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Catalina Fleet 21 - Chicago
Region
February 2010
Ahoy, Matey! Set your sights on the Chicago History Museum on Saturday, February 27. That’s when Catalina Fleet 21 drops anchor at the Chicago Maritime Festival for a day of programs, meetings, music, and all things nautical. The festival begins at 10:00 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. The complete schedule is included in this newsletter. Highlights include Lighthouse Keeping with Ernie DeRaps and My Voyage on a Great Lakes Freighter with Bill Strauss. You can explore Chicago’s shipwrecks or learn all about Tall Ships Chicago and the more than 20 sailing ships slated to be in Chicago from August 24 – 29, 2010. Learn the art of knot tying or sing some bawdy sea songs! Favorite presenters from the past will be there too: Amy Seeley with Weather for Sailors and Kris Habermehl with his eye-popping helicopter shots of History Over the Horizon. At 4:00 p.m. we have reserved space at O’Brien’s Restaurant for an early dinner and our General Meeting.. O’Brien’s is two blocks west of the History Museum at 1528 N. Wells approximately 100 yards south of North Avenue. You can walk from the History Museum or drive. There is free parking available at O’Brien’s. We will be able to order from the regular menu. We hope to have separate checks, but we may have to use the honor system. If you want to preview the menu or learn anything else about the restaurant, you can go to their website: http://www.obriensrestaurant.com . Their phone number is (312) 787-3131. If you plan to join us for this informal meal, please RSVP to Brian Ruxton. We want the restaurant to be ready for our group! The Maritime Fest resumes in the evening with an evening concert from 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The normal entry fee for the Maritime Fest is $10 for the daytime program and $20 for the evening concert. For our members the price is $5.00 for the daytime programs. We will also get a discount for anyone who wants to stay for the evening musical performances. All you have to do is tell a ticket taker that you are with Catalina Fleet 21. There is no special badge or ticket. They will have a list to check against. If you want to be absolutely certain that you will get in, please call Brian or Deborah Ruxton at (630)279-4533 or Brian at (630)932-1200. They will make sure the ticket takers have your name. The best parking is at the pay lot just north of the History Museum. Turn east on Stockton Drive from Clark/LaSalle and enter. You can have your parking receipt validated at the Festival and your parking will be $9.00 The Festival is at the Chicago History Musuem (formerly the Chicago Historical Society) located at the intersections of Clark Street and North Avenue. There’s more information about the Maritime Festival on their web site at http://www.chicagomaritimefestival.org A MESSAGE FROM THE COMMODORE Well, 2010 is starting with a bang this year. January has been busy with fleet activities starting with the annual Pot Luck & Brown Bag Auction on January 23rd. The Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club graciously welcomed us again this year with Marshall & Lin Fernholz acting as our hosts and bartenders. The club is using a new catering service this year and the dinner that was provided exceeded our expectations. A total of 48 members gathered for dinner and the auction. Our auctioneers Jack Bretall and Ron Shereyk proved masterful in extracting the most $$$$ for each of the unidentified treasures. As always this was also an opportunity to renew your membership for 2010 and everyone in attendance did so. Our next activity was the following weekend. In conjunction with the Strictly Sail show at Navy Pier, Fleet 21 hosted the Winter Rendezvous at the Hampton Inn. Many of our members took advantage of the reduced room rates and stayed at the hotel for the night. We had a total of 68 people in attendance who shared a great meal of salad and pizza. The highlight of the evening, as always, was the arrival of Frank Butler his wife Jean and Sharon Day from Catalina Yachts. They discussed the current events at Catalina as well as provided the gifts for the annual raffle. The top prizes of 2 one week stays at the Butler’s villa in Puerto Vallarta were won by couples from LMYA, our sister organization. Thanks to Madalyn Duerr for all her hard work in putting together the rendezvous again this year. Next up on the activity list will be the Chicago Maritime Festival at the Chicago History Museum on February 27th. This is a fun day to spend downtown. There are many interesting programs they run as well as entertainment and great things for the kids to do. After the festival we will have dinner at O’Brien’s Pub, just a short walk from the Festival. Look for more information in this newsletter or check out the web site at www.chicagomaritimefestival.org . Mark your calendars for March 27th for the annual Crowley’s Yacht Yard Yachatapalooza. The date is set but we don’t have many details yet about our activities, but you can bet we will be there. A round of applause is due for Pat Reynolds, Mike Walsh and Cheryl Kuba, our newest members of the board. Pat volunteered to be Harbor Captain at Hammond, Mike volunteered to be our Secretary and Cheryl volunteered to replace our hard working Mainsheet representative Hazel Luther. Thanks to Pat, Mike and Cheryl. We still have a couple of positions that need to be filled; the program chairman and the fundraising chairman are still open. In terms of programs we only have five to fill for the remainder of 2010, and the board has already had ideas for a number of those. In terms of fundraising that position will be what you make of it. There are no set rules only the originality of the chairperson. So if you have been looking for something to do give me a call and lend a hand, we can always use the help. Well that’s it for now; Spring will be here before you know it so keep thinking warm thoughts. Bill Thompson, Commodore MEMBERSHIP You’ve got another chance to renew your Fleet 21 membership. Your 2010 membership renewal form is included in the newsletter. Please fill it out completely even if your information has not changed. Don’t misplace it: mail it today! BUY/TRADE/SELL Fleet members may list items they want to sell, trade or buy in this column without any charge. Send listings to Fleet Sheet Editor, 306 Linden Street, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 or fax to 630 - 668 - 8950 or email to deare30@sbcglobal.net. Listings will run for 2 issues unless you notify me otherwise. CYA Reported by Lori Lauraitis Meeting held January 28, 2010 *Venetian Night. As you’ve probably already heard, Venetian Night has been cancelled for this year. The local Yacht Clubs are thinking of an interclub type of Venetian Night on 7/31. It will require lots of permits etc. so more to come on this issue. *Tall Ships sailing to Chicago around 8/15 arriving the week of 8/24-8/29. Some will dock at Navy Pier and some on the River. *Boaters PAC is in limbo. Bob Rose, who handled the fund retired. More information in the future.
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