Good news came in the form of an e-mail from Bob Vawter. Bob reports that Lynda's medical treatments in Boston have indicated excellent progress. What a great Christmas present for the Vawter family; we rejoice with you.

Our annual Christmas Party is tonight at the home of Howard and Dee Wright. This has been reported before in earlier columns. If you didn't get the word and you don't read the Register on Thursday, call and we'll tell you what a good time we all had. As I write on this cold crisp December morning, weather reports are a bit iffy for Thursday evening, but we will be back in our snug homes by the time the weather arrives. I hope I'm a better weather prophet than Joe Cupo.

I received word from Howard and Rebecca Levitan that the response to a possible BHYC winter cruise in the Caribbean was very weak and as a result it will not happen.

If this weather holds, it looks like we will have a white Christmas, a fitting conclusion to a banner year for the BHYC. It has indeed been a year to remember with a few firsts. We elected our first woman Commodore in the person of Louise Holmes who, by all accounts, did a superb job. We published our first history book, written and compiled by John and Peggy Chapman. It is still available, perhaps as a Christmas present. We held our first family picnic at our West Harbor facility which my family and I and many others, thoroughly enjoyed.

I have enjoyed the Men's sailing program for over 20 years, but I have never seen it as successful as this past year with record attendance and enthusiastic club members. Congratulations are due Chairman Bob Vawter. Although I am not privy to the inner actions of Woman's Sailing, Marie Lloyd has, from all reports, done a similar job with her group. Alan Burke keeps our tennis purring along, and our Jr. programs are still top notch because of the efforts of members like Margot Atwood and Pauline Dion and I'm sure, many others. A younger, bright, enthusiastic group of newer members are following along behind those of us who have been around for a while and that indeed presents a very bright future for the BHYC.

I'm sure that all members of our club join me in wishing all who read the Boothbay Register and this column, the very best of the season.