News from The Center for Wooden Boats

We are all looking into an uncertain future and are reassessing how we'll be able to financially sustain those things we hold most dear. I wanted to share with you what I'm hearing and thinking about in terms of potential impacts on The Center for Wooden Boats, and how we as a staff are responding. I solicit and welcome your ideas!

There is likely to be an increased need and relevance for CWB's mission during the next few years. While we can't predict the specifics, it seems clear that an economic downturn is going to affect many people in our community. With the wisdom of experience, CWB's Founder Dick Wagner describes that during past recessions, participation in CWB programs always increased. We plan to continue to get the word out that CWB is a place to come for recreation, community and solace, and money is never a barrier. It's a place for young and old together, and a place to find authentic value.

Naturally, CWB's financial systems such as cash flow forecasting will be even more important during this time, and fortunately, CWB's staff now boats Finance Manager Alyssa Farber who has financial experience both in the for-profit and not-for-profit worlds. Alyssa started in August and has been working closely with CWB's Finance Committee that is chaired by Board Treasurer Robert Merikle. We've also drawn on the expertise of Board President David Loretta, who serves as the Treasurer of Nordstrom when he's not at CWB. CWB staff members are putting creative energies towards improving efficiency, cutting expenses, and growing earned income.

We are expecting changes to contributed income during this time as people calibrate their giving to their economic circumstances. But our goal is to maintain and enhance our stewardship of all CWB's constituents. CWB's success comes from broad support throughout the community, and we look forward to keeping those ties strong as we work together to build a positive future.

How can you help?

Help us get out the word about the boats we have for sale! Phone our Boat Donation and Sales Manager Patrick Gould (206-218-6547) to find out about the amazing boats he currently has in his line-up, thanks to the generosity of many donors, or visit www.cwb.org/boatsforsale.htm.
Help us get out the word that the ideal holiday gift is an "experience" at The Center for Wooden Boats - surprise a friend with a livery pass, or buy your favorite family a package that combines a Family Membership with a free introductory sailing lesson.
The most precious gift is money that comes without restrictions that we can then use to pay for behind-the-scenes things like insurance and permits and office supplies. And many hands make light work!
Host a gathering, yard sale or fun run to raise funds for CWB. Contact the development department at 206-382-2628 for more ideas! (creative and fun cash gathering can be more appealing! Besides, we hit them up for cash in another article and with the envelope.)
Gifts of time fuel our amazing volunteer program. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Kim Iorio (kiorio@cwb.org) if you feel inspired to help out.
Thank you for your support. Together we will bring the CWB mission to the community at a time it is most needed.

NEW Americorps Volunteers Have Arrived!

October Marked the arrival of four new Americorps Volunteers at the CWB! Volunteers include: Megan MacCrellish, Erin Schiedler, Felix Flanders, and Josh Brown. They will be serving through next August. Come down to the CWB to say hello!

New CWB Americorps Interns from left to right: Erin Schiedler, Megan MacCrellish, Felicia Flanders, and Josh Brown.

Adult Sailing Programs Update: Farewell Mindy!

SailNOW! Coordinator and long time CWB volunteer, Mindy Ross, will be handing over the helm to Vern Velez, CWB Volunteer Staff, beginning November 1st.
Mindy Ross Goodbye

For those who have been down on the docks lately, you may have noticed Mindy's belly getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger. She and her husband, Ian Ross, are looking forward to the arrival of a son and future CWB junior sail instructor by the end January. Mindy has really enjoyed working with staff and volunteers this year and absolutely loves what CWB offers in sail education. She looks forward to volunteering again and hopes to always be involved with CWB.

As some of you might already know, Vern Velez, along with Dick Wagner and John Watkins, founded the SailNOW! Program in 1989. Vern is at the center of information and his sincere passion for teaching sailing is contagious. Vern is the first person that many of us met at CWB and has often been the one responsible for recruiting the best of us into the Volunteer Program!

We have one more 2008 SailNOW! Session November 1st through December 6th. SailNOW! Lessons will resume January 24th, 2009.

One-on-One lessons will continue on the weekends and weekdays into December and January as needed.

