Last weekend’s Daily Catch delivered the sad news that Don Walker a longtime BHYC member (and friend of all) had passed away. Don and Lois were active in many areas of service to the club and to our community ... he was introduced to BHYC by his close friend and neighbor, the late PC George Cochrane. Don was a quiet but brilliant personality who hid his Ph.D. from MIT behind his enthusiastic friendships with all of our membership, including the men’s sailing gang from day one. Don’s grandson Sean was a steward for many years.

Last Friday memorial services were held for Penny Wright, beloved daughter of Howard and Dee Wright, sister of past steward Howard Wright Jr. and mother of frequent visitor Elisabeth Wright. Our support and prayers are with all of the Wright family.

To the writer of this column there is almost always an issue which tempts me to take a stand or make a recommendation using this public forum. Mindful of the temptation, I normally set thoughts aside and defer. The soap box is very tempting however and a non-controversial matter tempts me now. When we, on the GIB Team for the new Sailing & Education Center, considered the space for the new offices it was just impossible to fit in a library or location for storage and use of BHYC historical information and artifacts.

Over the years Louise and I have visited many well respected yacht clubs worldwide and they almost all have a “room” where the past is preserved for the observation and use of all. Royal Bermuda YC, San Diego, Fort Lauderdale and on and on have impressive and proud facilities. We don’t have room in the new building but the Hill House (as long as it stands there) will have unused space where a room or more could be dedicated for this purpose. We have years and years of back rosters, meeting minutes, Register articles/pictures, old gavels and the like that need to be saved, made available, and used … They are doing us no good in storage boxes at Big Al’s.

Reminiscing on all of this I cannot but vividly recall (as I gathered her prose and pictures to assemble the book) the hours that Peggy Chapman spent doing the research for the Anniversary History Book. What an easier book it would have been if our forefathers had had the insight and the will to do what we should be doing now. I sincerely hope that provisions, plans, and funding can now be committed to this effort.

The scheduled gathering in Carrabasset Valley for this year has been postponed for a year because of scheduling problems. The winter reunion in Miami (March 12 -15) is on track however and that date is fast approaching. The April cocktail party will once again be at the home of Greg and Joan Shea in Wiscasset and the date to save is the 19th at 5:30 p.m.

On the construction front, the siding has been completed on the entire building and work will now be of a less visible nature on the interior. While the modular sections are all complete inside, insulation, sheathing, wiring and plumbing has yet to be done on the stick-built section and in the ground level (basement) area. There are also decks and entrance steps and ramps to be installed (now underway) and when better weather allows grading of the surrounding landscape.

I think all will agree that the building is an impressive addition to our campus. Just wait until you see the inside!

Past Commodore Scribner was in the area last week for meetings about the Regatta (which he will chair) and the Summer of Sail sponsorship program which will be launched shortly. The brochure for that is now at the printers and with the help of many of you we will soon be offering sponsorship opportunities to local and national businesses. This effort is vital to our ability to successfully operate the record number of sailing events this summer. If any members would like to help in this canvassing effort, please call or email this scribe.