IN THE SERVICE OF

                                                                                

VERO BEACH POWER SQUADRON REPORT

D/8 FALL CONFERENCE

COUNCIL MEETING

SEPTEMBER 24, 2010                  1500

The Vero Beach Power Squadron has had a busy and successful year.

Our membership currently stands at three hundred twenty-four (324) strong.  Even counting attrition, this is a 16% increase since the beginning of the year.  This was made possible due to the efforts of our Membership Chairman, Lt. Kathie Thomas, P and her Membership Committee.  Unfortunately, P/D/C Joseph Leitz, SN was one of the members we recently lost.  Every year we hold a new members party and make an effort to welcome all new members at our Friday Night Socials.

Our Squadron Education Officer, P/C Dan Thomas, SN and his cadre of certified instructors have been hard at work throughout the year.  We have held three (3) ABC classes for the public and have a fourth one planned in October.  So far, forty-five (45) people have successfully completed the class.  We have also completed one 7 week Public Boating Class with thirteen (13) successfully passing and another one starting in November.  Twenty-nine (29) of our members have passed our advanced classes including Seamanship, Piloting, Advance Piloting, Junior Navigation and Navigation.  Twenty-five (25) members have passed elective classes including Marine Electronics, Weather, Cruising Planning, Engine Maintenance and Sail.  Thirty-one (31) members and public participants completed Seminars including VHF Radio, GPS, Boat Handling Under Power, Onboard Weather Forecasting, Paddle Smart and How to Read a Nautical Chart.  Dan and his instructors who are also U.S. Sail Certified Instructors have been working with the Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River County.  To date, we have held classes for 26 young sailors both in the class room and on the water.  The Vero Beach Power Squadron has also sponsored and constructed an Optimist Sailing Dingy for those less fortunate.

So far this year, we have held eleven (11) boating events.  These events included a Poker Run, 2 Mini Cruises, 4 Luncheon Cruises, 4 Raft-ups, and a two week cruise to Key West.  In October, a number of cruisers will be traveling to the west coast of Florida and 4 boats will be traveling to north Florida.

This year we have held seven (7) dinners, a ladies luncheon and a ladies pot luck social.  As is our tradition, we have held a social every Friday night.  These have been very well attended even during the summer.  This is attributed to the influx of new members.

Other events included our participation in the Vero Beach Boat Show and Vero Hibiscus Festival.  We held two (2) Fishing Outings for the Boys and Girls Club of Indian River County.  Our posters have been submitted to District for the Boarman National Youth Poster Contest.

To date, the VBPS Vessel Safety Examiners have completed and submitted 134 Vessel Safety Checks and our Cooperative Charting group has made 2 submissions.

Finally, we continue to communicate to our members not only through e-mail, but also our newsletter, the “Nautical News” that is published every other month by our editor P/C Robert “Woody” Boarman, AP.  Woody is also our webmaster and has kept our website up to date.  In addition our Public Relations Officer maintains a blog http://vbps2010.blogspot.com/, a facebook account http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=100000046572671 and a flickr account http://www.flickr.com/photos/46531890@N07/. 

Respectively submitted,

_________________________________________

Cdr. Jim Ward, AP

Commander

Vero Beach Power Squadron