FROM THE EDITOR...
By Steve VanderVoort, Telltale Editor
It's the dead of winter and there's not a boat to be seen on our beloved Lake Michigan, but there's still some activity for Sail Chicago. We've got an annual meeting coming up where we'll summarize for our members our past season's events and activities, look to our ambitious plans for the future, and elect directors to our Board, the group that sets policy and plans the future of Sail Chicago (see article below).
The Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared" is a good one to follow. This might be a good time to check your own personal sailing equipment. Do you have the appropriate warm and waterproof clothing for those cool and brisk sails early in the season? Do those old sailing gloves need to be replaced? If you have an inflatable PFD, does the canister need to be replaced. Do you have a wide-brimmed hat and water bottle handy for those hot and sunny days ahead? Do you have a whistle you can carry with you in the off-chance that you may fall overboard? Checking your equipment now helps to promote a safe and fun sailing season in the future.
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SAIL CHICAGO ANNUAL MEETING MARCH 7
By Gerry Stacy, Board Chair
Remember that the Sail Chicago Annual Meeting of the Membership will take place next month on Tuesday, March 7 from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. This is a chance to hear about the state of our organization from leaders in all of our program areas and to get a preview of what's ahead for Sail Chicago in 2023. The annual meeting is also when terms begin for new members of the Sail Chicago board. Voting for board members will take place online beginning Tuesday, February 28 and will close at the start of the Annual Meeting. And r emember, you must be a member in good standing in order to vote in the election. This means you must have paid your membership fee for 2023 and met your service time requirement - or paid the waiver - for 2022.
And if you're thinking of running for the Sail Chicago board, it's not too late! Nominations for the board are due February 10. Instructions for running for the board can be found here. We encourage everyone to consider this opportunity to participate in the leadership of our organization.
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OPEN HOUSE AT THE BOARYARD APRIL 1
By Rich Costello, Maintenance Coordinator
 Come join your friends and other Sail Chicago members at the Canal Street Marina, 2059 S Canal Street in Chicago on Saturday April 1, 10:00 am to Noon. This is a great opportunity to see our fleet drydocked and all in one spot. Did you ever wonder what's under the waterline on a boat that you're sailing? Well, now's your chance to find out. See our maintenance teams at work and discover the fun involved in getting our fleet ready for the coming sailing season. Also, get a first peek at the newest addition to our Colgate fleet, Cretin Hop. Our Maintenance Teams and Social Committee are joint sponsors of this event. More details are coming soon.
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VOLUNTEERING IN 2023
By Gerry Stacy, Board Chair
 As we all look forward to the start of the 2023 sailing season, the volunteerism team would like to remind you to start thinking about how you’re going to contribute to the life of our organization this year. There are many opportunities to fulfill your service time requirement which can take advantage of the skills and abilities you already have, or perhaps teach you something new.
- Our volunteerism site is now showing all the positions available for 2023. If you reported your volunteering hours last year and indicated that you wanted to continue in your current assignment, you've probably been re-assigned to that same position or positions. You can check your 2023 volunteer assignments on the volunteering website, too.
- If you’re considering joining Sail Chicago as a new member, remember that your service time requirement is waived for your first year.
- Returning members, if you don’t think you’ll have time to meet your service time requirement in 2023, remember to select and pay for the Service Time Waiver when you renew your membership. This will waive your need to volunteer during the current season.
- Remember, if you fail to meet your service time requirement in 2023, either because you didn’t volunteer for a position or you failed to fulfill the responsibilities of the position you were assigned, you will be required to pay a service time waiver for the 2023 season before you can renew your membership in 2024.
There are plenty of volunteer opportunities available each season, and many of them can be carried out in just a few hours each month. If you're not sure where to start or what you'd like to do, reach out to the volunteer team at volunteer@sailchicago.org. And keep an eye out for the Volunteer Job Fair which we will host in March. It will give you a chance to meet with leaders in all of Sail Chicago's programs and explore ways you can contribute.
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DO YOU KNOW A SAIL CHICAGO VOLUNTEER WHO IS EXTRAORDINARY?
By Pat Webster
 Have you met someone in Sail Chicago that you thought has made a great contribution to the organization? Someone who does just a little more than most member volunteers? Sail Chicago depends on our member volunteers to keep the boats in the water and keep all aspects of the organization functioning. Without all of us contributing, we would cease to exist.
A couple of seasons ago the Sail Chicago Board decided to recognize individuals throughout the year rather than wait until the End of the Season dinner to honor them, as had been our tradition. Instead we began spotlighting volunteers in the newsletter, based on Board member recommendations.
We would like to broaden our reach and are asking all of our members to consider identifying those who should be recognized. If you would like to recommend someone, please contact Pat Webster with the person's name and a sentence or two about them, maybe how you know them and why you think they should be recognized. Also, we have generally stayed away from honoring Board Members, so please limit your suggestions to the general membership pool. Your help is much appreciated.
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SAIL CHICAGO HAS A CALENDAR
By Gerry Stacy, Board Chair
 When you log into your account at my.sailchicago.org, you'll notice a new addition to our landing page, an events calendar!
Sail Chicago now has a Google Calendar that includes upcoming meetings, social events, and other items of interest. You can view the calendar online or subscribe to it using your favorite calendar app.
A huge thanks to Shawn Joseph and the other members of the Social Committee for giving us this great new tool!
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SAIL CHICAGO REMINDERS
Who to Contact
Need information on an area in Sail Chicago, but don't know who to contact? Just click here.
Join or Renew Your US Sailing Membership at a Discount Through MVP
Sail Chicago members can join or renew their US Sailing membership at a $10 discount through the US Sailing Member Value Partner program.
Sail Chicago Gear
Purchase gear with the Sail Chicago logo on it. Caps, shirts, pants and other gear are available. To shop now, click here.
Like us on Facebook
You'll get updates, reminders, and other information on Sail Chicago events and activities. Click here.
Missing Previous Issues of The Telltale?
You can always find the current issue and an archive of previous issues of The Telltale at the first (and open to the public) page of the Sail Chicago website.Look under "News/Newsletter."
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Click on the links below to find more information about Sail Chicago.
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