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Mr. Halvor H.
Hellen sent out invitations and issued a Public Notice for the first
meeting. Mr. Marsh was selected as Chairman and John B. Gray was
selected as Secretary for the meeting. A draft of the proposed
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws was presented.
At a subsequent
meeting on June 4, 1937, Articles of Incorporation and a set of
By-laws were adopted. Forty-one were elected as the Charter
Members, with the following elected as the Club Officers:
Commodore Joseph C. Lore, Jr.
Vice
Commodore Harry A. Woodburn
Rear
Commodore G. Gunther Walden
Secretary T. W. Gardner
Treasurer Halvor H. Hellen
Fleet
Captain William E. Northam
Fleet
Surgeon Dr. E. B. Briscoe
Fleet
Chaplain Father Alexander
Althea
(Bowen) McKenney was chosen as the Club’s first princess.
The Club’s burgee
was selected by a committee of three, Halvor Hellen, Reginald Truitt
and Sherman O’Berry. Dr. Truit reported that the burgee design had
no particular significance, that it was selected for its
dissimilarity to other Club burgees then in the area, and for its
ease of recognition on the water. Similarly, the colors were chosen
because there were no red and yellow combinations in the area.
Besides, we are told that red and yellow were Mary Truitt’s favorite
colors.
Early club meetings
were regularly held at the Point Patience Hotel. Point Patience was
then a farm and summer resort owned by Ben Parran and Judge John B.
Gray. In 1943 the Navy acquired the real estate for a Mine Warfare
Test Center. From 1941 to 1948, Club meetings were held at Bowen’s
Inn, the County Trust Bank Boardroom or Rekar’s Hotel. Rekar’s
Hotel and the Webster Store stood side-by-side on the present site
of the Tiki Bar and Island Manor Hotel. The first active discussion
about building an SIYC “Club House” occurred at a Board Meeting in
August 1939.
The Navy’s Mine
Warfare Test Center at Point Patience and the establishment of an
Amphibious Training Base on the Dowell Penisula, now the site of
Calvert Marina, brought hundreds of servicemen to the area and the
need arose for a
USO Building.
The USO Building Program was a community effort under the direction
of then Commodore (Dr.) Reginald V. Truitt and Mr. Joseph C. Lore,
Jr., Chairman of the Building Committee. Many SIYC members donated
$250.00, with many local businesses giving more sizable donations of
up to $1,000.00 to construct a USO Building. The names of those
donors can be found on a plaque displayed in the Club Lounge.
Additional fundraising consisted of carnivals, circuses and
then-popular donkey baseball games.
The
building was designed by architect Katherine Cutler and constructed
by the H.B. Trueman Lumber Company in 1944 on land the Club had
purchased from William and Maude Kopp. The total cost of the
building was $29,401.00. The facility was then leased to the USO in
October 1944 for $125.00 a month.
The building was
formally dedicated as the Solomons Island USO Club on May 13, 1945
by the chairman of the Solomons USO Council, Halvor H. Hellen;
Captain H.G. Williams, USN, Commanding Officer, Mine Warfare Test
Center; and U.S. Senator George L. Radcliff. The USO terminated its
lease of the Club in 1948.
An additional
parcel of land was later added to the SIYC property through the
purchase of land from Benjamin and Lola Woodburn in 1962.
Principal
improvements made to the Club following its use by the USO were the
construction of a concrete sea wall, the installation of two large
sliding doors, the paving of a large patio, the installation of a
gaff-rigged pole and the extension of the pier from 60 to 200 feet
in length.
In those early
years, SIYC was the focal point for most activities, both social and
civic, in the lower end of the county. Solomons Island Boy Scout
Troop #427 was sponsored by the SIYC as were U.S. Power Squadron
courses.
The major event of the Club’s first years was the Solomons Island
Yacht Club Annual Power Boat Regatta. There were 23 regattas in
all, from 1937 until 1963, excluding the four war years. These
regattas had
widespread
support in Calvert County through personal donations of trophies and
the purchase of program ads by businesses throughout the county. In
1941, the program listed the prize money for one race as: 1st -
$20.00, 2nd - $10.00, 3rd - $5.00 and 4th - $3.00.
These regattas were
a major event, not only for
Solomons
Island
and Calvert County, but for most of the eastern seaboard.
