The District 9 Newsletter. A Unit of United States Power Squadrons Sail and Power Boating. Spring 2012

Transcription

1 The District 9 Newsletter A Unit of United States Power Squadrons Sail and Power Boating Spring 2012

2 Volume 65 Issue 1 Official publication of District 9 Chartered 1947 Message From the Helm District Commander A Unit of United States Power Squadrons Sail and Power Boating Lt Charles D. Samu, P Editor (734) charlessamu@comcast.net D/C Mary Ann Jensen, SN Lansing HIGHLIGHTS Michigan Lighthouses... 3 Call to Conference... 4 Bristol Bay Ed Cruise... 6 Aerial Photographic Perspective...10 Anchors Aweigh USCG report released Nominees and resumes Conference Registration Form Conference Seminar Schedule Editor s note: Click on article or scroll to access. OFFICE REPORTS Commander s Message... 2 Officers & Meeting Info Executive... 5 Education Administrative... 9 Secretary Treasury Nominating Committee If you need a printed copy mailed to you, please contact your Squadron Secretary or Commander. For corrections, errors, or omissions, please contact Chuck Samu at charlessamu@comcast.net. Greetings to all the members of District 9. It doesn t seem possible that I am writing my final article for the Interlaker! My tour on the Bridge has been enjoyable and educational. I want to thank each and every one of you for your encouragement and support. I have enjoyed participating in your Changes of Watch and Commanders Balls. I m sorry I couldn t attend all of them; however, scheduling conflicts intervened. I hope your winter has been filled with classes and that you have improved your boating knowledge. Also impressive is the number of special events squadrons have provided. There were certainly a lot of activities from which to choose. Your squadrons are to be complimented on the willingness to share your events with other squadrons. I want to take this opportunity to tell you about the Spring Council and Conference and two special seminars we have developed. The Conference will be held at the Double Tree Riverfront in Bay City on March It is hosted by the Dearborn Sail & Power Squadron and they have planned a unique program for Saturday evening. After dinner, we will proceed to the Planetarium for a special show. There has been much concern expressed about having a separate Council meeting within the required 40 day time frame before Conference. This issue is under review by your Planning Committee. Last Spring, we tried to hold the Council meeting the Friday of conference weekend and had a very difficult time obtaining a quorum. Last Fall, we returned to the separate Council meeting format and again had a difficult time establishing a quorum. Your Bridge considered holding the Council meeting on the Saturday morning of conference weekend; however that detracts from the seminars. After much deliberation, we have decided to hold the Spring Council Meeting immediately before the beginning of the Conference business meeting on Saturday afternoon. (continued) 2

3 Message From the Helm (continued) A Special Presentation by John L. Wagner It will be, what I call, an abbreviated meeting consisting of only those reports that have to be approved by Council before being considered by Conference. This will eliminate the redundant reports prepared by Bridge Officers and others for both meetings. This makes for a longer afternoon, but hopefully, addresses many of the expressed concerns. We would appreciate any feedback you want to offer. Our National Representative will be V/C Louie Ojeda, SN, our new National Administrative Officer. V/C Ojeda has requested time to talk with you regarding your concerns and ideas about enhancing the visibility of USPS, involving new members and filling squadron Bridge positions. We have set aside a time starting after the morning break for an open discussion with V/C Ojeda. He will not tell you what to do but rather wants to hear your concerns and suggestions for improving USPS so that the National organization can assist with your efforts. Please join him in this discussion. Our second special seminar will be an orientation to the Implementation Plan for the USPS/USCG Auxiliary s Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs). District Educational Officer, Donald Fiander, SN and Ninth Coast Guard District Auxiliary s Chief of Staff, Lorens (Joe) Chenevert, will lead the discussion. The focus of this seminar is to explain the MOUs and is intended to promote interest in closer working relationships. Both the Vessel Safety Check program and the USCG Auxiliary s Visitation program will be included in the general discussion. Vessel Examiners are encouraged to attend this seminar. Again, I want to thank you for your encouragement and support. I couldn t have done it without you. I look forward to seeing all of you at the Conference. D/C Mary Ann Jensen, SN John L. Wagner will be discussing the 1986 project of flying and photographing all of Michigan's lighthouses. It includes the intricacies of selfpublishing the 11x14 tabletop book, Michigan Lighthouses, An Aerial Photographic Perspective, some of the design concepts, the printing process and how a book is constructed. He may bring as many as eight to ten enlarged framed, photographic prints to view the lighthouses and discuss some lighthouse history. The program also includes a description of his Cessna 172 airplane, flying techniques, his concept of composition from the air, the camera equipment used during the six and one-half year project and the evolution to digital photography and printing. Flying the airplane with the left hand and running the camera with the right, configuring the airplane in a stable, slow-flight attitude, at the proper altitude and composing the shot, requires a set of skills learned over some 50+ years of flying and 40 years working in the aviation business. The presentation, like the book, contains a few anecdotes from the project sometimes humorous to those who listen carefully, and runs 35 to 40 minutes. A question and answer session usually follows. Persons with an interest in flying, photography, lighthouses or self-publishing should find the program enjoyable. Copies of the book will be available to purchase and may be inscribed with a personalized autograph or the purchase of enlarged photographic prints Saturday 24 March 2012 Doubletree Hotel, Bay City Site of the District 9 Spring Conference 3

