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Nov. 11 2007 Meeting Minutes

Annual Meeting: Board of Managers Minutes

Date: November 10, 2007
Location: Camp Chingachgook
Present: Steve Mintz (President), Dylan Walrath (Vice President), Becky Bonn (Secretary), Don Miller (Treasurer), George Painter, Rebecca Stanley, Maryellen Rudolph. Jenny Overeynder, Marc Carnevale

Meeting Called to Order at 2:30PM.

Review of 2007 Program and accomplishments - The number of participants stayed consistent with last year. An average of 18.3 sailors were served per sail day. We sent a sailor and two boats to Mobility Cup in Halifax. The Learn to Sail program continues to bring new people to the sport of sailing and sometimes as volunteers or sailors to Y-Knot. Community sailing provides availability and opportunity to sail on Lake George.

Finances - Don Miller
George handed out the year to date finance report. The numbers are consistent with last year at this time. Another appeal has been sent out, we are currently ahead by $1519.00 and we should finish the year in a good position. We currently have $6029 in the designated funds. Maryellen motioned to accept the report and Rebecca seconded the motion. All were in favor.

Board of Managers for 2008
Nominees for board are Scott Stewart, Marc Carnevale and Trish McClusky; they will serve a 3-year term expiring December 31. 2010. Pat Carey's name was brought up. Steve Mintz will be follow up with him and Jenny offered her help as well. The end of this year, December 31, 2007 BJ Henry, Spencer Raggio and Maryellen Rudolph will rotate off the board. Eva Galvin and Mike Peluso terms expire the end of 2008. Rex Moon and Herm Lintner will expire the end of 2007. Becky will check to see if these four are still interested in serving on the board and if so will they be participating. Maryellen will contact Maryellen Whitney, CEO of Stride to see if she would like to join the board. Don Miller will try to contact Suzanne Chumway as well. Dylan Walrath resigned as Vice-President but will stay on the board. George will talk with Steve concerning vice presidents

Officers
President: Steve Mintz
VP: Open
Treasurer: Don Miller
Secretary: Becky Bonn

Committees and committee chairs will be determined at the January meeting. Don Miller voted to accept the whole slate and Maryellen seconded the motion. All were in favor.

2008 Goals
George suggests that we should spend some of the designated funds possibly on equipment to enhance the program; sails, portable sleeve for a lift for use at The Sagamore and Yankee Yacht.

Increase numbers via outreach. Maryellen suggested a Marketing package be compiled. Rebecca suggested the idea of hosting a second Learn to Sail Weekend for people with disabilities.

The regatta trophy needs to be updated. Dylan accepted the responsibility of researching a new, bigger, shiny trophy.

Finish the summary for the Christopher Reeves grant received. Write two additional grants Strengthening the relationship with The Corinthians. Steve would like to see the participation on the board increase

Proposed Days for 2008
Boat Repair Days March 1,29 Saturdays, 9am - 4pm
April 26 Saturday, 9am - 4pm (YMCA staff will coordinate and there is now a heated boat shop that will hold 4 boats at a time.)
Community Learn to Sail Classes May 4, 11, 18
Sundays, 1 - 4PM (Possibly we should raise the fee? )
Volunteer Training May 18 Sunday, 10am - 3pm
13 Sail Days
May 24 Saturday, 10am - 4pm
Chowderfest Regatta May 25 Sunday
June 1 Sunday, 10am - 4pm
Ti Race June 14 Saturday, 10am - 4pm
June 21 Saturday, 10am - 4pm
July 6 Sunday, 10am - 4pm
July 8 Tuesday, 10am - 4pm
July 12 Saturday, 10am - 4pm
July 20 Sunday, 10am - 4pm
Aug 5 Tuesday, 10am - 4pm
Aug 16 Saturday, 10am - 4pm
Aug 20 Wed, 10am - 4pm
Y-Knot Cup Regatta Sept 6-7 Saturday/Sunday
Sept 13 Saturday, 10am - 4pm
Sept 27 Saturday, 10am - 4pm

Other events
Martin Demo Day July 19 needs follow up (Rebecca will follow up with Spencer concerning this)
Montreal AQVA July 25-26 need to confirm
Burlington Regatta Aug 2-3
Mobility Cup/MontrealAug 25 - 29 Monday - Friday

All dates have been approved at this point. At the January 2008 meeting the dates will be reviewed again and confirmed.

