The sailing season is almost gone, and this will be my next to last Commodore Corner article.
As I am sure everyone is aware, the club experienced a fire that destroyed six trailers and a legacy apple tree. It does not take much imagination to imagine what would have happened if not for our club host Dan Merritt. Dan jumped into action in the early morning hours of August 30th. Unable to use the out-of-commission fire hose (just outside Pat Skeen’s trailer and within feet of the fire’s origin), Dan ran down trailer row calling out to anyone who was spending the night. Dan opened the gate to allow quick access of the fire department who ran hoses to the lake and stopped the fire that was burning within a few feet of the large propane tank.
We should all be grateful that no one was hurt. Thankfully, Pat made the decision to go home to feed the cat and not spend the night in her trailer. How much more tragic it could have been in so many ways. We will repair, rebuild and replace what was lost.
The Board was informed about what was the probable cause of the fire, what steps the club should take to prevent another occurrence, and a method that keep the fire suppression system active later in the season.
Club Manager Rich Aaring is taking the lead contacting various agencies and insurance carriers. A number of club members have already stepped forward with offers to help restore the club back to what is once was. We are thankful no one was hurt, a reminder to what is important and to always be prepared for the 'what if.'
September 30 will be Karen Nousen’s last day as Media Manager. Please welcome Jose Vega as he takes over this important job.
There is a good chance that what I want to say about Karen will be edited out of my comments as Karen is my most trusted editor. Never the one to seek recognition, Karen was originally the volunteer Bulletin editor and over the years has transformed our a once-a-month paper newsletter into all the different ways we have now to keep connected to each other and our sailing community.
Some of her accomplishments include a professionally produced electronic newsletter, a weekly club email which has become an important informational conduit that keeps the membership and Board up-to-date with an ever changing environment. Karen has put her talents towards the website design and maintenance, producing the club handbook, maintaining a member database, creating event and training videos, and managing the club's YouTube channel, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. Only half way through her decade-plus position as Bulletin editor and de facto media manager did Karen accept pay for her services, and she continued to work more hours than what the job description calls for.
I and many other past commodores have been subdued in our praise of Karen for fear she would leave the position if she received too much recognition. I look forward to working with her next year on race committee and trust she will find new ways to continue to contribute to the club.