Spectators and boats came from as far away as New England and
Florida. The Club even had Mr. C. F. Chapman, author of “Chapman’s
Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling,” as an advisor during
the early regattas. Famous boat racers included Guy Lombardo
driving his “Miss Tempo” and John Charles Thomas driving his
“Masquerader.” John Charles Thomas also performed after the races
at Point Patience Hotel.
In 1950, an
interest in racing boats developed among area youth. The American
Power Boat Association would not sanction a race unless it was
sponsored by an affiliated club, so the Solomons Island Outboard
Club (SIOC) was formed and was sponsored by the SIYC. Mr. Carl
Breland, the first president of the SIOC, instigated the Club’s
first marathon race from Solomons to Benedict and back. When the
fever for outboard racing diminished in the mid 1950’s, SIYC members
redirected their efforts to the formation of the Solomons Rescue
Squad.
Over the years, the
Club has had a few rough times. On many occasions, it was the
dedication of a few loyal members whose efforts and work kept the
Club’s head above water, figuratively speaking. At times it was
necessary for the Board of Governors to advance their dues payments
so the Club Treasurer could pay outstanding bills.
In 1983, Dan Barrett started the first SIYC “Friday Night Pot
Lucks.” These dinners, hosted and served entirely by Club
volunteers, provided a substantial revenue stream. Income generated
financed the complete refurbishing of the Club. They further
enhanced the posiion and reputation of the Club and resulted in an
increased waiting list of applicants for membership in SIYC.
In 1984, the Board
approved an extensive three-phase improvement and expansion
program. The first phase, the construction of a combination bath
house and storage facility, was completed and dedicated in the
spring of 1985. The second phase, the enlarging and complete
remodeling of the kitchen, the installation of a service elevator,
and the remodeling of second-level rest rooms was completed in
1988. The Club continued to make improvements, which included a new
front entrance designed by Frank J. Matzke and constructed by
Charles Loving; improved lounge space; a new deck with rain
protection for the patio; the dredging of the pier and a newly
designed sea wall for small boat tie-up; new air conditioning which
provided space for an office on the third floor; and in February
1993, the installation of a new bar, with all new bar equipment.
All these improvements were spearheaded by the Improvements
Committee, chaired by P/C Dan Barrett.
The “Solomon Sez”
newsletter was originated in 1982 by Peggy Irish when Ernie Irish
was Rear Commodore. The little logo “Ol’ Salt Seaman” was obtained
when Peggy took a trip to Oxford, MD looking for a special icon for
the new SIYC newsletter. She published the newsletter for three
years, followed by Georgia Jacoby for two years. In 1987, Susan L.
Stevenson became editor and publisher and has continued until this
printing in 2004. “Solomon Sez” has experienced a few tweaks and
adjustments over the years, but has maintained a similar format,
with articles placed in the newsletter according to Bridge Rank. It
has grown from one page to a six-to-eight page publication.
Originally it was hand-folded, stamped and labeled; now it goes to
the post office as a bulk mailing. It continues to be hand-folded
and labeled to save money.
In 1986, new SIYC
member Warren Davis and his wife Beth decorated their boat ORIENT
EXPRESS, and paraded it on the date of the first Solomons Island
Walk. In 1990, SIYC became the sponsor of the annual Light Parade
and its associated open house as a community activity.
The Club celebrated
its 50th Anniversary in 1989 with a number of special events. The
premier event was a dinner ball at the new Solomons Holiday Inn
Conference Center. Two hundred seventy-five current and former
members and their guests turned out for the spectacular event.
1993 was a banner
year which began with a 10-year anniversary of the Friday Night Pot
Luck, hosted by (guess who) P/C Dan Barrett and Barbara. As
mentioned above, the new two-station bar and new bar equipment were
installed. 1993 was also the year the membership approved the
acquisition of the Thomas property and pier to our north. In the
fall of that year, Capt. John E. (Robbie) Robinson, of the fishing
boat MISS REGINA II, remarked “Wouldn’t it be great if the SIYC
would lay a wreath at the base of the Waterman’s Memorial on the
Blessing of the Fleet.” His remarks were delivered to the BOG, the
annual event was adopted under Commodore Gibbs in 1994, and
continues to this day.
In January 1994, we
settled on the Thomas property. January also saw the induction of
our first woman Rear Commodore, Shirley Duff. The club became
busier and busier with the increased use by members and a marked
increase in fundraising activities. The Club was saddened when,
early in1995, Vice Commodore Shirley Duff became seriously ill and
by early summer had to resign.
