Happy New Year to you all from Fishing Bay Yacht Club!!

Fundraising – we have had a wonderful response to the fundraising appeal in last month’s Log. We will republish our donor list next month as we finalize the funding for the building. If your name is not yet on the list, the final chance is approaching fast. The building is progressing well – the electrical rough in will finish in early January and the interior finishes will begin. Thank you in advance for supporting our New Building Program.

Member Data Sheets – In 2002 we plan to implement our Member Database. We hope it will improve our Club. For example, at a recent Junior Program Planning Meeting we discussed how we could improve the participation in our summer sailing programs following Junior Week. It was asked – what do the soccer programs do that we do not do? We think one answer is better communications. We need to better inform both the parent and the child what we offer, where, when and for whom.

This year we added a second page to the Member Data Sheet sent with each bill. It is designed as a questionnaire to capture the specific interests of each member of your family. Please fill out these sheets and return them to Mary Spencer, our Club Secretary. This process is our attempt to organize ourselves to understand what you, our customers, are interested in. Who among you wants to hear about which of our activities? In case you missed the form, I have asked Randy Alley, our new Log Streamer, to include a sample in this month’s Log. Please copy it, fill it in, and send it in.

Web Database - My goal is to provide the tools and data for each of our fleet captains to better communicate with the members who are interested in their activities. We will end up with an on-line database similar to what you can see on the password protected Members Only page of www.fbyc.net. You can use the User Name halsey and Password davis or you can visit the Need Password? page. Our initial efforts allow any member to search for a member’s address, phone number, or boats. But later in 2002, the club management will be able to search for all members interested in whatever and then let them know about the events.

It will take some time to develop the web tools we need and still protect member privacy. As we approach summer, you should see some improvement in our member communications. Please let me know any comments you may have on what we plan.

Opening Day - Please save April 12-13 as a special weekend for FBYC. We plan a Donor Recognition Event on Friday Night April 12 and a Commissioning Ceremony and party after Opening Day on Saturday April 13. Please make every effort to attend this "once every 50 year" party to celebrate our new Clubhouse. Thankfully, Julie Chapman has agreed to Chair the important Commissioning Committee planning this special weekend.

R. Strother Scott, Commodore

Of 804-780-3271 H 804-556-4066 Cell 804-405-5999