4 DISTRICT 9 BRIDGE Commander D/C Mary Ann Jensen, SN 5465 Jessalee Circle, East Lansing MI (517) jensene@msu.edu Executive Officer D/Lt/C Linda J. LaLonde, P 3734 Benstein Road, Commerce Township MI (248) lalondel@us.ibm.com Education Officer D/Lt/C Donald C. Fiander, SN 581 Kingsley Trail, Bloomfield Hills MI (248) dcfiander@aol.com Administrative Officer D/Lt/C William A. Stano, JN Ghesquiere Court Grosse Pointe Woods MI (313) wstano@comcast.net Secretary D/Lt/C H. Jay Stevens, SN Wellesley Court, South Bend IN (574) hjs1@comcast.net Treasurer D/Lt/C Dawn L. Flynn, JN 1414 W Shiawassee Street, Lansing MI (517) flynndl1@msn.com Assistant Education Officer D/1st/Lt Duane Carlson, SN 5224 Howe Street, Utica MI (586) adeo-9@wowway.net Assistant Secretary D/1st/Lt Anthony C. Lewandowski, AP Lancashire Road, Livonia MI (734) alewandowski@comcast.net The USPS Ensign (Flag Design), "Wheel-and-Flag Design", "Officer Trident Design"," United States Power Squadrons", "USPS", "The Ensign", "the Squadron" with flag graphic, "Paddle Smart", "USPS University", "Boat Smart", "Jet Smart", and "America's Boating Club" are registered trademarks of United States Power Squadrons. The Squadron Boating Course is a service mark of United States Power Squadrons. The "USPS Trade Dress" is a trademark of United States Power Squadrons. All internet addresses and links published herein have been tested and shown legitimate as of the publication of this issue of the Interlaker. Neither the United States Power Squadrons, or their districts or squadrons shall be held responsible for any use of these linked addresses beyond their intention, implied or otherwise indicated. District Conference Information Call to Conference The 2012 District 9 Spring Conference will convene at 1315, 24 March 2012 at the Doubletree Hotel, Bay City, Michigan. The meeting follows a program of morning seminars for the purpose of acting upon matters as set forth below. 1. To receive and act upon reports of committees and officers. 2. To consider and act upon any other business that may come before this meeting. Seminars and the conference are open to all members of District 9. No member is required to pay a fee to attend. Uniform of the Day: Uniform F, USPS blazer or appropriate attire Conference Registration Form... Page 24 Seminar Schedule...Page 25 Seminar at the Conference - Anchoring This seminar covers selection of anchor, rode and components; anchor selection for sea conditions and bottom characteristics; deployment and recovery of anchors. It also includes tables for sizing an anchor and components, and information for determining loads under various conditions. The kit includes the Anchoring Quick Guide and Student Notes with copies of the slides Saturday 24 March 2012 Page 16 for more details Don t Forget! can be found at the D/9 Website: d9-usps.org Under Member Access 4

5 Executive Officer s Report This past year has flown by and it is hard to believe that is it time once again for our spring conference. Dearborn Sail & Power Squadron has been working hard to make this an enjoyable and informative event for all members of D9. I hope to see you in Bay City March At the January annual meeting in Jacksonville, FL during the D/C DXO meeting, we learned about the upcoming 100th USPS anniversary celebration will be the year of the ensign and in 2013, each district will be presented with a 100th anniversary ensign to display at district events throughout the year. Each squadron within the district will design a battle ribbon to be attached to the anniversary ensign. In 2014, all the district ensigns will be brought back to the annual meeting in Jacksonville for the anniversary celebration. As more information is forthcoming, you will be kept informed. Get ready to celebrate 100 years of USPS! Thanks to all the vessel safety examiners for the past year. There are 175 of you who did 1,865 vessel safety checks of which 1,626 received a passing grade. D9 was also able to report on 100% of the inflatable life vests that each VSE was given per a grant from the United States Coast Guard. Keep up the good work! Does your squadron have a PRO? If not, you should probably consider asking if someone would like to volunteer for that position. The PRO can be your first line of contact for the public classes. Without any advertising or communicating to the public what USPS has to offer, it is hard to fill seminars or classrooms and gain new members. If anyone is interested in becoming the east side VSC chair, please let me know. I hope that many of you signed up to work the Detroit boat show a great opportunity to let the public see what USPS is all about. Please consider helping out at the Novi boat show in March it just takes a couple of hours of your time. And you get to see all the new boats and accessories for 2012! I have enjoyed attending several changes of watch and would like to thank those squadrons for their hospitality: Lansing, St Clair Shores, Kalamazoo and Tip of the Mitt. It has been fun to socialize with their members and hear about their accomplishments. I would like to thank all the district chairs under the Executive Department for their continuous support and dedication to D9. Thanks also goes out to all the squadron commanders and executive officers along with all the members of each squadron without any of you, the work of D9 would not be accomplished. Continue to support D9 and we can make it one of the best! See you in Bay City! Linda D/Lt/C Linda J. LaLonde, P Dearborn 5

