April Message From the Commodore!
As read at the April General Membership Meeting
It was one year ago that the membership chose me to be Commodore, just as you have done today for the coming year. Who ever wins, I wish them an easier, more fun year than I have had. It did not start out that way, it just turned out that way, on my watch.
I promised you an anonymous suggestion box and it has been mounted on the side of the mailbox inside the club house door. Some of your suggestions have been taken to heart and others were just comments you felt I needed to know. Who ever wins today, shall have the keys to that box. And I hope the membership will continue the tradition and keep putting your ideas in that box knowing it is only the Commodore who reads them.
I promised more summer activities. So we thew the 4th of July anchor out beach bonfire, Can-Am Party to celebrate for both Americans and Canadians the tradition of our Independence days. That weekend at Playa Pichilingue was the best and most fun event of the year (well maybe next to Bayfest).
The end of the summer activities were not so much fun. Hurricane Odile spanked us hard. Honestly that was the hardest two weeks of my life. But it was my honor, my privilege, and my duty to be your Commodore and lead Club Cruceros and the fleet out of the mangroves and back to floating on our keels. I have never been so proud of any group, they way all of you came together and helped each other and worked together whether you even knew or cared about those people or not. Everyone helped everyone. It was a beautiful thing to see the love we can all share together. Thank all of you for what ever you did personally to get us through that time. We did it together and we made it.
I would really like to thank Patsy from Talion, for making me go with her on the Baja Ha Ha. Time at sea really helps the head for getting back to normal. I had no idea when I signed up to go how much I would need it. We had a great time promoting Club Cruceros all the way down the coast to all those newbies.
The next hardest part of this Commodore-ship, was deciding how to help those in need with the funds that were raised. I know not everyone was happy with how it got done, but the board did the best they could with the information that was provided. All of the recipients were grateful and appreciative of the help they received.
Then the real fun began for the next several months while the bylaw changes were discussed, argued and debated. With the help of everyone at those meetings, I believe we came up with a viable, negotiated new bylaw wording that we voted on here today. So now we shall see if all of our hard work of again working and learning to understand one another shall come to fruition. As boaters we all come from different backgrounds and different upbringings. But once you become a boater, you realize we are all in the same sea together and it is our duty to look after one another, no matter who they are or where they came from. Because the next time someone needs help it might be you. It is because of exactly that, why so many of you choose to live in this amazing city of La Paz. It is what makes this place and you people so special.
Of all the great parties we had this year, it was topped off with Bayfest. After 7 years on the board, I wanted this party to be my grand finale. I hope you all enjoyed it and had several good laughs at me personally, because we did it all for you, the membership. Our goal is to have fun here and I think it was accomplished in the end.
I would really like to thank each and every one of the board members who helped us make it through this year together too. Your hard work and dedication to Club Cruceros shines through on all that we achieved. The new web site is fantastic and is so easy to use and find information. Our goal with that was to put our best face forward, to the educate the public and keep people interested in always coming back to La Paz. Of course the bungee cord is firmly affixed to all of us in this room, so we know you will be back for another great year with Club Cruceros.
I hope the new board members will take to heart the responsibility of keeping this club fun, active, and a place where we all want to return to no matter how far we stretch that bungee cord. I look forward to being your first Jr. Staff Commodore, or immediate past Commodore, which ever you choose to call me. I will be lurking in the background helping to keep the new board on the course of our destination of fun.
I thank you all for allowing me the honor and privilege it has been to be your Commodore for the 2014-2015 season.
Commodore Shelly