HOLYOKE CANOE CLUB

Commodore's Emails

​​​​

July 23, 2024  9:59 AM

​​​​

Good morning,
We had a great turn out Friday evening for our Taco Night.  Thank you to the organizers, Amanda, Genevieve and the rest of the Events Committee.  It was great to see lots of old and new faces, and the tacos were delicious!

Bloody Marys and Bagels, Sunday, July 28 10.00-11.30
Our next social event is for the grown ups this coming Sunday.  Tennis players will host all club members for Bloody Marys and Bagels from 10.00-11.30am.  Join us to meet other club members, sip a drink of your choice and enjoy breakfast by the river.  Please let us know whether or not you will be coming by Thursday, July 25 at noon.  There is no charge for members, guests are welcome for a $10 guest fee. RSVP at this link:
 https://forms.gle/KUSB96XkSBEks6cMA.

Guest Fees
Thank you to everyone who has been paying their guest fees either in person or online.  The guest fees are important to the club finances and also give meaning to your membership dues.  It appears some members are not paying guest fees if they arrive at the club before the gate staff is on duty or if the staff member is on a break.  It is the responsiblity of the member to pay guest fees anytime they bring a guest to the club, whether the gate is open or not. Payments may be left in the lock box located at the kiosk on the left side of the building or paid online. Failure to do so is a violation of our membership agreement and is taking needed revenue from the club.
A reminder that the guest policy states that guests may only come to the club one time per month.  Friends who wish to come with you more often should apply for membership. Individuals may not get around this policy by being the guest of multiple members more frequently. Houseguests staying with you from more than 35 miles away, may come multiple times during the same week and must pay the guest fee each time they come to the property. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the policy or if there are special circumstances you wish to discuss.  We are happy to accept any outstanding guest fees you may have missed paying over the last several weeks.

Play Structure
The new playground is expected to be installed next Monday, July 29!  In preparation, we need to take down the existing structure.  If anyone is interested in taking the structure or parts of it, we are happy to give it away.  Please be in touch with me ASAP if you are interested.
Please note, there will not be a play structure in place over the weekend while we prepare the location. 

Pool Safety
We have had an exception number of thunder storms so far this season.  Please note that when the pool is closed for thunder everyone must leave the pool area until the lifeguards reopen.  We cannot leave employees out in the storm and therefore must clear the entire area.  Members may go into the buildings to wait unless it is determined that the club will be closing for the rest of the day, at which time we would ask you to leave.  Thank you for your cooperation with this important safety concern.  
The toddler pool is for children 5 and under to enjoy with an adult present.  If there are older siblings present with the adult, that is fine.  Older children may not play in the pool at any time and noone under 12 should be in the fenced area unaccompanied by an adult.

Save the Date for our annual Wine Tasting on the afternoon of Sunday, August 25
More details to follow.

​

Warm regards,
Sara 

​

July 13, 2024  7:149 AM

​​​

Good morning,
And just like that, we are almost in the middle of July.  Thank you to everyone who came out to the Pig Roast on July 4.  A huge appreciation to Keith and the events committee for pulling together another great event.  We had a terrific crowd, great food, wonderful comraderie and no rain!  

Girls Inc. Event, Thursday, July 18th
On Thursday, July 18th, the Club will host a tennis event for 25 girls from Girls, Inc. The two clinics and lunch event will run from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The group will be using the first three clay courts during that time, so please plan accordingly. 
We would like to like to thank Ben Thompson and Bill Rigali for their coordination of the event as well as Judy Dixon (head instructor), Bruce Schwartz, Deanne Loonin, Cheryl Brooks, Ashley Schaeffer, Suzanne Baxter, Sandy Southwick, Tricia Pancione, Rachel Brooks Epstein and Alanna Grady for their planning and instructional help.
The generous grant facilitated by member Andy Whitcomb from the Richard and Barbara Whitcomb Foundation, is being used to fund this outreach event.