6 2011 Educational Cruise Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay After each year s completion of its education season, District 9 organizes a 3-hour United States Coast Guard (USCG), United States Power Squadron (USPS) and United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGAUX) D/9 educational opportunity aboard the 140-ft. Coast Guard Cutter BRISTOL BAY. The Bristol Bay also pushes their Aids to Navigation (floating buoys, fixed aids and ranges) barge. The barge is capable of carrying approximately 250 people. All of our basic boating students are invited to join this event. This D/9 educational opportunity is an optional voluntary event intended to familiarize the student with Aids to Navigation. 6

7 Education Officer Report This will be my final Interlaker article as DEO. I know that my predecessors will all echo that the six years spent first as Assistant and then Educational Officer do rush by. much faster than my sailboat travels on a beam reach! Since the USPS Annual Meeting was held in January this year, I can actually report on news from Jacksonville rather than make reference to what might be discussed. These are exciting times with many changes as the organization evolves into new areas and meets the challenges of an ever changing boating community. We need to keep open minds and be willing to try new ideas and methods even if we are uncomfortable at first. After all that is part of the learning process. Plan to attend the Spring Conference in Bay City. We will be offering an enhanced Anchoring Seminar as part of the Educational program. Attendees will be able to test scale models of eleven anchors in both sand and gravel to better understand their holding power. Activities are being planned for the next Governing Board Meeting which will be held in September in Detroit at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel. In conjunction with this event, BOC OTW Committee will be conducting on-the-water sessions using the leased vessel you have all seen pictured in the ENSIGN. An additional on-the-water session is also planned for spring in our area. More details will follow as soon as they are available from the Committee. There are a number of State marina along the shores of Lake Huron. The MI Heritage Route 23 Foundation will be partnering with USPS to offer training sessions for dockhands this spring. Currently two sessions are planned to train approximately 50 dockhands. A combination of classroom discussion of docking maneuvers, knots, and line handling will be supplemented with supervised practice at the marine facilities used for training. We are seeking certified instructors willing to participate in these activities. Travel expenses will be covered by the foundation. All those interested should contact the DEO for additional details. Many squadrons have experienced difficulty in publicizing classes and seminars. Current economic conditions have contributed to reduced numbers of classes and class size. A new group has been formed within the Educational Department to develop strategies and tools for squadrons to use on a local level to disseminate information about educational programs. The Marketing Advisory Group which is formed of members from within the Educational Department, Membership, and Marketing and Public Relations reported to the Educational Leadership in Jacksonville. This is an energetic group of individuals including several members with professional marketing credentials. Our own Bill D/Lt/C Donald C. Fiander, SN Birmingham Isenberg from Grand Rapids is a member of that panel. They will help to provide concrete workable solutions that can benefit squadrons in their own communities. With multiple courses and an ever increasing number of seminars now published, for any one squadron to have a full cadre of instructors capable to cover all offerings is problematic. We have seen this when the new Navigation course was released and some District squadrons did not have a local instructor. In addition with the mobility of our society and the shift from slate and chalk to ipad we need to be able to embrace other forms of enhancing our learning beyond the scope of the traditional classroom. The focus of USPS remains definitely on classroom involvement as our principal delivery modality. I do not think anyone will argue against the value of face to face interaction and demonstration in the learning process. There is an unfulfilled need, however, that requires us to move into the 21st century and develop the tools that will allow us to conduct interactive classes at a distance and perhaps have some of our meetings electronically as well. We continue to work with Brunswick dealer Colony Marine to hold seminars and ABC3 courses. If there are other dealers in your area please explore the possibility of holding courses or other events with them whether they are affiliated with Brunswick or not. The District will assist in any way possible. For those interested in working with local community colleges to offer courses please contact the Educational Outreach Committee Chair, R/C Will Hugli, SN for advice and direction (wilhugli@aol.com).there are some specific concerns with outside institutions that are best addressed before signing contracts. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers in the Educational Department: the Committee Chairs, Coordinators, all the instructors, proctors and assistants for their support and tireless efforts to fulfill our objectives throughout the past twelve months. I would especially like to thank ADEO Duane Carlson for all his energy, ideas, and dedication during the past three years. He has always been there ready with creative ideas and solutions. 7

