I wish you and yours the best of the holidays and a very prosperous 2015!

2014 was a challenging year in many respects.  I am glad that I had the opportunity to work closely with our enthusiastic board in developing a stronger club.  I admire the integrity and ability of this Board to deliver and manage the operations of the Club and the members' profound dedication and determination, even in the face of adversity.  This is what I call commitment and we should all be grateful that some of our members continue to put in the hours that they do to keep our Club running.  I thank the Board for its support on the financial portfolio.  

As we end the year, the club remains operationally strong, with the ability to weather the storm that has been brewing for the past 20 years.  The infrastructure requirements of the club will be felt in the next few years, and the Board will have to make some tough decisions and ask the membership to support these decisions.  The membership has enjoyed the use of this infrastructure for many years, and now it will be time for all of us to contribute towards maintaining and restoring the Club to its golden years.  This will include strategic financial and operational changes that will help develop a clearer path to adapt to the changing demographics of the City and the needs and desires of members, existing and prospective.

I want to thank the Board, Rennie and Lidia and the Finance Committee for their support over the past 2.5 years.  We are in strong position because of the decisions and actions taken by the current and past boards and my respective predecessors.  My admiration and salutations go to those members who had to make tough decisions from which we all have benefited.

As many of you know, I resigned my role as Vice-Commodore Financial Services due to personal and professional circumstances.  I did so with a heavy heart and after much consideration with my family.  I leave the position knowing that the Club will be able to adapt to its new reality with a good and strong position to face its short and medium term challenges.  

Thank you all for the support over the past 2.5 years.  I look forward to getting over the hump that I am facing over the next couple of months and get back to the reason that we are here  -  for sailing!

Wishing you all the best of the holiday and the best sailing season ever in 2015!

Axel Noriega

Bob Brew

A Salute to Our Marvelous Volunteers  

Well it must be Christmas, looking at the TV listings today I see that IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE was on twice today.  I opted for the latest Tom Clancy novel.  I have truly enjoyed this past year at the club.  We have come a long way in some areas, others we have a way to go but it is all going the correct way, forward.

The biggest project that my department has had this year was the new front foyer.  Although the entrance is technically on the back of the club we really had to give it a facelift.  My predecessor, Cindy Sampson, got this ball rolling and I am glad she did.  Not only is it much more attractive, it has cut out the draft in the hallway and cut down on our heating bills.  Thank you Mike Robertson and Harvey Harman for seeing this through.  The next project this gruesome twosome is tackling is the Junior Sailing School washrooms. The men's has been gutted to allow the studs to dry out before we start the rebuild.  The men's will get a floor sloped to the drain for easier cleaning, fresh wall treatments and better ventilation.  The ladies will get painted, a transom window for better ventilation and better lighting.  This is a project that has been long overdue.

Regalia, headed by Linda DeRusha has had a good year.  During launch and haulout we managed to pare down some of the old inventory and introduce some new styles and products all using the ABYC style guide.  These can be seen in the front foyer and bought from the office or ordered online.

After almost six years, Howard and Celia are stepping down from the Entertainment Committee.  Each year they and their committee members raised the bar on all club functions.  Thanks guys for all of your work on behalf of the club.  Enjoy your retirement, well Howard at least; Celia will be working with the newly formed MarComm committee.  More on this later in this article.  A group that is rarely seen or heard of is the Archive Committee.  Headed by Mel Trottier, this group is tasked with collecting, cataloging and digitizing all of our historical documents and pictures.  They are a year and a half into this and have a way to go yet.  Keep an eye on S2S, Geoff Huck has been putting in some historical trivia questions.  Prizes can be won!

Earlier I mentioned the new MarComm committee.  This is the amalgamation of the Marketing and Communications Committees.  Marketing had come under Senior Vice and Communications was under Member Services.  Elizabeth and I had many conversations about this and decided to merge the two.  It is co-chaired by Geoff Huck and Bill Surgenor.  The objective of this group is to be a "tool box" for all other committees to help them to get their message across to either the membership or groups outside of the club.  The aim is that all groups are using the club style guide in advertising and communicating a common message.  An example of this is the Save Our Walls "campaign".  The seawall group approached the MarComm group for help in getting their message across and getting members interested in helping with the project.  It was a success, 5 members joined the team working on the walls.  All committees are encouraged to contact us for any help

The next couple of years are going to be a challenge for the club.  Not only seawalls but we do have other infrastructure issues.  As you all know we had a water main break this past summer and we are living on borrowed time before it could happen again, so after launch it will be replaced.  These are the things we are aware of; hopefully we will not have more surprises.  These repairs are going to take a lot of time, resources and of course funding to complete.  The Board is working hard to find ways to fund these projects and I am sure it will be a hot topic of discussion at the January budget meetings.

Yes we have our issues (what club doesn't?) but what we also have a great club with an active cruising and racing program, fun year-round social programs, vibrant sail training programs (keelboat and junior's) and all of this in a parkland setting with easy access to the lake.   

It is with these thoughts in mind that the MarComm committee has come up with a new slogan for the club, "Your Home On The Water, In The City".

Lastly, I would like to thank our S2S Editors, Bernie and Patty Caron who, without fail, send out this publication at 1:00am (or thereabouts) every Wednesday morning.  I always enjoy reading it with my morning coffee.

I wish you all the best of the season and look forward to seeing you all on at the Levee on January 1^st.

Mike Macdonald

p.s. Other than the Commodore, the first person who can tell me what MarComm stands for (other than ABYC's definition) will be treated to something in the restaurant.  Send your answer to vcmember@abyc.on.ca

It is with gratitude that I look back on 2014 and feel that much was accomplished by your Board during the year. The Board during that time worked tirelessly on your behalf and they are to be commended for their commitment to our Club.

Continuing in the position of Past Commodore, I welcome your feedback and promise to pass on to the Board any ideas, possible solutions and concerns that may come my way.  I ask you to value the members of the Board for their willingness to step forward on your behalf.  They deserve your support, your counsel, and your creative solutions.

I hope that you, as members, take advantage of all that ABYC offers.  Seek out opportunities to be involved, strengthen your ties with your fellow members, make every effort to resolve issues with honour, make our new members feel welcomed, offer solutions, continue to spread the good word about our Club around the Lake.

To my ABYC friends, and on behalf of Paula and me, I wish you a happy and fruitful New Year.

Rick Humphrey