Taco Night, Friday, July 19
Next Friday night, July 19, is Taco Night at the club.  Food will be out from 5.30 - 7.30 for all to share.  Skip cooking at home and bring your family to the club for dinner with a cool breeze by the river.
Please RSVP before Tuesday, July 16 at noon so we can have enough food available. Members are free, there is a $10 guest fee to bring guests. The link to RSVP is below:
http://https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Y8HoAf6xt9rno7GfnG14n8u2Xos3xA261Q3YBcqcQhA/edit
We look forward to seeing you there!

Bloody Marys and Bagels, Sunday, July 28 from 10-11.30
Spend an adult only morning by the river enjoying Bloody Marys (or soft drinks) and a spread of bagels and toppings.  
Please RSVP at the link to let us know if you plan to attend.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1IR5rDPX4pI65xZsotZefbJwSooF43y44X4HcMs1SqfM/edit

Lost and Found
There are several items that have been left at the club.  We have buckets set up in the pool area as well as some items on the table in the snack bar.  If you are missing something, please retrieve it.  All items left next Friday (July 19) will be tossed.

Fingers crossed the rain this morning will give us a break from the heat and humidity.  Wishing you all a pleasant weekend.
Best regards,
Sara

​

June 28, 2024  2:59 PM

​​

Happy Friday,

It has been a great first 10 days of the club being fully open.  Seeing so many returning and new members using the club has been wonderful.  Despite a few thunderstorms, the pools have been very well attended, the tennis courts are buzzing with activity and the boaters are happily admiring their new docks.
Thank you for cooperating with our new system of signing in at the gate.  It is working well and we have been able to straighten out many membership questions and to collect outstanding dues and guest fees. A reminder that you can access our online payment links at holyokecanoeclub.com by pressing the "Pay Now" button.

Weed whacking parking lot
Saturday morning, June 29, we will be trimming the weeds along the fence line in the parking lot.  If you arrive before this is complete (or before it begins), please park on the opposite side of the parking lot.  We will put cones out tonight to remind everyone.

Pig Roast Thursday, July 4, 3-7pm
The Second Annual Pig Roast will take place on Thursday, July 4 from 3-7pm.  The club will supply the pig and we ask anyone attending to bring a side dish to share.  Please RSVP at the link below to let us know if you plan to attend.  The event is rain or shine and free to members, $10 fee for non member guests. We look forward to celebrating the Fourth with you!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15NqGhvuYJttWS7t2pZLtknAqUFqxYxSXV-LgRcorM0Q/edit?pli=1

Play Structure
As promised, a new play structure has been ordered and we have confirmation it will be installed on Monday, July 29.  Prior to its arrival, we will need to remove the old structure.  If you have any interest in taking the old structure, please be in touch with me and we can discuss arrangements.  
Stay tuned for a countdown to the new playground and some fun events to officially open it!

We expect the club will be very busy over the next week with many folks taking time off work for the holiday.  Wishing you a safe an enjoyable Fourth of July.
Best regards,
Sara

​

June 19, 2024  8:59 PM

​

Good evening,
The pool is open!  It has been a great first couple of days with the pool busy during the heat wave.  Our staff are working hard to learn the ropes and get the club up to full speed.  Please be patient as we train several young staff members and work out the kinks.
Every season the traffic patterns of the pool and grounds fluctuate a bit.  We will be watching this over the next several days to see if we need to make adjustments to our staffing levels to give you the best experience possible.

Paying online
In an effort to make it as convenient as possible to pay guest fees, membership dues, late fees, etc., we have set up a better system online.  We will still, of course, happily accept cash or checks for all payments, but now we will make it easier to pay by either PayPal or Venmo.  Please note, when paying anything online there is a convenience fee added to the amount listed on the website.  This additional fee covers the charge the Club incurs from the online payment apps.  If you do not wish to pay this fee, please feel free to use cash or a check. The page to pay can be accessed through the main page of the website at the "Pay Now" button or by using this QR code. We will have the QR code available at the gate.  https://www.holyokecanoeclub.com/


