March 2018Dear members,

Summer is a few short months away, and we are planning another great season of sailing, tennis, watersports, camp, and special events at the Brome Lake Boating Club.

Staff news

Staff hiring is nearly complete for the 2018 season. Scott Crawford returns as Club Manager. We welcome Maxime Fecteau from the Royal St-Lawrence Yacht Club as our new Head of Sailing and Race Team Coach. Vincent Tardif from Orize returns as Head Tennis Pro and Timothy Quinn returns as Head of Waterfront. Long-time member, Philippe Miller, takes on the canteen for the first time. Many more staff are returning and we’ll have some new faces, too.

New programs

We plan to issue a 2018 BLBC Members Handbook to explain all that the Club has to offer and to communicate our policies and procedures. Stay tuned for more as we approach the camp opening. Meanwhile, please browse this website. Below are a few highlights of what’s new.

By popular request, we will pilot a canoe program and paddleboarding this summer. Private lessons will be available to all members and guests, and we will introduce canoeing in the day camp program on a trial basis.

The Club will purchase new canoes, paddles, and stand-up paddle boards for the upcoming season. If you are interested to stamp your name on the Club, now is your chance to make a contribution towards the equipment. Please get in touch with us at info@clublacbrome.com.

Camp and CIT Registration

Camp registrations are growing from year to year, hitting capacity for some age groups in the second half of July. Members are encouraged to register for camp as early as possible, starting March 6, and before guest registration begins May 1. Every effort will be made to accommodate demand, but we must respect the staff/camper ratio and the capacity on the courts and on the boats to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

Once again, Junior CITs aged 13 and 14 will help supervise campers in the morning and participate in organized activities in the afternoon, including tennis, sailing, canoeing, paddle boarding, and water skiing. Register on the Camp Registration form. A weekly fee applies and optional extras may be charged for water skiing. CITs aged 15 and 16 help supervise campers full days. To apply for a CIT position, please complete the CIT Registration form.

Junior Club will offer evening activities for teens. Past events have included movies in Cowansville or at the Club, water sliding in Bromont, and dinner at the Knowlton Marina. Please contact the Club Manager if you have ideas or would like to assist in organizing Junior Club activities.

Membership, Fees, and Volunteering

Participation rates have grown while membership has remained steady. The number of members’ boats moored at the Club grew by 50% last year, and some camps reached capacity in July. The time has come to begin a waiting list for some membership categories to ensure the quality and availability of our programs and facilities to all members. After several years with no fee increases, a nominal increase will be applied to all dues and fees for the 2018 season to offset inflation and a rising minimum wage.

We run a lean Club to keep fees affordable, which is made possible by the spirit of our members who generously donate their time and money to create the BLBC community. Many members volunteer countless hours to develop programs, organize events, maintain facilities, procure and repair equipment, install and remove docks, design and order merchandise, plant and weed the garden and grounds, clean the club on a daily basis, oversee the staff, organize insurance, update the website, maintain relations with other clubs and the local community, and govern our Club.

This year we will launch a Volunteer program to recognize members’ efforts and to provide opportunities for more members to get involved. A list of volunteering opportunities will be posted and you are welcome to suggest your own ideas to our Club Manager. The annual Volunteer Day in May will multiply to a series of volunteer days through the summer, though you are welcome to get involved whenever your schedule permits.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to get in touch with me at info@clublacbrome.com.

Looking forward to sharing another great summer with all of you at the Brome Lake Boating Club!

Sincerely,
Shane-lake
Shane Velan on behalf of the BLBC Board of Directors
info@clublacbrome.com

Members of the Board of Directors
Kim Alepin, Co-head of Sailing and Communications Committees
Sara Bradeen, Head of Social and Green Committees
Thane Calder, Co-head of Sailing Committee
Gilles Lamarche
Heidi Lange, Head of Tennis and Staff Committees
Emily Ritchie, Head of Day Camp and CIT, Swimming, and Staff Committees
Brigitte Roy, Secretary
Stephen Sager, Treasurer and Head of Facilities and Maintenance Committee
Shane Velan, President and Head of Finance and Infrastructure Committee
Donna Zamiska, Co-head of Communications Committee, Head of Community Engagement Committee


Dear members,

It’s the time of year that winter gets old and we shift our thoughts to sun-filled days on Lac Brome.

New and returning faces

We are pleased to welcome Joel Kirton as the new BLBC Manager. Joel settled with his wife in the Eastern Townships in 2001. While supervising the Sutton ski and snowboard school for seven seasons, Joel managed a team of adult and adolescent staff who instructed elementary school children from across the region in a variety of competitive and instructional programs. Joel manages the GS Ski Shop near Mont Sutton and coaches students on the Études Sports program at Massey Vanier High School ski and snowboard program. An avid sportsman and nature lover, Joel is looking forward to learning the rhythm of the Club and serving our members.

We are happy to have tennis pros Vincent Tardif and Rémi Leroux, Will McLernon as Head of Daycamp, Timothy Quinn as Head of Waterfront and Swimming, and Abby Shine as Head of Junior CITs and CITs and Communication, among other returning staff.

