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April, 2022
This it thee official (and ONLY) online publication of the BIRCH LAKE YACHT CLUB |
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Please note:
Some computer Internet Service Provider (ISP)services (like Comcast and AOL) block the /Online Birch Barker as "spam." Unfortunately if you use one of these there is nothing I can do to ensure you receive the Barker regularly. If you are not getting Barker via email, you probable can contact your provider to learn how to "unblock" or "whitelist" my email address (onlinebarker@gmail.com) so you can receive the Online Barker and Birch Lake-related special notices. |
With the weather all over the place (it actually snowed on April Fool's Day), the signs of spring are taking their sweet time popping up ... like these flowers at the home of Sue Davis (east side). Happy spring everyone!
Commodore's Comments for April 2022
As I write this column, I can hear the wind howling across the lake, and the outdoor temperature “feels like” 14 degrees. Although the official start of spring happened a full week ago, you’d never know it here by the cold we are experiencing in this moment. This week will bring a steady rise in temps only to drop once again. But we must remember we live in southern Michigan where spring can feel like a sweltering hot July day or a freezing cold December day.
However, there is much for which we can celebrate. Most likely the worst of winter is behind us with the ice completely melted off the lake. A few fishermen and women have returned in their boats. Some piers have already gone in when the temps reached 70 degrees last week and my crazy husband even put in our raft! Green plant shoots have started to surface which is exciting. And COVID 19 cases continue to decline in our area which makes us hopeful of safe gatherings this summer.
Before you know it, our Birch Lake Yacht Club sponsored Spring Dinner will be here. To make sure you are part of the fun, mark your calendar for Saturday, May 14 at The Rock at Big Fish Lake restaurant in Marcellus, Michigan. Then, reserve your buffet dinner tickets by ordering online at birchlakeyachtclub.com or by getting a check to Deb Spratt, BLYC Treasurer no later than April 14 (the venue has asked for a head count one month in advance).
One of our spring tasks is to get ready for the distribution of our printed Birch Barker – the official summer publication of the Birch Lake Yacht Club. I know I always am happy to see this newsy bulletin in my mailbox. Birch Lakers are extremely fortunate to have this document every single summer week. It informs us of events, it reports on past events capturing the moments in print and photographs and it celebrates our community. There is much work that goes into this publication. We first want to thank Phil Vitale for his many, many years of compiling and publishing this newsletter, both online during the winter months and then weekly all summer. Phil continues in this role and currently is teaching Chas Grundy the ropes for when sometime in the future Chas will take over this important work.
The Birch Barker takes a lot of work just to get published and printed, but then it needs to get to your mailbox. There are many of your neighbors who have volunteered for years to delivery the newsletter to each of you. Those volunteers continuing this service for you this summer are: Holy Troeger, Julie Lacy, Buzz Rasmussen, Vickie Rogers, Sarah Petty, and Claudia Phipps. When Bob Waddle retired from his work with the Barker distribution, he left work which will be covered by three new volunteers. Ron Niezgodski (with back up from son Bob) both from the West Side will pick up the newsletters and get them to our delivery team each week. Karen Curtis-Miller (East Side) and Vic Jones (East Side) will cover the two routes Bob had on the East Side. We have found a volunteer to cover Staci Whiteman’s old route, Aubrey Coppens (South Side). We are grateful for this help. You can see it takes a lot of hands to get this information out to you. Be sure to thank these folks when you see them out and about.
Have a wonderful April and I look forward to seeing you at the Spring Dinner.
Take care and stay safe.
~Commodore Barb Cassady
Reserve your place at the 2022 BLYC Spring Dinner
http://store.birchlakeyachtclub.com
New Birch Lake Directory this year
We are beginning the process of updating our current 2020 Phone/Address Directories for Birch Lake residents. Please complete the Directory Form included here and return to BLYC Treasurer, Deb Spratt by July 15, 2022. If you know of new residents, please make sure they are aware of this process. Thanks to Deb for collecting the information and compiling for the Directories. We thank Phil Vitale in advance for the all the work he will do on the layout, securing advertisers and the printing of this important document. The info we will publish is:
Cottage number (if you know it) _____________________
Last name(s) of owner(s) ______________________
First name(s) of owner(s) ______________________
Lake street address ______________________________
Other address (other residence away from the lake) __________________
Lake phone number (landline)m _____________________
Other phone numbers (cell phones) __________________
Children’s names ____________________________
Please send your information to Deb Spratt via email at debspratt@comcast.net as soon as possible so we can get started. Thanks to Deb for collecting the information and compiling for the Directories.