Pancake Breakfast - Sunday, June 23 9-11.30am
Reminder, the pancake breakfast is this Sunday.  Please click the link to let us know if you will be joining us by Thursday at noon so we can get an idea of the numbers. The event is free for members, $10 guest fee for non members.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11Sj-_dv1OdGWbNRxI6QWFTwvROGg8XedG-MXH-1-Bx8/edit

Storage Room:
There is a storage room in the main house where some members choose to leave a plastic bin with items they frequently use at the club.  We are working to make this room more organized and ask you to please make sure your bin is labeled with your name and placed on top of the tables along the wall.  Other items including chairs and bags or charcoal may be stored under the tables.  Please remember no grills or other flammable items should be stored in the house at any time. The goal is to make this room a usable space for games. If you have not seen this room, ask one of the grounds staff to point you in the right direction.
There are several items left from last year.  If you would like any of these unlabeled things, please help us clear them out.  Anything unclaimed will be thrown away at the end of the weekend.

Pool Reminders:
There is no food or drink (other than plastic water bottles) allowed in either pool area at any time.  Please leave coolers and other items in the picnic area.

Pool Hours 2024

Monday

• 11:00am - 8:00pm (hourly 10 minute adult swim)

Tuesday

• 11:00am - 12:00pm  Adult lap swim

• 12:00pm - 8:00pm  Open to all (hourly 10 minute adult swim)

Wednesday

• 11:00am - 8:00pm Open to all (hourly 10 minute adult swim)

Thursday

• 11:00am - 12:00pm Adult lap swim

• 12:00pm - 8:00pm Open to all (hourly 10 minute adult swim)

Friday

• 11:00am - 8:00pm (hourly 10 minute adult swim)

Saturday

• 11:00am - 8:00pm (hourly 10 minute adult swim)

Sunday

• 10:00am - 11:00am Adult lap swim

• 11:00am - 8:00pm (hourly 10 minute adult swim)

There will be more updates over the next few days as we have additional details to communicate.  We look forward to seeing you Sunday at the pancake breakfast. As usual, if you have ideas or talents to share, we would love to hear from you.
Warm regards,
Sara

​

June 17, 2024  10:57 PM

​

Good afternoon.
I am happy to report with a few additional tasks, we have passed the Board of Health inspection required to open the pool.  We should have the final requirements completed by Tuesday afternoon, just in time for the temperatures to spike.  The pool will be open Tuesday from 3.00-7.00pm. 

Starting Wednesday, June 19, we will begin regular pool hours.  Please see the schedule below:
Wednesday, 11.00am - 8.00pm
Thursday, 11.00-12.00 adult lap swim, 12.00-8.00pm pool open for all
Friday, 11.00am - 8.00pm
Saturday, 11.00am - 8.00pm
Sunday, 10.00am - 11.00am adult lap swim, 11.00am - 8.00pm pool open for all

• The baby pool will be open from 8.00am-8.00pm beginning Wednesday, June 19.

• Please remember the baby pool is for children under 5 who are accompanied by an adult.  No children should ever be in the area unattended.

• Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult in the large pool area.

• Children 12 and under must take a swim test in order to swim in the deep end of the pool without an adult.  Please see the lifeguard on duty to take the test.

• Food and drinks are not allowed in either of the pool areas at any time. Please head to the picnic area to enjoy your snacks and beverages.

Stay tuned to our FaceBook and Instagram feeds for weather related closures and notices.  As you are all aware, the weather is likely to be severe over the next several days, please be mindful of the heat and check conditions before you head to the club.

Our staff have been preparing for opening and look forward to greeting our members.  Reminder that we will now be stopping all guests at the gate to check themselves and their guests in and to pay guest fees.  Please enter the club slowly and be prepared to stop. The staff will be checking our "Member in Good Standing" list to make sure we are accounting for everyone as they enter.

More updates will be forthcoming in the next several days.  We hope you enjoy the beginning of Pool Season 2024 and give the staff some grace as we get everyone trained and organized.  It is likely to be very busy by the pool during the heat wave as we all seek relief.