Annie Bergevin and Amanda Dawson join the BLBC Board of Directors to help develop the tennis program with Heidi Lange. Andrea Krieble joins the Staff Committee and Daycamp Committee. Gilles Lamarche steps down from the Board to enjoy his retirement. Gilles played a key role in redeveloping the BLBC facilities this decade, and we thank him for his years of service on the Board.

Program news

After a record 2018 year for our race team (see Tempo Lac Brome article), the sailing program will be back again with a suitable program for all ages starting as young as 5 years old.  Learning to sail opens the door to a lifetime of fun and adventure! Sign up early as we have limited space in our July and August weeks.

The tennis program adds a competitive Challenge Ladder and a One-up One-down Round Robin, a Shot of the Week Clinic, a Men’s Clinic, a Newbie Clinic, and Happy Hour Tennis to the usual tennis activities. See the Tennis web page for details and to sign up for the new tennis email list. We’ll also be collecting contact info for those who want to be informed via the Members Directory about tennis matches, lessons and clinics.

The Knowlton Golf Club will repeat its offer to provide access to their dining room for BLBC members on selected nights this summer, and to offer golf instruction to our junior members. Details to follow.

The BLBC intends to partner with Aviron Knowlton Rowing (AKR) this summer on a trial basis to introduce rowing to our members in exchange for lake access from our waterfront. AKR has built an impressive competitive program and a vibrant recreational program in a few short years. Our Lac Brome just happens to be one of the best lakes in all of Quebec for rowing! Rowing fits with the BLBC mandate to encourage non-motorized enjoyment of Lac Brome and the waterfront. It’s a complement to sailing since rowing requires calm waters in the early morning or evening and its busy season is the spring and fall. AKR offers a Learn to Row course to introduce the basics, private and group lessons, a racing league, and equipment rentals for rowing on your own schedule. We will be continuing discussions with AKR and hope to have a confirmed plan in place before the ice melts on Lac Brome.

Camp and CIT Registration

Members are encouraged to register for camps as early as possible, starting March 5 for existing members and March 15 for new members, before guest registration begins May 1. Every effort will be made to accommodate demand, but we must respect the staff/camper ratio and the capacity on the courts and on the boats to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

The CIT (counsellor in Training) program and the Junior CIT program proved popular again. Last summer, 19 young members volunteered over one thousand hours to help supervise campers and gain valuable job training and experience. Junior CITs aged 13 and 14 can register on the Camp Registration form. CITs aged 15 and 16 must apply using the CIT Registration form.

In an effort to spread participation through the summer, camp registration fees will be peaked by $10/week mid-season and reduced $10/week in the shoulders. Guests will be allowed to register for up two weeks in the sailing program to obtain their CANSail certification, only during weeks 1 and 2 or weeks 7 and 8.

Membership, facilities, finances, and fees

Club revenues remained healthy, helped by strong membership fees and entrance dues while revenues from programs were stable. Record new membership was offset by significant turnover last summer. We accepted all new members from the waiting list. Growth in expenses was contained, leading to a positive net profit and cash flow position. A string of consecutive profitable years have repaired the Club’s finances from the precipitous position earlier this decade.

After years of spending to ensure our buildings are structurally sound, our focus will shift to recreational facilities and equipment. Our sailing program requires sailboats and crash boats. The tennis courts perimeter must be redone to stop the penetration of vegetation that could permanently damage the clay surface. We will replace aging equipment to complement donations of kiddy punts from Andrea and Robert Krieble and a tandem kayak from new members Samantha Welscheid and Stephan Chapheau.

Like last year, we will raise most fees by roughly 3% to keep pace with rising minimum wage, hefty increases to property taxes, and regular inflation. The capital contribution remains frozen at $50/adult member. Tennis fees remain frozen to stay competitive with local rates.

Stay tuned

An updated Member Handbook and Member Directory will be made available in print to all members. You will receive a message to opt-in to the Directory and confirm your contact information. We will keep you posted with developments on programs and services as we prepare for the summer.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to get in touch with me or the other members of the Board of Directors listed below. For administrative assistance concerning your membership file, such as change of address or membership, billing or credit card information update; please communicate with Louise Maheux at ​​louisemaheux1957@gmail.com.

Looking forward to sharing another great summer with all of you at the Brome Lake Boating Club!

Sincerely,

Shane Velan on behalf of the BLBC Board of Directors
info@clublacbrome.com

Members of the Board of Directors
Kim Alepin, Co-head of Sailing and Communications Committees
Annie Bergevin, Tennis Committee
Sara Bradeen, Head of Social and Green Committees
Thane Calder, Co-head of Sailing Committee
Amanda Dawson, Tennis Committee
Heidi Lange, Head of Tennis and Membership Committees
Emily Ritchie, Head of Day Camp, CIT Program, Swimming, and Staff Committees
Brigitte Roy, Secretary
Stephen Sager, Treasurer and Head of Facilities and Maintenance Committee
Shane Velan, President and Head of Finance and Infrastructure Committee
Donna Zamiska, Co-head of Communications Committee, Head of Community Engagement Committee

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