rookie commodore by providing a great place to run board meetings, lending advice, and providing assistance whenever needed. My time as Commodore should be fairly easy, as I am surrounded by one of the best supporting casts ever.