In 1995, the
membership approved the purchase of the Harten house and a new
window was installed in the Captains' Lounge, giving us much needed
light and a better view of the harbor. SIYC logo state license
plates were made available to Club members and new tee shirts were
purchased. The membership also voted to make the Clubhouse a
smoke-free facility.
In 1999, Rear
Commodore Alva Windham organized a “Cookbook Committee” and the Club
published its first cookbook, “The Solomons Island Yacht Club Galley
Favorites,” which is a fine collection of treasured recipes
submitted by numerous members of the organization.
The year 2000 saw
new happenings at the Club. In January, the first woman commodore,
Adrienne M. Donaldson, took office. During this same year, spousal
membership was established, wherein both parties of a marriage are
members in their own right and enjoy all privileges of the club;
however, they still hold only one vote during elections, keeping the
membership at 200. The hiring of the first full-time Club Manager,
Terry Pence, brought improvements in the club management.
Gertrude
“Bernadine” Bean will always be remembered for her cooking and
kitchen support. She performed her duties for over 20 years. Her
specialties were fried chicken, rice pudding, and apple dumplings
and good “down home” cooking. Her meals were one of a kind!
Bernadine died on August 24, 2000. She was 82 years old.
During 2001, the
tall ship Sultana, a 97-foot sailing vessel built in Chestertown,
MD, made its first of many visits to SIYC. SIYC acted as host for
the ship’s crew, which conducted tours for Club members and the
public. Also, in October of that year, SIYC, in conjunction with
CMM PRAD, hosted the Pride of Baltimore at the Club, affording
Club members and the public an opportunity to visit with the crew
and tour the tall ship.
Also in 2001, a
website was established for the Solomons Island Yacht Club. The
site consists of a home page and numerous categories regarding the
history, functions, membership news, events, marina facilities (with
pictures), and Club hours of operation. The site offers visitors
the opportunity to learn about SIYC through the internet and also
offers a variety of pictures of activities and events. Marty Nash
serves as the website web master. The website can be visited by
logging on to www.solomonsislandyc.com.
During this same
year, Commodore Alva Windham established the first Volunteer
Coordination Committee, headed by Nancy Caton. The objective of
this committee is to coordinate Club members who are willing to
volunteer for various duties in the Club to improve its operations.
Member volunteers have always been the backbone of the Club.
In the summer of
2001, SIYC hosted the first Past Commodores' Reception. Seventeen
Past Commodores, their ladies and our first lady Past Commodore
attended the reception.
SIYC featured a
float in the annual PRAD parade on which rode Princess Reagan
Strausser and fourteen past princesses, including first SIYC
princess Althea McKenney. 2003 was also the year Hurricane Isabel
hit the Solomons area with extremely high storm surges and much
flooding and damage. The Clubhouse was undamaged but the pier and
most of the back lawn area were under water for several days.
December of 2003 saw the last payment made on the Thomas Property,
turning over control of the property to SIYC. At the suggestion of
First Lady Marie Sidleck, a Christmas donation project was initiated
by the Club and over $1,300.00 was raised and donated to SMILE in
the name of SIYC to help the less fortunate during the 2003 holiday
season.
During December
2003 the "Thomas House" was removed from SIYC Property, the area was
cleaned up and used for additional parking. The pier attached to
that property was rebuilt so that it can be used by members for easy
access to SIYC.
In 2005 several
improvements were completed. The much needed galley floor, wall
covering and ceiling tiles were replaced through a generous donation
made by P/C Gordon Henderson, and donations by club members, in the
name of his wife "Dee". The outside concrete deck was completely
removed and replaced due to severe cracking and uneven joints. The
parking lot was re-graded and new stone added as needed. A second
large screen TV was added to the Captains' Lounge, fully paid for by
a 50/50 raffle through the efforts of First Lady Carolyn Ward and
Volunteer Chairperson Cathy Currence.
SIYC, one of the
oldest yacht clubs on The Bay, has one of the largest burgee
displays in its Captains' Lounge. Among them is one from the Royal
Cork Yacht Club,
Cork
Ireland, the oldest
yacht club in the world (est. 1720). As of March 1, 2007 there were
336 burgees from 30 states and 33 foreign countries. They have
been provided by SIYC members returning from many world-wide
cruising locations and by visiting members from other clubs. |