Venice Yacht Club Charitable Foundation

Thank you … It’s been great.

The Foundation’s fiscal year ends on October 31. With that, I conclude my third term (2013, 2016, and 2017) as Chair of the VYCCF and pass the helm to Don Healy. Don has an amazing background and has some great ideas to bring to the VYCCF. I am confident that the 2018 fiscal year will be the best year ever.

I want to thank our VYC members for their support. In the last two fiscal years, we will have raised over $210,000 and granted about $190,000. In addition, working with the Foundation, the VYC board made its third grant to Habitat for Humanity. There is no yacht club in Florida that can match this performance and I appreciate your support in charting a course to a better community.

We had many successes this year with our second annual Jazz under the Stars, our first Blues Bistro, and a reinvigorated volunteer effort, including monthly visits to All Faiths Food Bank. We have spread the word about the VYC with over 30 columns, articles and mentions in the local media. We have launched a Facebook page. And, we have brought in new members to the VYC.

I am writing this column before our October 14 NEST Auction Benefit. It should be very successful. We have about 200 items with a value of about $48,000 to be auctioned.

The VYCCF first annual “Fun Ride” around Venice Island on Sunday, November 12, is gaining traction as we have picked up sponsors and registrations are flowing in. This is a flat, 12-mile course with a pancake breakfast at the Club to follow. The ride is open to the public, so please tell all your friends about it. You can register to ride or to sponsor a rider by going to the VYCCF webpage at www.veniceyachtclub.com/vyccf.php.

None of our successes could have happened without the dedicated involvement of our VYCCF Committee. I thank them all for their hard work. They are a wonderful group of people. If you would like to join our Committee, we are looking for volunteers who have skills in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, other administrative skills, or just a general interest in philanthropy.

Finally, New Year’s Eve is not too far away. If you are considering your taxes, please keep the VYCCF in mind. Not only will your donation help others in our community, you will be rewarded with a tax deduction as well. Thanks again for all your support of the VYCCF and its activities. It is sincerely appreciated. So with that, I salute Don Healy and say “I stand relieved.”

VYCCF Committee: Chair Michael Nemser, Vice Chair Don Healy, Treasurer John O'Donnell, Commodore Kerry Carper (Board Rep), Cindy Abbot, Lloyd Abbot, Joan Bowen, Bill Bowen, Kevin Collins , P/C Joe Dombrowski, P/C Merle Graser, P/C Dick Guba, Doris Guba, Babs Healy, Barbara Isaacson, Warren Major, Paul Nasipak, Beth Piel and Dave Slaman

Follow us on Facebook at veniceyachtclubcharitablefoundation.

updated: November 2017 Currents