If you are interested in teaching and would like to help others learn to sail through direct experience, please feel free to contact Vern Velez. vvelez@cwb.org

News from The Center for Wooden Boats at Cama Beach

Fall Harvest Festival at Cama Beach

Saturday, October 25th marked the Fall Harvest Festival at the CWB at Cama Beach State Park. Together with Washington State Parks, the CWB hosted fall activites down on the beach. An estimated 200 visitors participated in activites ranging from forest animal trick-or-treating, to pumpkin decorating and other fall crafts.

Thanks to Jen Schuh and Schuh Farms of Mt. Vernon and Stanwood for donating pumpkins to this event. Thanks also to everyone who attended for making this event such a success!!

Family Boat Building Workshop Participants with completed El Toros in the background.

Family Boat Building Moves to Cama Beach State Park

Last month four families participated in Family Boat Building at Cama Beach! The workshop was previously taught at Camano Island State Park, but moved to the new Boathouse at Cama this fall. The participants worked on boats over the course of four days, which included sails and oars.

"For me the coolest thing about Family Boat Building is seeing families working together on a project like this," said Cama Manager Greg Reed.

CWB is currently working on its program offerings for 2009. The full Program Catalog, including the range of workshops offered at Cama Beach State Park, will be published early in the New Year. For details, keep an eye on our web site at www.cwb.org!

If you would like more information about the CWB at Cama Beach, please contact Sara Gosnold at (360) 387-9361 or visit us online.

EVENTS, CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

Get Ready to Celebrate the Holidays with The CWB!

Holiday Open House V5 at night

This year's Holiday Open House will be held on the Saturday, December 13th from 1-4pm at The Center for Wooden Boats! We will be offering hot chocolate, toy boat building, crafts, and boat rides on Lake Union. Also, a special appearance by Captian Christmas will be made between 1:30 and 2:30!! Don't miss this fun-filled family event!

Waste-Free Holiday Gifts from The CWB!

This Holiday season give your loved ones experiences rather than stuff! We will be offering an assortment of gift packages including Livery passes & punchcards, Sailing lesson packages, Family Boat Rides, and Membership Packages! Stay tuned for more info!

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

Knots 4: Rope Fenders
Session 3: November 1, 2008
(Saturday)
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $60 members / $75 nonmembers
The mysteries of rope fenders revealed! Students will make their own fenders from natural rope fibers, such as hemp and manila.

Yachtsman AHOY! Japanese Cooking on Board

Instructor: Hiroko Sugiyama
Date: November 2, 2008 (Sunday)
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 members /$95 nonmembers
When it is getting dark and chilly outside, let's get together inside the cabin and learn how to prepare a simple yet warm, fabulous fall-winter Japanese dish called Yosenabe. Beautifully arranged vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, fish, shellfish & meat are cooked in a broth at the table. Start with thinly sliced Sashimi served with Ponzu sauce. Learn to make Yakionigiri - grilled rice ball, which is handy for all seasons - using a pressure cooker. Everything is made simply and easily in this hands-on class - a great fun onboard menu!
Limit: 10 students.October 17, 2008; 7PM

Cedar Rope Making (in Partnership with NNABA)
Instructor: Theresa Parker
Session 2: November 8, 2008
(Saturday)
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Cost: $25 members / $35 nonmembers
Cedar rope has been used for many different things, including making thread for sample knots and cordage for traditional necklaces. Learn the traditional technique of fine cedar rope making. This technique may also be used for making fine thread from cedar or stinging nettles. Come experience the many uses of Western Red Cedar.
Limit: 10 students

Diesel Engine Theory

Instructor: Adrian Lipp
Dates: November 8, 15, 22, 29 and December 6, 2008 (Saturdays)
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $270 members / $300 nonmembers
Ages: 14+
Join the engineers and get your hands dirty while fixing the Arthur Foss's 700 horsepower diesel engine. This seventy-year-old engine uses the same principles as modern diesels, but the parts are MUCH bigger and easier to work on. The 2008 session focuses on overhauling cylinder four; participants will inspect previous repair work, pull the cylinder head and piston (18 inches in diameter!) and perform repairs under the supervision of experienced diesel mechanics. No prior engine experience necessary. Cost includes daily lunch cooked on the Arthur Foss' original diesel stove.
Limit: 8 students.

