April 23, 2006

Dear Members and Friends,

The lake is clear and signs of spring are all around with a temperature of 58 degrees and sunny today. Yes, we are ready for summer fun on the lakes in northern Michigan.

First I would like to thank each of you who have provided input to our planning and visioning process — but don’t stop! Dan Rupp and the officers want more ideas about the future of our club. Your help is needed to bring in new members and develop programs to better utilize our facility. Please go to the Web site at <www.crookedlakeyc.org>. Dan has added new information and suggestions as we have receive them. This is very positive and moving in the right direction. Snail mail input is good also.

The central theme appears to be adding docking facilities that could be rented. This would be a source of new members as well as income generation. The overall goal is to better utilize our beautiful and valuable property. The list of possible uses that Dan has compiled is extensive and well thought out. Your ideas and comments are solicited as we approach the critical time to plan the future of the Crooked Lake Yacht Club. Out Club as been good to us and provided many happy times. How do we keep it up in the ever changing future.

Yes, the summer of 2006 will look a lot like the past fifty-six summers at the Club. We will have parties and sailing. Bridge nights will continue, and hopefully expand with some beginner sessions and lessons. As you will see on the enclosed schedule we will have the picnic at the Club house rather than at the Warner’s house.

In an effort to extend the reach of the Club we are expanding the Officers’ Kick Off Breakfast. The Plan is for each of you members to bring friends that my have some interest in the Club, especially those who do not live on the lakes but my wish to use our water front. Hopefully, this will be more of a community event. Bring friends, guests, and others who may be curious about Crooked Lake Yacht Club..

New for ‘06 we are adding three "history nights" and a "visioning night" (see schedule). These are week nights with dessert and coffee. The first history night will be put on by members of the newly formed Inland Water Route Historical Society. This should be a night recalling the history from the logging days through the steamer, Topinabee era and hotels to the present day. The second history night will be members’ recollections and anecdotes about the formative years of the Crooked Lake Yacht Club. The visioning night is as the name suggests your opportunity to present ideas and concepts for the future of the Club. This is a time to get ideas refined prior to the annual meeting. Thus we can vote on selected areas. For our third history night we are fortunate to have well known local history buff, Charlie Conn, with his superb collection of old photographs. He will discuss early days highlighted by his photographs.

Also, new for ‘06, I have had discussions with the U.S. Power Boat Squadron. The local chapter would like to conduct a "Boater Safety Class" at the clubhouse. I have tentatively scheduled this for June. Completing this course can result in an insurance discount for some boat policies. They are willing to do a boat safety inspection, also. These events have a community service aspect and help attract new members.

As I mentioned in the winter letter the Club is facing a long term financial shortfall. With the existing reserves we can operate in the present mode for several more years but now is the time to develop a financial plan. I want to renew the call to members who have enjoyed the benefits and friendship of the Crooked Lake Yacht Club to consider financial gifts to assure the future.

Please assist the club officers by returning the information update and your dues as soon as possible.

There are lots of open dates for activities! If you have any fun ideas and want to run a program at the Club, let me know - we will do it. Our goal is to find more reasons to join the yacht club.

Roger Winslow, Commodore

Kay’s P.S.

Our potluck dinners have always been an enjoyable part of the Crooked Lake Yacht Club, in part, because our fantastic members have had a sense of fun and always stepped up to do their share. This summer we are asking new "Crooked Lakers," to pitch in, along with our "seasoned" members to phone dinner chairs and offer assistance.

Note that August 5^th is available..

Last summer I offered to put together the history of C.L.Y.C. and began with interviewing members Mary and Ed Epstein, Carol and Julian Magnus, Jeanette and Tom Graham, and Margie Graham all of whom also gave wonderful information, plus copies of photographs and articles. Mary Woodry graciously donated copies of old Graphics. We are off to a good start, but more memories need to be jogged.

The beginning of the C.L.Y.C. is important, but the people and activities of all the decades, Forties, Fifties, Sixties, Seventies, Eighties, Nineties, and now the "Otties" are invaluable. Copies of your photographs, newspaper articles, old recipes, and anecdotes are needed. Without them there is no book. Jog your memory about fun times or comical incidents. Bring your memories and copies (not originals) with you this summer. We’ll share them on the Wednesday that we reminisce.