8 ADVANCED COURSES Seamanship Electronic Navigation (Piloting) Electronic Navigation II (Advanced Piloting) Junior Navigation Navigation ELECTIVES Sail Weather Cruise Planning Marine Electronics Engine Maintenance Instructor Development USPS University Seminars Using VHF & VHF/DSC Marine Radio Using GPS How to Use a Chart Onboard Weather Forecasting Sail Trim Power Boat Handling Paddle Smart Emergencies on Board Tides and Currents Sail Trim and Rig Tuning On the Water Training Trailering Marine RADAR Knots, Bends, & Hitches Anchoring Hurricanes and Boats Mariner's Compass Advance Power Boat Handling Basic Coastal Navigation Fuel and Boating Rules of the Road Partner in Command Classes for all levels of experience. Sign up for a class today! 8

9 Administrative Officer Report One of the great things about attending a National Meeting is meeting other USPS members from all over the United States, Puerto Rico and Tokyo. Everyone s enthusiasm is contagious and you can t wait to bring home the information and share it with squadron members. Attending national conferences is not strictly for members of your Squadron or District Bridge Officers. The meetings, seminars and actives strengthens your understanding of how the National Organization works and how it affects each individual squadron. National Meetings also provide USPS members a means to share ideas and see how other squadrons conduct business. National meeting are held twice a year. The Annual Meeting is usually held in January/February and the Governing Board is held in the fall. The 2012 Governing will be held in Detroit 4-6 September 2012 at the Renaissance Center. I encourage all District 9 members to come and demonstrate how we welcome guests in the Motor City. At the 2012 Annual meeting, I attended the Leadership Development Training seminar for Squadron and District Executive Officers. This all day seminar focused on training Executive Officers to be leaders not just managers. Squadron Officers serve at the pleasure of the membership therefore as leaders we have a responsibility to each squadron member. While a manager organizes material and manpower and implements the organization s goals, a leader helps others see things differently, sees new possibilities and brings out the best in others. The AXO/ DXO, SXO/DXO and Cdr Training seminars are good training tools to prepare incoming officers for their upcoming endeavors as Bridge Officers and I encourage all Bridge or incoming Bridge members to sign up for these seminars when they are available. How long has it been since your Squadron held an Operations Training Session? Operations Training is for everyone; new squadron members as well as seasoned squadron members. The Operations Training Manual has been totally revised and training is done in four modules. Operations Training helps the squadron member understand how USPS is structured, understand the relationship among squadron, district and national levels, understand the educational material offered by the squadron and D/Lt/C Bill Stano, JN Grosse Pointe leadership development and teambuilding through committees. If it has been a while since your squadron s last Operations Training, all training material can be downloaded from the Leadership Development website Also available on the Leadership Development web site are the 2012 Officers' Checklist Calendar - (PDF), inter-active down-loadable calendars for 2012: District Officers' & Squadron Officers', Squadron Job Descriptions - Revised September 2011 and District Job Descriptions Revised September Membership in District 9 has declined this past year however District 9 is composed of very active and vibrant squadrons. USPS members benefits are far too many to list but can be found on the Member Benefits page on the National web site. Squadron members who enjoy contributing and working within a squadron are vital individuals to the organization. The squadron s challenge is to persuade each member to share their expertise and enthusiasm. Participation in squadron educational, civic and fraternal activities fosters creativity, accomplishment and member satisfaction. The end results in squadron involvement is more fun in all aspects of boating, wanting to take more USPS courses, teach what you have learned to others and to participate in activities, in and out of the water, with fellow squadron members. Finally, since this is my last article as your District Administrative Officer, I want to thank everyone in the Administrative Department for their hard work this past year. Your commitment and effort has made a difference in making District 9 one of the best districts in USPS. I have enjoyed working with all of you. 9

10 Michigan Lighthouses, D/9 Conference 0900 Saturday 24 March 2012 An Aerial Photographic Perspective Pilot and Aerial Photographer, John L. Wagner The photographer / pilot and author, John L. Wagner, has been flying since 1958 and is a graduate of Western Michigan University and its flight training program. He is the holder of an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with multi-engine land and single engine land and sea ratings. He has accumulated some 9000 hours of flight time since 1958 and owns the Cessna 172 from which the Michigan Lighthouse photographs were taken. Mr. Wagner gained a working knowledge of photography through self-study and hands-on experience, Juneau, Alaska, in Aerial photography has been a natural adjunct to his aviation career, which involved aircraft sales, Part 135 Air Taxi and corporate flying. John began the Michigan lighthouse series in 1985 as an incidental photographic interest and continued it with heightened enthusiasm and singleness of purpose in late In 1989, the concept of a book unfolded. To prepare for publication, further photographic work to include all of Michigan's lighthouses, using primarily transparency film, was necessary. The first printing of the book, Michigan Lighthouses, An Aerial Photographic Perspective, occurred in January 1994, and was sold out in November A second printing was completed in July A traveling exhibit of aerial photographic enlargements has also been assembled that includes all of Michigan's 100 plus lighthouses. For almost 25 years, John was employed as an Aviation Safety Specialist with the Michigan Bureau of Aeronautics and was involved with the inspection, licensing and often civic aspects of Michigan airports. He edited the Bureau's annual 312 page Michigan Airport Directory for 19 years and served one year as editor of Michigan Aviation, a bimonthly safety and events publication. He retired from the Bureau of Aeronautics in and later in college courses. He expanded his area of expertise to underwater photography while working as a diver with the Research Division of the Alaskan Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He obtained a seaplane rating in In addition to maintaining an on-going historical record, the quest for more esthetically pleasing images continues to take Wagner flying the waterways of the Great Lakes. Informa tion about the book, photographic images and coming events are available on his web site at: The photography produced by Wagner will ultimately reside at the Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. 10