We are looking for ADVERTISERS for the directory ... If you are interested in advertising, or if you know someone who is interested in advertising, please contact Phil Vitale at (269) 476-1680 or email me at onlinebarker@gmail.com
Barker Kids of the Month
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 That's Bad Patty and Katie Luecht (east side) at left during a recent mom/daughter visit. Above are Cal and Liz King (north side and Minnesota) on a recent trip to the Seattle area. |
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 At left are Bad Patty (again) and Bill Luecht (east side) showing off their Irish costumes for St. Patrick's Day Above are a group of Birch Lakers who got together in Florida over the winter. From left are Tim Burchell, Jeff and Debbie Runser, Gary and Rhonda Eshleman and D Wosney and Craig Fredlake (all are south siders). |
Sue Davis’ cat (east side) after Sue and Jennifer Ball (east side) collected spring phosphorus water samples of the lake on 3-23. No report on whether the cat likes red wine ...
BLYC Dues, Contribution & Donation Form
$____ - BLYC Member Dues ($30 / year)
$____ - BLYC Associate Member Dues ($10 / year)
$____ - Homeowners’ Assoc. ($10 / year)
$____ - Sailing Fees ($15 / year)
$____ - Building Improvement Fund
$____ - Fireworks Fund
$____ - Water Quality Program
$____ - Milfoil/Loosestrife Eradication
$____ - Safety Committee
$____ - Other non-party related expenses
$____ - BLYC Roof Fund
$____ - BLYC AED Fund
$____ - Misc.
Total contribution:
$__________________
Include your name and address and make checks payable to:
BLYC, c/o Deb Spratt at 18100 Farmington Hills Drive, South Bend, IN 46637, or go online to HTTP://BIRCHLAKEYACHTCLUB.COM to pay dues and/or make donations
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2022 FIREWORKS FUND NEEDS ATTENTION! |
Fleet Captain's Corner, March 2022
The BLYC has a long history of supporting and assisting Camp Tannadoonah in various ways, and a number of our BLYC sailors over many years have assisted the Camp with its sailing program. Now we are in a position where the Camp and the BLYC can help each other.
Frankly, here at the BLYC, our boats on the water are fewer than they used to be. A number of us (like who, me?) are retired from work, but not from life. Our club could use a lot more young people!
A search of the internet revealed that the "gold standard" for bringing young people into sailing is to have an organized Junior Sailing program. All over the country, many successful sailing clubs have them. A good example is nearby on Eagle Lake, Michigan, as you can see on their website: https://eaglelakesailingclub.org/junior-sailing/
Well, easier said than done! There is good news and bad news about our prospects for a successful Junior Sailing Program here on Birch Lake But there is also great news!
First, the bad news: The Birch Lake Yacht Club community is simply too small to support its own organized Junior Sailing Program. Valiant efforts to attract young people have been made by talented and experienced people, and there has been a lot of success, but more success is needed. The BLYC is simply too small to support an effective Junior Sailing Program by itself.
Now, the good news: We have the vibrant and successful Camp Tannadoonah right here on our shore. And Camp Tannadoonah is re-starting its sailing classes this year. And Camp Tannadoonah's Chief Executive Officer is Amber Grundy, who of course is one of us.
Third, but not least, is the great news! Many of us BLYC Sailors have been communicating this spring about upping our game and pitching in to help the Camp with its sailing classes, and hopefully to even have actual races on a real course for qualified campers and a Junior Sailing Program! To "cut to the chase": While of course not all of us are in a position to be able to help this summer, we do already have 10 BLYC Sailors on board, which is excellent!
Many thanks to our great volunteers! In alphabetical order, they are: Commodore Barb Cassady, . Herb Cleveland, Bob King, Pat McGann, Bob Niezgodski, Rick Russwurm, Pete Soldato, Scott Troeger, and Pat Welch. In addition, I make 10 (so far), and Amber will be generally overseeing us at the Camp.
Now, I must confess that our motives are not entirely without self-interest. We would like the BLYC to benefit, too, and we want lots of Birch Lake kids to learn the love of sailing, and to grow up and join our club as active sailors. How can we do that?
Do you know what it says right on the first page of the Bylaws of the Birch Lake Yacht Club? It says: "Section 2. Object. The objects of this Club shall include: (a) To promote and conduct sailboat racing, and other water activities at Birch Lake, Vandalia, Michigan." . . . .
Well, that spirit is very much alive here on Birch Lake, and all of us, even non-sailors, can help! How, you may ask? The answer is that you can help by encouraging all Birch Lake kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids to attend Camp Tannadoonah this summer, and to attend its sailing classes! Absolutely no experience necessary!
