SIS BOOM BALL!

Commodore's Ball 2023 Event Recap

What a great time everyone had at the 2023 Commodore’s
Ball! We commenced the evening with our FBYC Annual
Meeting to provide a year in review of the successes
of 2023 and plans for 2024. Then, the very important
and honorable exchange of Flag Officer Patches and
presentation of our 2023 American and FBYC Flags
(which flew over our beloved campus during 2023) to
our outgoing Commodore Mark Wensell. The meeting
was extremely well attended by over 75---demonstrating
positive interests in FBYC Leadership and ongoing
management.

We took a different course this year by returning back to
the beautiful Country Club of Virginia. We tried something
new by switching to Action Stations instead of a plated
dinner. This provided many new and different food options
to please all palettes while also allowing for much more
mingling amongst the guests. Attendees were provided
multiple food stations ranging from steak frites, salads
galore, pesto and chicken pasta stations, roasted
vegetables as well as the well-attended southwest station
with seafood, chicken and crispy pork tacos – all made
to order!

Our Flag Officers along with the assistance of John
Hubbard organized and presented our Annual Awards to
Cruising, Junior and Offshore & One-Design Divisions with
grace and humor to a very engaged crowd. What fun
that was as well as many surprises! Our Annual Awards
include not only those earned by success on the race
course but also nominations by our membership to
call out and honor other successes in race committee,
volunteering, and sailing capabilities in all divisions---what
a fantastic and accomplished membership we have to
be proud of! We thus commenced to dance the night
away to one of our favorite bands, Tidewater Drive, while
fantastic desserts were passed.

All initial responses of success were greatly appreciated.
We have set a new bar for a fun and entertaining fancy
event to cap off a great year of sailing. Special thanks
to Mason and Julie Chapman for sponsoring our event at
CCV, Julie Ann Wash for assisting with menu design and
decorations supported by Zan Wick and their fantastic
floral decorations---what a great team they make! Paul
Wash and Rebecca Doncaster were a huge help in
getting our table décor unloaded and set up as well. John
Hubbard was spot on in assisting to secure the Keeper
Trophies and coordinate the display of our beautiful
memorialized perpetual trophies. Many hands helped
at the registration table and supported Olivia Staas to
manage the check-in’s as well as ongoing drink ticket
sales. Thank you, Nancy Powell, Chris Lindbloom, Kirsten
Gregory, Scott & Louise Sirles, Caroline Patrick, and Kim
Garrett!! We were so pleased to have all the extra hands
available to break down the club-owned décor, perpetuals
and load them into vehicles at the end of the evening for
safe transport back to FBYC.

Our club is so strong because of the many volunteers
that step up to help in small ways and large to make our
events such a positive experience and cut down on costs
to the membership and club.

Respectfully yours,
Elizabeth Staas, Event Chair