Learn Safe Boating with CWB & the Coast Guard Auxiliary
Session 2: November 15, 2008 (Saturday)
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $30 members / $40 nonmembers
This introductory boating course will emphasize recreational boating safety in the Pacific Northwest. The subjects include what do before getting underway and the basics of protecting and handling your boat safely, rules of the road, navigation, safety equipment, boating problems and emergencies, and legal requirements for boating in Washington State, the Seattle area and more. Graduates of this class meet the educational requirements for the mandatory Washington State Boater's Education Card. By January 1, 2009, boaters 25 years old and younger must have a Boater's Education Card. The Boater's Education law has a phase-in period for compliance from 2008 until 2016, for various age groups.

Third Friday Speaker Series

November 21st Time: 7pm

Cost: FREE

Each month CWB finds a speaker of wit and experience to talk about his or her special knowledge. It is also an opportunity for CWB members to meet one another and the staff. Admission is free and refreshments are served (donations to cover costs are appreciated).
Location: The Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St. Seattle, WA 98119

WAYS TO SUPPORT CWB

Supporting CWB's annual fund is now convenient, completely secure, easy, and PAINLESS!

Giving to CWB's annual fund on a MONTHLY basis is a wonderful way to provide dependable, ongoing support that has the potential to make a significant impact. Donors who choose to make monthly gifts, typically take great pleasure in knowing that at the end of 12 months, they have comfortably increased their annual support. For instance, one CWB donor - who used to make a year-end gift of $200 signed up to make a monthly gift of $20, which turned into $240 for the year.

Here's how you can sign up to make CWB's monthly giving program work for you:

Step #1: YOU determine the amount of the donation to be charged to your credit card.
Step #2: If you are a member, you can sign up by filling out the remit envelope included in the next issue of Shavings, or contact the Donor Relations Volunteer Judith Rickard by calling 206.382.2628 x 25, or by e-mailing jrickard@cwb.org with a good time to call you back for your billing information.
Step #3: Your credit card will be charged the amount you designate once each month (at approximately the same date each month).
Step #4: You'll receive a confirmation each time the charge is made, either via mail or e-mail.

You can make changes to your monthly gift at any time - just contact Donor Relations Volunteer Judith Rickard (see above for contact information).
And, if you sign up for confirmations via email, it's entirely paperless! Thank you!

P.S. At the moment, we can only process credit cards on a monthly basis - no debit cards or automated withdrawals from your checking account. And the monthly giving program does not apply for memberships.

Looking for a memorable place to host your next event?

Whether you are celebrating a birthday, rehearsal dinner, holiday party, wedding or corporate meeting, The Center for Wooden Boats has the location, atmosphere and price to make your event a success. For information regarding rates, capacity, catering, etc, please visit our website. If you are interested in reserving our gallery for your event, contact Kim Iorio at 206.382.2628, or e-mail KIorio@cwb.org. All proceeds from site rentals directly support CWB's on-going operations.

Interested in volunteering?

Review our current volunteer opportunities. If you find an opportunity which interests you and for which you meet the critieria, fill out a volunteer application and sign up for an orientation (or you can fill out an application at the orientation.) Attend a general volunteer orientation, held the 2nd Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. until noon. For more information, email volunteer@cwb.org. The next orientation will be held Saturday, November 8th.

CWB's NEW Volunteer Into Membership Program

Volunteers can now become members based on the number of hours served! This is just one more way that we can say THANK YOU to our wondeful vonlunteers. For information about the VIM program, questions about Volgistics, logging Volunteer hours, or how your hours are counted, please contact Kim Iorio at volunteer@cwb.org or 206.382.2628.

You can always support CWB by becoming a member or buying a membership for someone else, volunteering or becoming a donor. Or check out our Boats For Sale on the web!

Boats for Sale

Down at CWB, we have many boats that are looking for that forever home. If you are in the market, or are even just curious, check out the Boats For Sale on our website and/or contact Patrick Gould at patrick@cwb.org.

CWB STAFF TIP-OF-THE-MONTH

Youth Programs Coordinator Courtney Bartlett says: Dress for Success!

The winter months mean cold, wet, and potentially wild weather, so if you plan on being out on the water, dress accordingly! Recommended gear includes a breathable and waterproof rain jacket, a warm wool hat, and rubber boots and warm wool socks.

It is always better to be safe than sorry!

Fair Winds,
The Center for Wooden Boats

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