Stay cool,
Sara

​

June 15, 2024  2:59 PM

​

Good afternoon,
I know many of you are anxious to know about the pool opening, we are too!  After several weeks of trying to schedule an appointment with the Board of Health, we finally received word that they will come inspect the club on Monday.  After their visit, I will send a message about the day and time the pool will open.  It is not uncommon for the inspectors to tell us they want something changed or fixed so opening will be dependent on their final approval.  We believe we are in good shape and expect to be open by mid week.  

Parking
Thank you to Michael Davenport for working on repairs and grading in the parking lot!
Now that the club will be fully open, parking will be much busier and it is important that everyone parks in the lot in a way that maximizes the space. When pulling into the first row (closest to the field) please pull all the way up to the guardrail.  There is enough room for three rows of cars if members are mindful of the space and park accordingly.  Please do not park on the circle or on other grassy areas unless the main lot is completely full and you are directed to do so by staff.

Signing in and paying guest fees
We are going to try a different system for signing into the club than we have used since COVID restrictions were put in place.  There will be staff at the gate throughout the day.  All members and guests are expected to stop at the gate to speak with the staff person, sign in and pay any guest fees.  Please remember this process and leave enough time before you want to be on the tennis courts to stop and engage with the staff member.  
Our revenue from guest fees has declined over the last two years even though our membership has grown.  We understand that stopping at the kiosk may have been an additional step that was easily forgotten.  Payment of cash or check should be ready to be paid on your arrival to the club.  If you choose to pay online, that should be done prior to arrival with a receipt available to show the staff person when you sign in your guest.
Please review the guest policy which has been shared in previous emails and is outlined in your member agreement.
Ensuring that only members and registered guests are using the club maintains the integrity of all our memberships.  Please be polite and courteous to the staff and let a Board member know if you have any questions.

Upcoming Event: 
As mentioned in last week's email, please see details of the Pancake Breakfast and an RSVP form below.
Pancake Breakfast - Sunday, June 23, 9.00-11.30am
Our boaters will host the annual Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, June 23 from 9-11:30am. Please join us in starting the season with a fun and relaxed event open to all members. Members attend free; pre-registered guests are welcome for a $10 guest fee. Please let us know if you will be there so we can be sure to flip enough pancakes for all! This event is rain or shine, we will move inside if necessary.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11Sj-_dv1OdGWbNRxI6QWFTwvROGg8XedG-MXH-1-Bx8/edit

Thank you to several members who stepped up in the last few weeks to fix up several of our garden beds and plant our flower pots.  The club is looking great and we really appreciate your effort and expertise. As always, if you have ideas or talents to share, please be in touch.

Until the pool is ready,
Sara

​

​

May 31, 2024  5:59 AM

​

Good morning,
A few club updates before the weekend.  Saturday will be a very busy day at the club with the installation of the new docks, a very popular tennis gathering and an afternoon party.

NO PARKING in the lot on Friday, May 31
Please do not park in the lot on Friday.  We are awaiting the arrival of a skid steer and as soon as it arrives we will begin moving the docks into position.  It is important for the efficiency of the dock installation as well as the safety of the cars that we leave the space open.

Saturday, June 1
As mentioned above, it will be a busy day in the parking area.  We will have staff available to direct traffic as we will ask that you enter the club through the exit driveway.  By Saturday morning the half of the parking lot furthest from the building will be available for parking.  Please enter slowly and look for the staff to direct you.

Donation from the Richard and Barbara Whitcomb Foundation
Thanks to a generous donation from the Richard and Barbara Whitcomb Foundation, we are looking forward to two projects this season.  First, the donation will fund the visit of a group of students from Girls Inc. to take part in tennis clinics hosted by our members on July 18.  We will share more information about how you can take part as details are solidified.
We will also be installing a new play structure for our youngest club members! 
The foundation generously supports programs and initiatives designed to strengthen families and communities.  A huge thank you to the Foundation and to Richard and Barbara's daughter, Andy, who has been a club member for many years.  Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

In the coming weeks we will be looking for assistance to assemble the new play structure.

