On the Town: Summer memories
8/11/2008Summer is a good time to make memories, and that s what the Maumee River Yacht Club has been doing this season. Also, a new organization is looking to grow and add friends along the way, while the fi ght for cancer goes on to make sure our friends and loved ones recover enough so memories aren t all we have. Here are just a few notable events.
No place like home
TWO DAYS were required to fully celebrate the annual homecoming at the Maumee River Yacht Club. About 1,000 members and guests fi lled the clubhouse, the grounds, and the parking lot Friday night for the get-together that draws boaters from distant ports of call. As many were expected to start coming early and stay late Saturday for the nonstop party that featured two popular bands each night.
Vice Comm. Lance Dross-man says the Toledo homecom-ing is a destination event for members of other yacht clubs and pointed to the number of boats tied at the docks from Detroit, Cleveland, Vermilion, and Canadian clubs. Mr. Dross-man explained that visiting other clubs and patronizing their special events and getting to know their members is an important part of boating and yacht club membership. That tradition held true for Comm. Al Crum, who missed the Friday night festivities because he was attending the regatta at the Seaway Boat Club in Wyandotte, Mich. He served in the receiving line at the Ford Yacht Club in Detroit Saturday and returned to Maumee club in time for the Commodore s Brunch at noon.
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Sandy Seelman, left, Dolores Almester, and Sue Spang are just three of the past presidents of the Maumee River Yacht Club Auxiliary who helped celebrate the auxiliary s 50th birthday earlier this summer at the clubhouse. The theme of the party was what else the nifty 1950s, and some even tried out Hula Hoops. <br> <img src=http://www.toledoblade.com/graphics/icons/photo.gif> <font color=red><b>VIEW</font color=red></b>: <a href=" /apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=TO&Dato=20080811&Kategori=ART03&Lopenr=750791443&Ref=PH" target="_blank "><b>On The Town: Summer memories</b></a>
The three-story clubhouse guarantees a commanding view of the Maumee River. With perfect weather Friday evening the open-air decks were more popular for eating, drinking, and conversation than were the indoor lounges. When the club began in 1899, members had sailboats that had to be stored in winter. According to club his-tory, the sailboats were stored where the Tap Room is now. The club has 200 members.
Before the Menus band hit the fi rst notes, there was plenty of room for dancing on the park-ing lot, but after the fi rst sound of the Cincinnati group at 8:40 p.m., it was standing room only. The popularity of the Menus is mutual for the band, according to Jim Orwig, who plays key-board, sings, and writes some of the group s music. Mr. Orwig was quick to recall that fi ve of the band s several gigs in Toledo have been at the club. We like it here. People are friendly and our acceptance is like we were the Rolling Stones. It s getting to be like family. The Madison Av-enue, a local band, was booked for the Saturday night parking lot gala.
And family it always is at the club, and was for the homecoming. Many members brought their children. Christine Rekart is an example of members who grew up from childhood at the stately old club. Ms. Rekart, the daughter of Commodore Crum, is president of the auxiliary which received numerous ac-colades for the work it does the year around planning special events, but particularly for the two-day homecoming. Ms. Rekart s husband, Ron, served as general chairman. According to Mr. Rekart, the Menus have already been booked for 2009 and the committee hopes to bring back the Danger Brothers, who performed last year.
Homecoming activities are planned in response to the members wishes. We give back what they ask for, Ms. Rekart said, explaining the several food stands selling hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, and pulled pork, and to the bands the committee engaged. Add to those walk-around food choices french fries and shrimp at the stand, manned by Blue Gavel mem-bers, who are past commodores.
It is agreed that a homecoming wouldn t be complete without Shorty Fuller s french fries and shrimp. Mr. Fuller has been a member of the club since 1971 and prides himself on fresh potatoes cut slim with the peel-ings intact. He planned to fry 850 pounds of potatoes Friday and Saturday.
Mr. Drossman emphasizes that the revenue earned during homecoming from food sales and entry fees is a valuable fund-raiser for the club.