11 Secretary Office Report It s hard to believe that another District year is drawing to a close. We ll soon be in Bay City for our Spring District Conference (23-25 Mar 2012), and that means that my term as District Secretary will be drawing to a close. We ll have new faces in some of the rest of the Secretary s Department as well. P/C Chester Dunbar, Jr., AP, is taking a well-deserved break after many years as our District 9 Webmaster. Chet s knowledge and experience won t be lost though, as he has agreed to continue to pitch in as our technology consultant for our audiovisual and computer needs at our Council and Conference meetings. We re indebted to Chet for the energy and enthusiasm he brings to our District technology issues. We ve lost an old friend on our Interlaker staff as well. Vera Blake, JN, is now a full-time resident of Canada. Her transition to points north means that we ll miss her talents and hard work getting out our District publication to keep us informed of what s going on around the District. Vera has served our District for a number of years as well as a part of our communications team, and we look forward to hearing from her as she transitions into a new life in Canada. We re picking up some great talent, though. Stepping up to fill the position of District Webmaster is D/Lt Julian S. Fiander, JN. Julian serves on the USPS Web Advisers panel, with responsibility for advising squadrons in District 1 about ways to improve their communication with the public and with their members. If you want to see some of Julian s work, take a look at the Birmingham Power Squadron website, Julian has created a site that is a model for other webmasters to emulate. Julian not only has the technical knowledge, he also has a great sense of design and presentation. He s already hard at work developing the templates for our District website. We re looking forward to the new format as we ramp up our efforts to communicate with our squadrons. D/Lt/C H. Jay Stevens, SN South Bend The Birmingham squadron is brimming with talent, and we have a commitment from Birmingham s Bilge Chatter editor, D/Lt Charles D. Samu, P, to take on the job of Interlaker editor. Chuck s work on the Bilge Chatter has garnered many words of appreciation. It s one of our top publications, both for its content and its design and layout. Chuck has done a superb job with the Bilge Chatter, and we re looking forward to taking advantage of his talents at the District level. This is Chuck s first issue. As my term as District Secretary draws to a close, I want to thank the other members of the Secretary s Department who have put in so many hours to improve our communication. Our Publications and Ensign Correspondent Chair, D/Lt Margaret A. Schwaller, AP, has spent long hours reviewing the newsletters of our many squadrons and providing feedback to give us the best communications tools possible. P/Lt/C Joanne VanAmedyn, AP, has kept the vigil as Historian so that we know not only where we are going, but where we have come from as well. And our Assistant District Secretary, D/1/Lt Anthony C. Lewandowski, AP, has kept us on track at our council and conference meetings and provided invaluable support for all of the many tasks and reports that fall under the responsibility of the Secretary s Department. Without the many volunteer hours of these people, we simply could not have done the job that needs to be done. It s been a great privilege to serve as District Secretary for the past two years. I have had the opportunity to meet so many great USPS members from around the country that I otherwise would not have known. I look forward to sharing this incredible journey with the boating enthusiasts I have met and the ones I have yet to meet. It s a great organization, and I cherish the opportunity to be a part of it. 11

12 Anchors Aweigh Want to see a hands-on demonstration on anchoring? Come to the Anchoring Seminar at the D/9 Spring Conference. We will have the Squadron s anchor models to play with. See the effects of different anchor types on different lake bottoms. This is a 2 hour seminar. Due to the shipping costs of the kits and the anchor models, the fee for this seminar is: Certificate only $10 Anchoring seminar kit & Certificate -$25 We can have your preprinted certificates at the seminar if you pre-register by Wednesday, March 21, your name and Certificate number to: D/1 st /Lt Duane Carlson, SN ( adeo-9@wowway.com). 12