So please help us teach the love of sailing on Birch Lake to your kids, or your relatives' kids, or your friends' kids, or your neighbors' kids, by encouraging them to sign up right now to attend Camp Tannadoonah this summer of 2022, and take the sailing classes! There is still time to sign up, but please act quickly! Some weeks already have 12 kids signed up for sailing. Here is the link: https://campfireriverbend.org/camp/sessions/
Thank you! Happy Sailing in 2022 to all Birch Lake - Camp Tannadoonah kids!
~
Fleet Captain Steve (Frew)
Support the BLYC, pay your dues!
We are still accepting 2021 dues. As this calendar year ends and are accepting dues, donations and contributions to a variety of funds ... please don’t forget the Birch Lake Yacht Club. Remember the spectacular 4th of July fireworks, the reports in the Barker about steps taken to keep the good water quality on our lake, and so many other events and activities sponsored and produced by the club? We can’t do all this without your support. Please pay dues online or mail to Deb Spratt, BLYC Treasurer. Thank you to all who have sent in their 2021 dues, and to those who already have paid their 2022 dues.
You can pay dues and make donations and contributions at http://birchlakeyachtclub.com, or fill out the form on this page and send a check (made out to BLYC) to: Deb Spratt (see form for mailing address).
Birch Lake events
April 14 - Make reservations for Spring Dinner prior to this date
May 14 - BLYC Spring Dinner at The Rock Restaurant, Marcellus
Memorial Day Regatta – May 28 & 29 (rain date May 30)
Friday, July 1 - Nelson’s Chicken Sale fundraiser, 11 am - 2 pm pick up at Waxman’s, 63590 Birch Rd. (east side)
Saturday July 2 - FIREWORKS
Friday July 29 - Mens Golf Outing, Pine View in TR., 1 pm shotgun start, dinner & awards following
August 20 - Fall Dinner, BLYC
BLYC Board Members please note the following dates for 2022 board meetings are May 7, June 4, July 9, August 6, and Sept. 10
*Due to the pandemic all events and dates are subject to change or cancellation. Watch the Barker for more information.
BLYC Classified Ads
FOR SALE:
Small boat lift for wave runner or Sunfish sailboat. $325. Call Bud at 476-2526.
For Sale: Lake Shore Products Brand, small boat lift with bunks., Model #1364. It was used for a fishing boat / 20 hp motor, lift capacity is 1300 lbs, Can be used for sail boats and jet skis. Asking $400. Call 476-2383 ask for Tom.
For Sale: Green Egg type grill from Lowes $200. Call 476-2383 ask for Tom.
SERVICES:
I do sewing and mending at fair prices - zippers, hemming, small alterations; call Kathy at 476-9317
LOST:
Floated away from North Shore home sometime before Halloween, Turtle raft, made out of deck material with Styrofoam floats on the underneath on short rope. Please contact Mike at (574) 286-3135
FOR RENT:
Interested in a unique fun vacation? Check out our Florida Village house at ourhome4rent.com/cjp Call 574-596-2154 for more info.
Three bedroom, one full bath with tub and shower, lakefront house for rent on Birch Lake. Beautiful brand new granite kitchen and new stainless appliances with dishwasher, washer and dryer also. Nice pier with big platform at the end. Plenty of parking. Beautiful sunsets all year long. Possible ski, pontoon, row boat, and sailboats available for rent also. Sleeps six in beds plus room for more. Contact Pat McGann call/text 574-532-5377.
BLYC Contacts
BLYC Officers
Barb Cassady, Commodore (E)
Deb Hall, Vice Commodore (C)
Deb Spratt, Treasurer (N)
Mike Sheffieck, Secretary (W)
Steve Frew (E) Fleet Captain
BLYC Directors
Angela Bergan (E)
Greg Bolin (W)
Ed Chester (E)
Terry Dugan (S)
Bernie Garceau (E)
Chas Grundy (E)
Pat McGann, (E)
Karen Curtis Miller (E)
Patty Luecht (E)
Laura Pence (H)
Sarah Petty (N)
Claudia Phipps (N)
Vickie Rogers (C)
Rick Russwurm (N)
Scott Troeger (E)
Phil Vitale (E)
Sandy Vitale (E)
Dan Waxman (E)
Denny Weesner(S)
Sue Williams (S)
BLYC non-director attendees
Paul Fallon, BLYC Water Quality Committee and Homeowners Committee Chairman (E) 476-1467
Blair Garceau, BLYC Homeowners Committee Vice Chairman
Barker Funnies
Contact for Birch Lake Yacht Club rentals
To rent the BLYC building contact Sandy Vitale at 269-476-1680 or 269-858-8184 or email Sandy Vitale
Just one more
Kieran Grundy (east side), age 4, decided to write a letter to the Editor ... his dad and I aren't sure what it says but I think it's cool and I really like it!
~pv
THE BARKER
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