FWYC Letter Log December 2013 | Page 3

Page 3 From the Commodore Dear Friends, Congratulations to the winners in the 2013 FWYC elections. I know that you will do wonderful things for our Club in the year ahead. The Christmas season is here and our member volunteers have made a special effort to brighten your holidays with Christmas trees, wreaths, decorations and lights throughout the Club. My special thanks to the Club leaders for these decorations: Carole Langford for the Castaway Room, Beverly Plummer for the Commodores Room, June Scroggin for the Dining Room, Phyllis Seaton for the Lounge, and Dee La Garde for the Lobby. And, thanks to all the Club elves who performed their magic to transform the Clubhouse. carpeting, new kitchen, new furnishing for the Lounge, new pavement and so forth. So much has been deferred because we lost members in the down economy beginning in 2009. But, we survived far better than other Clubs because we were debt free and we made do with small improvements. Member losses stabilized this year around 300. With a strengthening economy, membership should again grow, but we will need additional resources to fund projects that cannot wait much longer. Please join me in supporting our new team of officers as they prioritize those projects and identify how best to complete them. Thank you members for bestowing your trust in me as your Commodore; it was truly a great honor. You have given Dee and me many good memories and you have been such good friends to us. Thank you staff for your loyalty and support; I could always count on you to do your jobs professionally. Thank you to my Committee Chairs and Appointments for your hard work and first class efforts. Thank you to my Officers and Directors. We did not always agree, but each of us worked to advance the Club’s best interest. Farewell to too many members who passed away this year. You will be Our staff has planned the annual Eggnog Party for remembered and you are missed. Sunday, 15 December. You will not want to miss this Dee and I wish you and your families, in my best French, event. Also, mark your calendar for the Commodores a Joyeux Noël and Bonne Année! Ball on New Year’s Eve, 31 December. The theme is “An Evening in Paris.” Our ladies have prepared Commodore Mickey La Garde special gifts that will be a unique souvenir for every [email protected] attendee and many of the special themed decorations will be sold in a silent auction to benefit the Club’s youth Don’t Forget - Decorate the sailing program. Then on Saturday, 18 January, Commodore Bobby Dewrell and his Bridge will be Club for Christmas on Saturday, formally installed at the Change of Watch and Awards November 30, 9 AM! Ceremony. We will also recognize our juniors that day with Sailing Awards and present the Florida Commodores Association, FWYC Chapter’s Meritorious Service Award for 2 L