Other:
Outreach report was submitted by Maryellen via email and is attached to this email and has been sent out in a separate email dated 11/16/07.

Operating Guidelines were handed out and reviewed by Don Miller. Y-Knot operating guidelines are attached to this e-mail, for anyone who wants to review them. They also can be found on the Y-Knot web page, www.yknotsailing.org if you are unable to open adobe acrobat. We went thru all items and #5C was highlighted that all members are encouraged to actively participate in all Y-Knot activities. Also #6,A, 5, at least one Board Member will serve on Camp Chingachgook Board of Managers to serve as a liaison.

The next board meeting will be Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 6PM at the Clifton Park YMCA. At that time the rest of the board meeting dates will be set up.

Adjourned 4:20PM
Submitted by Becky Bonn on November 16, 2007
Revised: November 19, 2007

posted by Spencer Raggio @ 11/19/2007 11:56:00 AM 0 comments

New Board Members at Y-Knot

Y-Knot held its annual meeting and banquet last Saturday, and elected three new members to the Y-Knot Board of Managers: Trish McClusky, Scott Stewart and Marc Carnevale. All three have been active in the program and we're looking forward to another great year in 2008! The Y-Knot sailing calendar for the coming year will be set at the next meeting on January 30, 2008.

posted by Spencer Raggio @ 11/17/2007 09:37:00 PM 0 comments

Challenged America Adds New Boat

San Diego, CA (Nov. 7, 2007) -- Challenged America, the San Diego-based sailing program for kids and adults with disabilities, unveiled its most recent vessel donation at the start of the first Hot Rum Series race, Nov. 5, 2007) in San Diego. This 1990's race-winning sailboat, a recently restored Kiwi 35 (re-)named "Lift Off," was donated by Alan Cohen of Salt Lake City, Utah, and was sailed by a crew of nine, to include skipper Keith Ericson (volunteer) and Challenged America co-founder and blinded sailor Urban Miyares.

"What a fantastic and challenging donation. I'm not sure yet if 'Lift Off' received the baptism bathing or we, the crew did on this, our first race,," Miyares said. "this 35-foot winged racing sailboat, having a beam of 14 feet with the wings down, is like a tennis court at the dock, but on the water it sails like an oversized 49er ... all 2,850 pounds of her. We sure got a lesson in the winds of 8 to 14 knots in the race, and learned quite a bit. Definitely a next step-up, a real physical and sailing challenge for sailors with disabilities, mostly those who are ready to test the limits of their disability and sailing abilities. Not a boat for everyone, disabled or able-bodied."

Challenged America, founded in 1978 by disabled veterans, was created to further the life experiences of individuals with disabilities and enhance rehabilitation through sailing and boating activities. A charitable, 501(c)(3) program of the all-volunteer Disabled Businesspersons Association, the program provides learn-to-sail and advanced sailing opportunities for kids and adults seeking to further their rehabilitation, work activities, and to participate in the mainstream. Funding for this year-round program comes from charitable gifts, corporate sponsorship, donations of quality vessels (both sail and power) and vehicles,and the generous contributions by the general public.

In recent years the Challenged America program has been forced to reef its sails with a rising overhead costs to serve the high demand for its services and inability to find accessible docks in San Diego bay. But with the help of San Diego sponsors, such as Fiddler's Green restaurant, Koehler Kraft, Sunroad Marina, Bobby and Dan at Cays Show Dock Sales, and others, the Challenged America program is building its board and program structure in making ready to hoist the program's sails again to meet the growing demand of sailors with disabilities.

For additional information on Challenged America, its donation program (providing. as a "user" charity, a full market value tax-deduction on most vessels and vehicles donated), and how you or your company can help as a board member, supporter, sponsor or contributor, call or email Urban Miyares, Challenged America, at (619) 594-8805, email Port@ChallengedAmerica.org, or visit www.ChallengedAmerica.org.

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