| Commodore Says Thanks and Goodbye |
 |
 |
 |
|
(Well, Not Really Goodbye I Hope) I was delighted to bathe in the abundance of good vibes at last week’s Commodore’s Dinner and Dance and especially glad to express special thanks to those who made extraordinary contributions to our Club’s most successful year. Here, I focus on the three official awards handed out each year by the Commodore, but my gratitude is extended to a much larger supporting cast that brought me, and the Club, from last year’s AGM to our year-end night of merrymaking.
Regattas played a major role in Club activities this year with a record breaking Bay Wind Regatta (thank you Dave Lane), SMAKR (thank you Bill Bean), and both junior and senior versions of the Trihedral Canadian Yachting Association Championships. I am especially indebted to Rod Millar for chairing these national events, which brought nothing but Kudos from those visiting from across the country. Of course, this is simply the more recent in a long series of regattas organized and led by Rod and it is not hyperbole to say that Rod has played a central role in establishing SMSC as a respected venue for holding world class events. As a result of Rod’s efforts I was delighted to award him the Copernais Cup, even though I am hardly the first, nor likely the last, to do so. The SMSC Bucket is awarded annually to the person who is judged to make the greatest contribution with the least amount of fuss. I think of it as the “flying beneath the radar” award. This year’s winner, Ken Lawless, did exactly that, a feat all the more impressive when you wonder how his huge sailboat, Black Gold, could stay under anyone’s radar. Ken made a huge difference by offering his boat, and himself, as part of the Race Committee for all four of this year’s regattas. Thanks Ken - you were noticed after all!
Steve Perrott, Commodore More photos from the event are online here. |
Before turning to the awards, I want to pay tribute to the efforts of Heather Peckitt, the event’s OD. The Club was cheerily and tastefully decorated, Chef Burton’s offerings exquisite, and the entire event choreographed such that everything rolled out seamlessly. Whenever one experiences a seemingly effortless event such as this, it is always indicative of just how much effort and talent was actually expended. Thank you Heather!
This year’s recipient of the Commodore’s Cup takes the award for the second year running. It was practically impossible for me contemplate any other outcome, a view I share with other Board members. Once again our Club is hugely indebted to Dave Lane who seemed to be everywhere doing everything. As Rear Commodore he not only took charge of Senior Fleet activities (think of the “hands on” efforts behind the slick and prompt scoring and overall management of our race series) but effectively served as our Club’s Vice President. In addition he remained our able webmaster, continued to chair the Set Sail Program, developed our Facebook site, and served on the Operations Committee. He supported, with his efforts, club outreach (e.g., working the Boat Show) and was a major contributor to all of our regattas. Beyond this, he helped out across everyone else’s busy portfolios as the “go to” guy. Perhaps you’ve heard about a certain creek? That is where we would have frequently found ourselves without Dave’s commitment. Thanks Dave!