13 Treasurer s Report I just returned from Jacksonville where we had a taste of spring with 70 and 80 degree temperatures. Just think- in few short weeks we ll be basking in the sun and enjoying the water. While in Jacksonville I attended the USPS Annual Meeting. It was very exciting with contested elections and candidate forums-democracy at work! A new National Treasurer was elected, V/C Gary P. Cheney, SN from Erie Squadron D/11. Other news from the Treasurer s Dept. included the new dues schedule. We will see an increase of National dues of $2.00 starting June 1, I learned something else new- that USPS will waive the national dues for any member serving in the U.S. Armed Forces in a war zone until that time which they leave that zone. I have been reminded, too, that during WWII active members of USPS who were in the Armed Forces earned merit marks for their service. D/Lt/C Dawn L. Flynn, JN Lansing Along with spring, tax season is approaching! Squadron Treasurers - don t forget to file your taxes. Squadrons that have annual gross receipts of $25,000 or less and don t file Form 990 or 990-EZ must file Form 900-N (the e-postcard). It s a simple process that takes just a few minutes. In addition, please remember to file your USPS Form T-1 to national headquarters by July 14 which you can find on-line. The District finances are in good shape. Budget details will be available in your Conference packets in March. I m looking forward to seeing all of you at the District Conference in Bay City. We have scheduled a Treasurers Seminar for Saturday morning from This is an excellent opportunity for new Treasurers to learn about what is expected and for experienced Treasurers to find out what s new. I would like to thank my committee chairs for their work over the past year and I thank you for allowing me to serve as your Treasurer. D/Lt/C Dawn L. Flynn, JN go to: USPS / District 9 / Squadron Events click: View Event List 13

14 Meet Our National Administrative Officer for 2012 at the D/9 Conference in Bay City V/C Louie Ojeda, SN V/C Ojeda and his wife Dorothy (Dot) live in a small community in Southwest Georgia on the shores of Lake Seminole. They built their own home in steel out of habit of watching for hurricanes when they lived in Puerto Rico. He joined the Ponce Power Squadron (D/33) in He served on the Squadron Bridge in various leadership positions becoming Commander in He then served on the District Bridge as Treasurer and became Commander in Throughout his squadron career he has taught every course from Basic Boating to Junior Navigator and several electives. He has earned 22 merit marks at all levels of USPS. At the National level he has been an aide to 5 Chief Commanders, served on the Governing Board, Planning, Membership, Meetings and Member Benefits s the Rear Commander. As the Chair of the Ad Hoc Vessel Safety Check committee, he organized and created the program from its inception ending as the Rear Commander of a successful program. He joined the US Coast Guard Auxiliary in 1990 and served in several positions beginning as a Flotilla Commander, Division vice-captain and eventually as the Chief of the VSC Technical Division as part of the National Staff. He was also a Vessel Examiner, a Qualification Examiner a Coxswain and holds an AUXOP designation having taken all the educational courses in the Auxiliary. A Mechanical Engineer by profession from Penn State, he owned several companies in Puerto Rico in the steel construction and electrical supply and design. Louie served for four years in the US Air Force as a non commissioned officer and was on their rifle team. He has also served on the Board of Directors of two private schools and the Ponce Yacht Club. He was the honorary Mayor of Coral Bay, St John USVI, because of his humanitarian effort after hurricanes Marilyn and Luis. Dot worked for McGriff, Seibels and Williams as the Marine Underwriter for St. Paul/Travelers USPS boat insurance program. She was a public speaker for the insurance industry and taught several marine related classes to large corporations. She has earned 16 merit marks working in all positions at Squadron level, as a Chief Commander s aide for 8 years and National Member Benefits. She is presently on the Social Committee and the Ship s Store. Together they share a love for sailing, fishing and diving in the Caribbean and the US. They recently sold their sailboat after their move to Georgia but presently own a bass boat, a pontoon boat for their seven grandchildren and a twin engine ocean-going offshore fishing boat. Louie has raced sailboats since he was a teenager and has accumulated a large collection of trophies. Louie and Dot have a blended family that includes four children and seven grandchildren. They are divided between Tampa and Birmingham. They drive over two thousand miles per month doing Squadron business and visiting grandchildren and enjoy many water sports with them USCG Accident Report Has Been Released In 2010, the Coast Guard counted 4604 accidents that involved 672 deaths, 3153 injuries and approximately $35.5 million dollars of damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents. The fatality rate was 5.4 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels. This rate represents a 6.9% decrease from last year s fatality rate of 5.8 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels. Compared to 2009, the number of accidents decreased 2.66%, the number of deaths decreased 8.70% and the number of injuries decreased 6.10%. Almost three-fourths of all fatal boating accident victims drowned, and of those, eighty-eight (88) percent were not reported as wearing a life jacket. Only nine percent of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had received boating safety instruction. Only six percent of deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had received boating safety instruction from a NASBLA-approved course provider. (National Association of State Boating Law Administrators) Eight out of every ten boaters who drowned were using vessels less than 21 feet in length. Operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, excessive speed, and alcohol rank as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents. Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents; it was listed as the leading factor in 19% of the deaths. Twenty-one children under age thirteen lost their lives while boating in % of the children who died in 2010 died from drowning. 44% of those who drowned were wearing a life jacket even though only half of them were required to do so by state law. The most common types of vessels involved in reported accidents were open motorboats (46%), personal watercraft (20%), and cabin motorboats (14%). The 12,438,926 recreational vessels registered by the states in 2010 represent a 2.2% decrease from last year when 12,721,541 recreational vessels were registered. 14

