Commodores Message June 2019

We are at / in the time of the year where our family members of GPYC and the Gilford Park Yacht Club try to cram all of the following activities in 5 months It is a crazy time.  Summer is upon us, members getting their boats ready for the season, there are graduations; Kindergarten, Middle School, High School and College. Families are still working 5 days a week so all that’s left is approximately 14 weekends which equals approximately 28 days.  There are several major holidays during this time; Memorial Day which kicks of the season Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, 4th of July, Family Holidays (vacations) and Labor Day that ends it all.  As I said it is a crazy time, and if I may add it can be a stressful time.
As I have always said your family comes first nothing else matters, I should practice what I preach.  I have always said that I am never in the moment I am in, my mind is always somewhere where else, my wife days after a family event would reminisce about that day and I would not have a clue what she was talking about because I was not in the moment, I am in.
My recommendation to myself and to the families of GPYC and to the Gilford Park Yacht Club itself is to take your time, slow down and enjoy that moment you are in.
With all of what was said above, the club also goes through its time of change.  July and August are our election process months starting with the nominations in July and ends in August with elections.
Glen Blue again has graciously accepted to head up the nominations committee for July and the election committee process in August.  Any member in good standing who would like experience running the club or being part of the decision-making process please seek out Glue Blue, let him know your intensions.  Any one running for office or trustee will have to be present at the July’s meeting and if they can’t be there, they will have to have a letter stating the office position or for a trustee position they plan to run for dated and signed.  This also goes for incumbent trustees and officers whose terms are up.
I say, that without our members stepping up to the plate and taking on these rolls you will NOT have a club.  Please do not run for the glory of the title but run to keep your club moving forward. Run only if you can commit to the position and the job you will get because if you can’t you will be doing a disservice to your fellow members and the club as a whole.  By them electing you, they are depending on you to move the club forward. Just remember your immediate family indirectly gets elected to the position make sure they are on board with your decision.
Just because you as a member elected a candidate or don’t like the candidate that won or you say you do your part by paying your dues, none of  that matters it does not relinquish your responsibility as a member to help out at all the different activities that the club sponsors and support the elected members of the Board of Trustees.  Remember, you took an oath to support the club when you were sworn in.
With all the activities that will be crammed in this summer please do it safely, keep your eyes on the road, be considerate of others both on/or off the road, on the water and at the club, Drink sensibly and click it.
Most of all, be in the moment you are in, because time only moves forward, you can’t get it back, it then becomes an empty moment in the history of your life.
I hope there is a plethora of members that will stand up at the plate and take their turn as a trustee or an officer this election season.  There will be 5 trustees and 5 officers position up for reelection or replacement. Commodore, Vice Commodore. Recording Secretary, Treasure, and Financial Secretary.
I wrote this commodores message while watching the D-Day ceremony commemorating that day June 6th 1944.  I became overwhelmed when I realized that how much it hurts when we lose an immediate family member and for that day all the families back home that lost their love ones and how a nation won but lost a generation of people.  This was for the war to end all wars. There must be something about this United States of America that we are willing to die for others. I believe it is FREEDOM. So on Memorial Day, Flag Day, Veterans Day, D-Day and every day in between, give thanks to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice.
So, to all that have read my commodores messages every month including this one I THANK YOU.  I meant every word I said and stand behind those words.
See you at the club.
Thank You       
Your Commodore   
Ed Horton