Dear fellow sailors,

As my term as Flying Scot Sailing Association President comes to a close, I cannot adequately explain what a privilege it has been to serve in this role.  Yes, there have been some long hours and, yes, it was worth every minute.  I have loved hearing from each of you who reached out to me with an issue, an idea, a complaint, or a compliment.  I have addressed every one of them in some way and, although you may not always have gotten the result you hoped for, you can rest assured that each item was addressed.

There are many people to thank, but let me start with you.  Each and every member of FSSA keeps our organization strong, keeps the boat value at its highest level possible, and keeps the camaraderie at its best.  So thanks to all of you who continue to be a part of this wonderful group of people who have become like family to me.

I’d like to thank all the Fleet Captains, some of whom are more active than others but all of whom play an integral part in the Association.  Thanks to the District Governors who serve each region and ensure that there is communication across the organization.  Since we are so large and spread across the country, and since many of us have full-time jobs and families, the Fleet Captains and District Governors make sure the management stays aware of what is going on in the Flying Scot Class.

Thanks to our Executive Committee that helps keep the organization going; they meet month after month, and they’ve spent loads of time working on your questions and issues and keeping me honest.  This includes Immediate Past Commodore Barbara Griffin, Commodore Charles Buffington, First Vice-President Frank Gerry, Second Vice-President Bill Vogler, Secretary/Treasurer John Domagala, FSSA Measurer Bob Neff, Amendment Committee Chair Dan Goldberg, Parliamentarian Larry Taggart, Scots n’ Water Editor Kay Summerfield, and Webpage Editor Eric Wojtaszek.  Thanks also to our Executive Secretary, Courtney Waldrup, and the crew from J. Edgar Eubanks and Associates, who handle our day-to-day business and keep us up to date with the latest information needed to run the Association.  And let’s not forget the committee chairs, including Charles Buffington on the Flying Scot Foundation, Bill Ross on the National Championships Committee, Larry Taggart on the Nominating Committee, Dan Goldberg on Amendments, Deb Aronson on Publicity, and Mike Noone on Membership.

Special thanks this year to the Web team of Eric Wojtaszek, Glenn Wesley, and Phil Scheetz for the great new Web site that lets us showcase our events and news about what is going on across our Districts.  The more we make use of the site, the better our communication can be with all our members and visitors to the site.  With the great Web site and our terrific Scots n’ Water magazine, we have diverse ways to reach our members.

Last but not least, thanks so much to my husband and skipper, Greg.  Without his support, this amazing adventure would not have been possible.  He stays quietly behind the scenes, supporting me through all the ups and downs, and I appreciate it more than I can ever say.

You will be in great hands as First Vice-President Frank Gerry takes the helm.  Frank has lots of experience in sailing association management, and he has learned a great deal about FSSA and contributed much input during his time on the Executive Committee.  Please give him your full support as he ventures into his new role as President.

Hope to see you on the water, and please keep in touch!  Happy sailing!