June 1 Late Fees
A friendly reminder that any dues received after June 1 will incur an additional late fee.  As outlined in earlier emails, the penalties accrue on the first of every month. 
It is very helpful for our planning purposes to know if members are not planning to return to the club this season. Please be in contact with myself or Jennifer Gilburg at jdgilburg@comcast.net if we should take you off the membership list for 2024.

Adopt a Garden
Thank you to those who have already adopted flower beds.  There are a couple more that could use some attention if you are interested in a project at the club.  Please let me know, and I will be happy to assign an area to you. Last year the program was a great success and the flower beds looked terrific.

There is a lot going on in the next couple of weeks to continue preparations for opening.  Thank you to many members who reached out over the past week offering assistance, we will certainly be in contact. 

Have a great weekend!
Warm regards,
Sara

​

May 25, 2024  9:32 AM

​

Good morning,
Welcome and welcome back to all club members. Based on a few questions we have received over the last couple of weeks, I wanted to give everyone a little background about the structure of the club.  A few warm days make us all feel like we are ready for summer and we are certainly getting there. 

The club is run entirely by a volunteer board.  Many of our board members have dedicated their time and talents to the club for many years, for which we are very grateful.  They also work, have families and obligations other than the club which they put aside to make sure the club is an enjoyable place for all of us to use for the summer.

During the summer, we hire staff who are high school and college students.  As a result, all maintenance of the club until the end of the school year is done by the Board and other volunteers.  This year has been particularly challenging with the project to rebuild the docks, which has also relied solely on volunteer hours dedicated by our members.

Historically, the club has officially opened mid-June around the time of the end of school in Holyoke.  For the last several years, we have made the effort to have the bathrooms open and the grounds ready before that time, primarily for our very active tennis community.  As we have mentioned before, we do this with the caveat that we do not have staff here for regular maintenance until June.
Please understand, any lapse in maintenance at this time of year is due to a lack of staffing.  Several of our college students have returned home in the last week and we are getting them working as soon as possible.

I assure you all board members are working diligently to get their areas up and running.  From giving tours and corresponding with new members, contacting those who have not paid their dues, scrubbing and painting the pool, managing contractors for needed repairs, hiring and training staff and of course, rebuilding a major revenue center of the club - the docks, everyone is doing their best to get the club ready for use. We welcome the assistance of members who are anxious to be using the club to pitch in and help.  If you have time to spare and see an area that needs attention, please be in touch, we can certainly use your help.

We look forward to being fully operational in the next several weeks.  Your patience is appreciated and welcome your assistance in this endeavor.

Upcoming Activities
Tennis Social
Saturday, June 1 there will be a tennis social and dedication of our new pergola.  The slots for playing that day are full, but please feel free to stop by to meet other tennis players and recognize Michael and Barbara Davenport for their generous donation. If you are interested in more tennis specific information, please reach out to Ben Thompson at bfthompson1956@gmail.com to be added to the Racquet Sports Communication list.

Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, June 29 from 9-12 the Boaters will be hosting all club members at a Pancake Breakfast.  Come meet members who use all areas of the club and kick off the season with a great breakfast.
Sign up sheet will be sent closer to the date.

Pig Roast
Thursday, July 4 club Pig Roast.  Times and additional details to follow.  Mark your calendar!

Member news
Club member Judy Dixon won the 75+ National Indoors Tennis Championships in Lexington, Kentucky, this past weekend in both singles and doubles. She secured the title in a tight three-set final against her biggest rival. Congratulations Judy!
If you have other good news to share about yourself or another club member, please send it to me so we can spread the good news.

Docks
Dock work continues this weekend with a final big push to complete the building process.  The current plan is to install the docks next Saturday, June 1. Another huge thank you to Keith McCrodden and his team of merry men who have worked so hard to complete this project.  

Dues and late fees
If you have not paid your dues, please do so this week.  Another late fee will be assessed on June 1!