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16 This is What We Do! The United States Power Squadrons is comprised of 33 districts. The district is a union of different local squadrons in a general area of coverage. District 9 has 22 local squadrons. 21 squadrons are located in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and 1 squadron in northern Indiana. The squadrons range in size from about 15 to 300 members. District 9 has over 2300 members. District 9 facilitates and coordinates the efforts of its squadrons in a variety of ways, including: Collecting and disseminating information on Boating Classes for the general public. Collecting and disseminating information on classes for members of the organization and to make it easier for members to take classes offered by other squadrons. Collecting and disseminating cruising schedules of the squadrons and to encourage joint activities. Coordinating Public Relations efforts to make the public aware of the availability of the Boating Classes. Encouraging and coordinating the Cooperative Charting program through which members submit chart corrections to governmental agencies. Coordinating squadron efforts to support safe boating. Alpena Anchor Bay Ann Arbor Birmingham Dearborn Detroit Flint Grand Rapids Grand Traverse Bay Grosse Ile Grosse Pointe Kalamazoo Lansing Mt. Clemens Muskegon Port Huron District Sable Point Saginaw Bay St. Clair Shores South Bend Tip of the Mitt Wyandotte District 9 Squadrons 16

17 UNITED STATES POWER SQUADRONS SAIL AND POWER BOATING DISTRICT 9 P/D/C JAMES D. DRAPER, JN 2279 Melody Lane Burton, MI Home: (810) Office: (810) Fax: (810) Cell: (810) paradyme4@comcast.net d9usps@comcast.net CONFERENCE: 2012 Spring DATE: 24MAR2012 RANK: P/D/C NAME: James D. Draper GRADE: JN COMMITTEE: Nominating Committee CHAIRMAN: James D. Draper Pursuant to Bylaw Section and SOP 31 of District 9, the Nominating Committee by unanimous vote, hereby submits the following nominees for the District Bridge, Audit Committee, Nominating Committee, and Rules Committee to serve during the operational year. District Bridge Officers: District Commander D/Lt/C Linda LaLonde, P Dearborn District Executive Officer D/Lt/C William Stano, JN Grosse Pointe District Education Officer D/1st/Lt Duane Carlson, SN Mt Clemens District Administrative Officer D/Lt/C H. Jay Stevens, SN South Bend District Secretary D/1st/Lt Anthony Lewandowski, AP Birmingham District Treasurer D/Lt/C Dawn Flynn, JN Lansing District Assistant Education Officer P/C Michael R. Israel, SN Birmingham District Assistant Secretary D/Lt Janet M. Klumpp, AP Mt Clemens Audit Committee: Three Year Term P/D/C John C. Bennett, SN Grosse Pointe Nominating Committee: Three Year Term D/C Mary Ann Jensen, SN Lansing Three Year Term P/D/Lt/C William M. Stewart, SN Dearborn Rules Committee: Three Year Term P/C Vincent A. Cooley, JN Detroit Respectfully submitted, P/D/C James D. Draper, JN~Chairman P/D/C Bryan L. Bartlett, SN P/D/C Denise Brooks, AP P/C Dave Rayburn, JN P/C Kim Matthews, AP D/Lt Chet Dunbar Jr., AP 17

18 On the following pages are the nominees resumes as submitted to the Nominating Committee for District 9 offices for the 2012 operational year. D/Lt/C Linda J. LaLonde, P (nominated for District Commander) D/Lt/C Bill Stano, JN (nominated for District Executive Officer) Squadron: Dearborn Sail & Power Squadron since 1984, earning 25 merit marks and the grade of Pilot. Served as Treasurer, Administrative Officer, Executive Officer, Commander, member of the Executive Committee, member and chair of the Nominating Committee, member of the Conference Planning Committee. Currently serves as the Member Benefits Chair. District: Served as the District Executive Officer for 2011 Served as the District Administrative Officer for 2010 Served as member of the D9 Membership Task Force. Served 3 years on the nominating committee. Member of the planning committee for the 2008 Detroit GB Meeting chaired the Henry Ford tour package. D9 Educational Cruise chair for 6 years; serves in this position currently. National: P/Stf/C on the National Membership Committee for the recruiting and retention team and as a member of the Governing Board. Currently serves as the D9 NMR for the national membership committee. Grosse Pointe Power Squadron since 13 November 2000 Merit Marks: 11 Grade: Junior Navigator Current Rank: District Lieutenant Commander Squadron Offices Assistant Secretary Secretary Administrative Officer Executive Officer Commander Squadron Assignments Executive Committee Member Nominating Committee Chair x 3 years Squadron Webmaster Vessel Examiner Michigan DNR Recreational Marine Safety Officer Boat Show Volunteer Chairman ABC Boating Course Boating Course Instructor Commander s Aide 2011 USPS Certified Instructor Operations Training Instructor Squadron Awards Annual Service Award 2010 Squadron Educator of the Year 2008 District Offices District Administrative Officer District Treasurer National Assignments National Governing Board Member 18