Seen at the Friday night party were Jana and Jim Byrd, Perrysburg; Janet and Bob Shepherd, Maumee; Carol and Russ Shaffer, Maumee; Sharon Duncan, Anna and Joe Marconi, Toledo; Julia Hunter, Petersburg, Mich., Joe Dowling, Toledo, Jean andBruce MacDonald, Toledo; Past Comm. Terry Kelsey of Toledo, and Anne and Bill Schmidt . Mary Alice Powell
50-year auxiliary
ACCORDING TO Ms. Schmidt, there was anothergood time at Maumee River Yacht Club recently.The Maumee River Yacht Club Ladies Auxiliary celebrated 50 years June 21 by throwing a 1950s-themed party for club members to thank them for their many years of support.
The committee was headed by Paula Lieske, along with Beth Fry, Carol Crum, Anne Schmidt, Sandy Seelman, Sue Spang,Ms. Rekart, Terri Kluge, and Annamieke Rogers, and special help from Past Com. Shorty Fuller.
They planned for more than a year to organize an event that would get the members to dust off their saddle shoes and poo-dle skirts and rock the house.
Some of the men sported slicked hair, leather jackets, and white T-shirts. Streamers and 45s hung from the ceiling, and tables were decorated with records that were heated and shaped into bowls that could be used to hold snacks. Candy cigarettes and tissue-paper sundaes atop album covers also were on the tables.
Fifties music filled the Tap-room while members watched a looping DVD chronicling the past 50 years in pictures. Past presidents were recognized with beauty pageant-style sashes bearing their year of service and tissue-paper wrist corsages.
After a dinner of fun 50s food, club members danced on the patio to the Sounds of Music. Some members strained muscles trying out the Hula Hoops, but, all in all, it was a de-lightful evening as the members rocked.
Teed off at cancer
HIGHLAND MEADOWS Golf Club in Sylvania joined the fi ght against breast cancer July 27 by participating in Rally for the Cure, presented by Golf for Women magazine. This marks the 10th year the club has par-ticipated in the breast cancerawareness campaign.
Beginning at 1 p.m., 112 golfers teed off at the club. There was a closest-to-the-pin contest, and golf balls with the pink-ribbon symbol were given to players who hit the green on Hole No. 11.
Local businesses donated more than 100 items for a raffl e at the dinner following golf, including golf equipment, wine, dinner certifi cates, and more. A live auction included a diamond pendant, Splash Universe River Run passes, and more.
The event raised more than $17,480 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, thanks to a match-ing donation from a generous participant, and an additional $1,760 for Arnie s Army Battles Prostate Cancer.
This year s chairman is Joanne Tiedeken. The winning Rally for the Cure team included John Merki, Joyce Bettinger, Kathy Tashima, and Jerry Yeager.
The Rally for the Cure Com-mittee included Judy Otto, Judy Lynch, Jan Merki, Paula Amberg, Jackie Enderlen, Bridgette Stepanski, Joanne Tiedeken, and Caryl Lind, Sandy Bielinski, Audrey War-rick, and Frank Manning. Sue Brickey
Young people wanted
UNDER 35 and looking for new friends? The eight-month-old FYP Focus on Young People continues growing with its upcoming 10th and 11th events. FYP-ers Kris Kober andMark Fox will host a cocktail party Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. on the patio at Arnie s, featuring Steve Jad s guitar and vocals. And in the early evening of Aug. 28, they ll gather at Imperial Lanes for a bowling tourna-ment.
FYP events have averaged about 40 people each, said Der-ek J. Feniger, who started the ball rolling in January to provide a venue for young adults to mix up their social circles and expand their networks.
A 2000 grad of St. John s Jesuit High School, Mr. Feniger lived in New York City for four years be-fore returning to Toledo, where he s the executive at his family s business, Universal Metals LLC, also a growing enterprise, hesaid. For information, check www.fyptoledo.com or call Mr. Feniger at 419-215-3177. Tahree Lane