Commodores message August 2018

My fellow members, as I said in my first commodores message that It was a privilege and an honor to have been elected as your new Commodore. In that message the quote that was stated “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success” this truly happened this past year.

I choose to summarize this past year and share with you what we as a club accomplished.

The accomplishments under my command were numerous, it’s called leadership, not just leading but hands on leading and giving credit where credit is due.  

Before elected to my first term I spent months working on an agenda, things that needed to be done.  As I got my feet wet I knew that I had to take care of unfinished business. The bar was uncomfortable for most so I set out to get the foot rail installed - COMPLETED.  Then it still was uncomfortable so I set out to cut down the height of the bar stools - also COMPLETED. As a result of the above both were done with material cost only, no labor costs, free, done by some members, everyone was happy.

We moved on to the next project the mezzanine by closing in the mezzanine 3 conditions were solved:
1) The noise level during our meetings, fixed.
2) The unsafe condition that existed due to it being open, fixed.
3) Now we don’t interfere with the renters upstairs and they don’t interfere with the membership downstairs.
Again, done with material cost only, no labor costs, free, done by some of our members.

One of the biggest on-going projects I inherited was the lawsuit against the township of Toms River over the Dillon’s Creek jetty. I took it upon myself and I spent hours on top hours losing count over this past year.  I spent time trying to figure how we got to this point and how it could be brought to a conclusion. If you missed the July meeting I told the membership it was a complete success, we won on all counts. Although it came with a cost it is over.

Making the mezzanine office more efficient and making the mezzanine a nicer room to rent, still a work in progress.  Again, free labor our only costs was material.

A 5 year on going fund raiser we finish the plaque board mounted just outside the elevator gradually filling up with past family names and the names of new members.

The club brought back a bit of history, we rededicated the mezzanine level and rehung Hugh McDonald’s picture and renamed the room.

Still In progress and still working on cleaning up the language in the club.  We are a family-oriented club.

We Started the veterans committee and had our first Veterans breakfast.

With all of the above we kept up with the traditions of the club.  The club was decorated for the different seasons. The pool tournament and the dart league took place on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.  The children’s Halloween party, Christmas Party, both annually picnics and Super bowl Sunday, St Patties Day, New Year’s Eve and of course our annual crab contest all a total success.

We branched out and we did a meatball contest.  Again, fun for all. The kitchen did Mother’s Day breakfast and for Father’s Day. The kitchen teamed up with members and did rib night.

Mic night ongoing and a total success.

We had a dance night; dance with the D-Cee’s, square dancing came back to the club and for the first time Elvis was in the house.

There are still some traditional events I would like to have done like appreciation night but the timing was not there. Maybe next term.

I cannot take credit for all of the above.  No one person can stand alone, it takes the support of its MEMBERS to get behind you to have success in all of its endeavors.  What I did, was to allow what I call the freedom of Idea act that I created in my own mind and that is to move forward on all ideas.  There is a saying, you can’t succeed if you don’t try. Don’t let the club’s old way of thinking be allowed to polarized the club from moving forward on doing new projects. The club as a whole by far is more important than anyone or any group of members.  The different activities during the year if not for you then let it be for those who choose to participate without comment or controversy.

The first job of any commodore is to appoint the elected trustees to a committee.  My philosophy was to appoint the right person to the right job, no political favors and to let them do that job without interference from me or anyone else.  By doing this they become empowered to take ownership thus their best comes out. Their actions speak louder than words. With that being said I can’t name all but certain people and their appointments stand out.  I can say they moved the club in a positive direction.

Kitchen is running extremely well and has past every one’s expectations.  Trustee Manny Muina taking on the same philosophy and letting Ron Heinzman run with it.  I cannot say enough about Ron. Thank you both.

Another right person for the right job is trustee Rainer Mullering in charge of Beach, Grounds and also building maintenance.  Again, having the same philosophy has put members of the club in charge and left them alone to do their job. With Rainer and his team and their out of the box thinking he has created a very valuable link with some of our members and the Department of Corrections.

Trustee John Hogan took an old way of doing communications and brought us into the 21st century. He created GPYC web site, the on-line store.  He was the brain child of mic night and was instrumental in the construction of the plaque board.

Matt Muina seen around working on the docks mostly on Wednesday (his day off from work) The docks were fixed and maintained throughout the year.

Some of the pre-appointed positions where left alone they were working well.

An unsung position the bar manager Bob Cavaliere quiet in his demeanor but a lion in the work he does, keeping the bar running smoothly, making sure all paper  work is up to date. Staying within the ABC guide lines and making sure your favorite libation is there for you. And other activities too many to count.

Diversity in thought is the life blood of any organization.  There is a saying, crazy as it may sound but very true; to keep doing the same over and over again and expecting a different outcome is the wrong way to move forward.  We need to start thinking outside the box. There is a new generation of members with new philosophies and as they mainstream into the different areas of the club and make it their home away from home we should listen and move forward on any and all new ideas.

So, as your commodore for my August message to all may I leave these words with you.  All 420 of our members are ambassadors of the Gilford Park Yacht Club and your actions at the club or in the outside world are a reflection on you and thus comes back to the club in a negative or positive way.   This past year under my command the club did define who we are by what we’ve accomplished. What truly defines us is that the club moved forward and we are in a better place than where we started off.

We have achieved our place in the eyes of our peers and should never look back but only look forward.

Your Commodore
Ed Horton