Wishing you all a wonderful long weekend. 
Warm regards,
Sara English
Commodore
sara.e.english@gmail.com

​

May 13, 2024  6:29 AM

​

Good morning,
As we approach mid-May, preparations for club opening are ramping up.  Welcome to many new members who have joined since my last email.  We are glad to have you and look forward to welcoming you to the club.  As we get closer to the official opening there will be more frequent communications to keep you up to date.
There has been a lot of great energy from members to get ready for the season.  From a terrific turnout for clean up day, plans for a website update, ideas for new social activities, dock building and gardening, things are starting to come together. 

Dock Rebuild
The work on the docks is coming along well.  We have had several very dedicated members putting in hundreds of hours to build the new docks.  Thank you to everyone who has dedicated their time and talent to make this important project come to fruition.  It will be a few more intense weeks to complete the work and we appreciate everyone's patience and cooperation until we reach the finish line.

Parking
Until the work on the docks is complete, please refrain from parking in the main parking lot.  Please park along the circle at the entrance of the club.  There are many tools, pieces of decking, nails, etc. that we want to make sure are cleared from the parking area before we start using it.  Also, we want to make sure we are leaving the necessary space for the crew to work on the docks at all times.

Tennis and racquet sports
There is a specific email list for racquet sports activities and socials.  If you would like to be included on that list, please email Ben Thompson at bfthompson1956@gmail.com to be added. An updated list of activities will be sent in the next couple of weeks.

The Social Committee will be having a meeting to finalize their plans for the summer and we also have a group working on a new playground structure.  More details will be sent out soon.  As always, you have ideas or talents to share, please be in touch!

Warm regards,
Sara English
Commodore

​

April 15, 2024  7:29 AM

​

Good afternoon,
Well, we sure have high hopes for great summer weather after all these April showers.  Welcome to many new members and to all of our returning members.  A special thank you to all returning members who paid their dues on time.  It is a great help as we work on setting up the club for the season.

Clean up day!
Next Saturday, April 20 there will be a member clean up day from 9am-12pm.  Please come help get the grounds and buildings into shape in order for us to start using them regularly.  We will be raking, trimming branches, weeding flower beds, cleaning out the pool, sweeping buildings and more.  We welcome anyone who is able to help, including small people who may want to join in.  Please bring rakes, trimmers and gloves.   

Staff
We are still hiring staff for the summer.  The Steward (Club Manager) position is still open if you know any qualified candidates to manage the staff and operations of the club.  Please have anyone interested fill out the application on the website.  There will also be lifeguard, grounds and gate positions available.  We will try to finalize all of the positions by mid May.

We look forward to seeing many of you next Saturday.  Additional updates on progress at the club will be sent in the coming weeks. As always, if you have ideas or talents to share, please be in touch with a member of the Board.

Best regards,
Sara English
Commodore
sara.e.english@gmail.com

​

​

February 7, 2024  5:59 AM

​

Happy 2024!

As you may have seen, the groundhog promised us an early spring and we are taking him at his word.  Plans and work have already begun to make 2024 a great season at the club.

Welcome letters and invoices were sent to all 2023 members by snail mail last week (February 1).  You should have received it by now.  Please note, Boater dues must be postmarked by March 1 and all other members must have their payment postmarked by April 1.  There is a new fee structure for late fees which is outlined in the letter and on the invoice that was sent.  Please familiarize yourself with the new policy. If you know you will not be returning to the club this summer, please let us know so we can plan accordingly.

The Board is actively looking for volunteers to help with several projects including social media, a small building project and a member directory. If you have time and talent to share, please let me know and I will put you in touch with the relevant committee.

We are actively accepting new members to the club.  Please spread the word to your family and friends and let them know the 2024 application is available on the website.  We would love to receive their applications and welcome them this season. 

Looking forward to seeing you back at the club in the coming months.  Stay tuned for opportunities to volunteer for clean up day and other projects to get the club up and running.

Warm regards,
Sara

Sara English
Commodore
sara.e.english@gmail.com

​

​

​