September 2025 – Birch Lake Yacht Club

Crockpot Challenge

Don’t forget, the Crock Pot Challenge is this Friday, September 26! Bring your crock full of your favorite soup recipe or dessert recipe. For those who aren’t up to making something, please come and be a taste-tester/voter. It’s our last event of the season and a great way to bid a fond farewell to those who leave for the cold months. It’s also the perfect time to clean out the refrigerator at the Yacht Club, so there will be some beverages to consume, but no promises as to what!

Those bringing a crock pot, please arrive at 6:30 for set-up. Those coming for food and friendship, please arrive at 7:00.

Commodore’s Comments

On July 4, 2026, our beloved USA will be 250 years old! It will be a big year, and your BLYC Officers and Directors have already started planning for 2026. It’s been a busy month since the Fall Dinner. We broke into small groups, and had 12 meetings at the clubhouse, or in people’s homes. Almost everyone was able to attend a meeting, and your Commodore attended all of them. There was a high level of interest, energy, and engagement, and it was a great way to hear ideas, learn about the past, and plan for next year. Thank you, Officers and Directors. As a result, the Preliminary 2026 Event Calendar that you can find in this edition of the Birch Barker was prepared.

All of the 2025 events will happen again in 2026. The 2026 season will kick off on May 16 with the Spring Dinner. Earlier this year, then Commodore Julie Dickey’s choice of the Hotel Elkhart for the Spring Dinner of 2025 was a big hit. So by popular demand, we will follow in her footsteps to the Hotel Elkhart for 2026. Thank you, Immediate Past Commodore Julie! Having learned from last year, this time the hotel plans to prevent crowding around the bar in the hallway. They will do so by moving the bar from the hallway into the ballroom in the event of inclement weather. In the event of good weather, there will be two bar windows, one on the large and beautiful outdoor terrace, and one in the hallway. Jackie has selected a mouth-watering menu, but it is top secret for now.

Three very popular events will return to Birch Lake in 2026 after a hiatus. The Spaghetti Dinner will return, to be chaired by Deb Spratt and Peggy Geik. The recipe for their sauce sounds delicious! Thank you, Deb and Peggy. The Port-a-Pit fundraiser will return to Dan and Sharon Waxman’s driveway on July 3, chaired by Ron Niezgodski. Thank you, Ron, Dan and Sharon. The Women’s Style Show will return in late August, chaired by Ronni Eshleman, Vanessa Wozniak, and Deb Runser. Thank you, Ronni, Vanessa, and Deb.

A new Sailors’ Party is under consideration by Fleet Captain Bob Niezgodski. We hope to hold a Poker Run (chaired by Tim and Chris Cole) and a Bingo Night (chaired by the Frews) and are checking state licensing requirements. John and Jennifer Ball are looking into a large outdoor daytime video screen for movies or games for kids and adults. The House Walk, Lake-wide Yard Sale, and Pooch / Pet Parade are also under consideration. Card and Game Night is in search of a chairperson – if you are interested, please contact any Officer or Director. Thank you.

Despite heavy competition, Bernie Garceau has managed to secure the coveted fireworks date of July 4, 2026 for our fireworks show. The cost of fireworks has risen significantly and is expected to continue to rise, and Bernie is keeping a close watch. Thank you, Bernie.

Bob, Ron, and Katie Niezgodski hosted a great Sailing Awards party that was enjoyed by all. Thank you, Ron, Katie, and Bob. Please see Bob’s Fleet Captain’s Corner for the season results. Bob is brimming with ideas and energy to improve sailing on Birch Lake, and with 23 kids having attended the Don Harman Kidz Regatta hosted by Tom and Megan Caplis, excitement is already growing for 2026.

Around the clubhouse, Bud Hall and Andy Snider repaired the barbeque pit’s loose concrete blocks and mortar. Thank you, Bud and Andy. Sandy and Phil Vitale keep watch over the clubhouse and take the trash out to the curb every week. There had been an unsightly accumulation of old trash cans from former waste haulers who never retrieved their cans, so Sandy took care of that problem. Thank you, Sandy and Phil. Deb Spratt took charge when our current hauler missed some pickups. She made some calls, and went to their office to correct the situation. Thank you, Deb. Cam Butler has also pitched in with the waste removal. Thank you, Cam.

Ron Niezgodski is in the process of obtaining bids for repair of the wooden deck at the clubhouse. The plan is to save money by preserving the foundation posts and the vertical rails, which are in good condition, and to replace the deck boards and top horizontal rails with long-lasting composite boards. This will be still be a significant expense, but is necessary to prevent mold and rot in the deck boards from spreading down into the foundation posts. Thank you, Ron.

At the recent board meeting, Mike Sheffieck was reelected as Secretary, and Deb Spratt was reelected as Treasurer. I believe this will be Mike’s 15th year of service in that role, and Deb’s 16th year. We are indebted to them both for their dedication, and we benefit greatly from their vast knowledge and experience. Thank you, Mike and Deb!. Bob Niezgodski was appointed Fleet Captain for his second year. Thank you, Bob.

It appears that Cass County filled potholes and graded some new dirt onto Ione Street as far as our clubhouse. Thank you, Cass County. Now could you kindly cut the weeds along Ione Street, and get the large brush pile out of the County park on our South Side? That would be much appreciated, and we will be in touch.

The Bad Patty Crockpot Challenge is this Friday, September 26 at 6:30PM (if you’re bringing a crockpot) / 7:00PM if you’re coming to eat) at the Yacht Club. See you there!

~Commodore Steve

Fleet Captain’s Corner

The results are in! We wrapped up the 2025 Sailing Season with one day of races in the Labor Day Regatta, and celebrated the season with our sailing awards party the following weekend. Final standings are below.

~ F.C. Bob

MC Scow Standings

Sunfish Standings

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