2006 Change of Watch Meeting Minutes
January 21 2006
The 2006 Change of Watch Dinner was held at the Southwestern
Yacht Club, San Diego, on 21 January 2006, beginning with no-host
cocktails at 1800. There were 35 members (including the District
Commander), and 25 guests including 5 members of other squadrons.
Call to Dinner: Cdr Katharine Law issued the Call to Dinner at 1905,
and welcomed all to the Change of Watch. P/C Jerry Donovan gave the
Invocation, and Lt/C Tom Fota led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Introductions: Commander Law introduced the squadron bridge officers
present, including Lt/C Barbara A. Goddard and her mother Anne
Needham, Lt/C Michael Fontaine and his wife Carol, Lt/C Tom Fota and
his wife Sue, and Lt/C Nancy Renzi, as well as D/C Adriaan
Veldhuisen and his wife Cheryl from the San Luis Rey SPS.
Commander Law also recognized Stf/C Chester G. White, Jr., D/Lt/C
Ron Weiner and Suzanne, and P/R/C Edwin Mraz and Pauline. She then
recognized all past commanders and past district commanders and their
wives and/or guests.
The commander also introduced the guests from other squadrons,
including Cdr Van Diehl and his wife, 1st/Lt Cida Diehl (also from
San Luis Rey SPS) and P/C George Weston and Beth Weston (Gloucester
[MA] Power Squadron).
Call to Order: Following dinner, Commander Law called the meeting to
order at 2047. The secretary confirmed that a quorum was present.
Recognitions and Awards: Lt Ted Umland, Sail Fleet chair,
assisted by his wife Julie, announced the winners of the Sail Fleet Trophies:
1st place was awarded to Lt/C John Isaksen, who thanked his crew
members, Dan Norris and Ken Glaze, and his chief engineer, Mike
Sampsel. The 2nd place trophy was awarded to Donald Litzenberg, and
the 3rd place trophy was awarded to Ted and Julie Umland, who
acknowledged the help of Don Litzenberg and Kent Hildreth. Senior
Member recognitions for the achievement of five Merit Marks were
awarded to Catherine Isaksen, Ron Weiner, and to David Weimer, who
was not present.
National Awards: Commander Law called on D/C Veldhuisen
to present the awards given by USPS to the squadron. D/C Veldhuisen
noted that
San Diego had again achieved the National award for Excellence in
Journalism for The Ship's Mail, edited by P/C Steven Bakalis, and
the National Website Excellence Award, to be given to Lt/C Tom Fota,
SDSPS ExO and webmaster.
25-Year Member's Pin: The District Commander then noted
that two members had earned 25-year pins, Cdr Katie Law and Barbara
Morton, who was not present.
Member of the Year: Commander Law described the criteria
for choosing the "Member of the Year," a perpetual trophy recognizing
the one member (not an officer) who has made the most significant
contribution to the squadron during the past 12 months. Given
annually since 1960, the tradition of this award is that the
commander solicits input from the Executive Committee with regard to
a worthy winner and, after consideration, decides upon the person
most meriting the award. She announced that the award for 2005
would be awarded to P/D/C Bill Bridge, who served SDSPS as
instructor of the Weather course and assisted in the Boating Course,
served as an Aide to the Commander, chaired the Fall District
Conference committee and organized the squadron's July annual
barbecue at the Breezy Point Coast Guard Station. In acknowledgement
of his many hours of service to the squadron, Katie Law presented to
P/D/C Bridge the trophy for Member of the Year.
Departing Commander's Remarks: Katie Law thanked all those
who had helped over her year as commander. She expressed her special
appreciation to her entire Bridge, Executive Committee and the
Committee Chairs for their hard work over the past year, which had
resulted in the many squadron activities and achievements. She
offered special thanks to her Secretary, Lt/C Barbara Goddard for
her support and her many efforts to assist her over the year. She
noted her confidence that the Commander-Elect and the incoming
Bridge would enjoy the firm support of the members during the coming
year. Finally, she offered advice to the incoming commander and his
team: that they should enjoy the year and, amidst all the hard work,
remember to have fun along the way.
Closing of the 2005 Watch: D/C Veldhuisen announced the
closing of the 2005 Watch and dismissed the Bridge except for the secretary.
He
then called the incoming Bridge and Committee Members-elect to come
forward.
Administration of Oaths: D/C Veldhuisen administered the
oath of office to Commander-Elect Tom Fota and then administered the
oaths to the 2006 Bridge Officers, Members at Large, and Elected Committee
Members. He then congratulated the new officers.
Presentations: Commander Fota presented Lieutenant Commander pins to
all his new officers. P/C Law presented the new commander with
shoulder boards, a commander's flag and the squadron gavel.
Commander Fota and D/C Veldhuisen presented to P/C Law a plaque,
recognizing her service to the squadron, the past commander's
shoulder boards and a P/C's swallow-tail flag. Officer flags were
presented to the new bridge officers. P/C Law then presented tokens
of appreciation to many of the people who had been most helpful to
her during her commandership. She also thanked Cdr Van and Cida
Diehl and the District Commander for their support during the year.
Incoming Commander's Remarks: Commander Fota began by assigning
responsibility to John Isaksen for involving him in the San Diego
Sail & Power Squadron. In his three years in the squadron, he has
assumed increasingly more duties and has now been entrusted with the
duties of commander. He thanked the nominating committee for its
confidence in him and the membership for their trust in making him
their leader. He promised to put forth his best efforts for the
squadron and to promote the principles for which it stands. He
expressed his belief in the outstanding nature of the new bridge
officers, who are up to the task of leadership. And he thanked the
previous bridge for their efforts, with particular thanks to the
previous commander. Tom noted that there are many challenges ahead,
most notably the task of getting new members. While membership
remained relatively steady this year, to grow we must bring in new
members and retain the members we now have. His two primary goals
for this year are membership involvement and membership retention.
He intends to recruit a public relations officer to get the word out
about our Boating classes, vessel safety checks and coop charting.
He challenged all squadron members to become more involved and to
get others involved. He also intends to promote more boating
activities and to raise community awareness of our activities so
that we can have an even stronger organization at this time next
year.
The meeting was adjourned at 2137.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara A. Goddard
Secretary