19 D/Lt/C H. Jay Stevens, SN (nominated for District Administrative Officer) South Bend Sail and Power Squadron: present Merit Marks: 7 Grade: Senior Navigator Current Rank: District Lieutenant Commander Squadron Offices Treasurer Administrative Officer Executive Officer Commander Squadron Assignments USPS Certified Instructor Instructor: ABC3 and Piloting (current) Instructor: Seamanship, VHF Radio Seminar Vessel Safety Examiner (current) Squadron Information Technology (IT) Contact (current) Webmaster (current) Roster Chairman and contact (current) Executive Committee general member and Past Commander (P/C) Nominating Committee Chair Safety Officer Public Relations Officer Cooperative Charting Chairman Squadron delegate: District Conference Squadron delegate: Annual Meeting District Offices Assistant Secretary: District Assignments Spring 2010 Annual Meeting attendee, Orlando 2010 Fall Governing Board attendee, Bellevue, Washington 2011 Annual Meeting attendee, Orlando National 2011 Fall Governing Board delegate, Greensboro 2012 Spring Governing Board delegate, Jacksonville District 4 and District 4 squadrons Web Adviser: (currently) D/1 st /Lt Duane Carlson, SN (nominated for District Education Officer) Joined - Mt. Clemens Power Squadron (1991) Senior Member (1997) Senior Navigator (2009) 20 Merit Marks Mt. Clemens Power Squadron Appointed Positions: Membership Committee, Sail Club, Boating Activities, Budget and Finance Committee, Planning Committee, Learning Guides, Engine Maintenance, Squadron Boating Course, Piloting, Advanced Piloting, USPS University Seminar Series Elected Positions: Member at Large, Auditing Committee, Nominating Committee, Treasurer, Secretary, Squadron Educational Officer ( ) Commander (2010) Awards: Educational Proficiency Award (1995) Educational Achievement Award (2009) MCPS - John D. Marshall Award (2003) - for promoting education District 9 Appointed Positions: Conference Coordinator Chairman Advanced Piloting Elected Positions: Assistant District Educational Officer Other: Vessel Safety Check - Examiner USPS - Certified Instructor MI - DNR Marine Safety Instructor Boat Operator Certification Inland Navigator Certifier Certified - Inland Navigator w/ Sail endorsement Boating is fun. we ll show you how! 19

20 D/1 st /Lt Anthony C. Lewandowski, AP (nominated for District Secretary D/Lt/C Dawn L. Flynn, JN (nominated for District Treasurer) Birmingham Power Squadron: 2003-present Merit Marks: 6 Grade: Advanced Pilot Current Rank: D/1 st /Lt Squadron Offices Assistant Treasurer: 2006 Assistant Education Officer: Administrative Officer: Executive Officer: Commander: Squadron Assignments Executive Committee : Nominating Committee member: Speaker Programs Chairman: Squadron Awards Mariner of the Year: 2008 District Offices Assistant District Secretary : Member Lansing Sail & Power Squadron: present Merit Marks: 10 Grade: Junior Navigator (with Education Proficiency) Current Rank: District Lieutenant Commander Squadron Offices Secretary: Administrative Officer: 2005 Executive Officer: 2006, 2009 Commander: 2007, 2010 Squadron Assignments Executive Committee member: 2008, Current Nominating Committee member and Chairman: 2008, Current USPS Certified Instructor Public Relations Officer, 2006, 2012 Host Conference Coordinator: 2007, 2011 Editor, Crow s Nest Vessel Examiner District Offices District Assistant Secretary District Treasurer, 2011-present District Assignments Public Relations Officer: Detroit Governing Board Committee member: 2008, 2012 National Involvement Administrative Team of the Government/Partner Relations Committee: current National Governing Board Member 20

21 P/CMichael R Israel, SN (nominated for Assistant District Education Officer) Birmingham Power Squadron: 1997 present Merit Marks: 8 Grade: Senior Navigator Current Rank: Past Commander BOC: Inland Navigator Squadron Offices Assistant Education Officer (1yr) Education Officer (4yr) Executive Officer (1yr) Commander (1yr) Squadron Assignments Executive Committee member Nominating Committee member Vessel Examiner Instructor: ABC3, Seamanship, Piloting, Seminars Addendum: USCG License: U.S. Merchant Marine Officer (100 tons, Great Lakes and Inland Waters) Cdr William M. Stewart, SN District Nominating Committee (3 year term) Dearborn Sail and Power Squadron present Merit Marks 22 Grade Senior Navigator Current Rank Commander Squadron Offices: Assistant Education Officer Education Officer Administrative Officer Executive Officer Commander Squadron Assignments: Chairman of the Boating Class Supplemental Programs Chairman Boating Class Instructor Boating Class Table Instructor Piloting Chairman Predicted Log Chairman Port Captain District Offices Held: Assistant Education Officer Education Officer District Assignments: ABC Chairman Predicted Log Chair Chairman of Boating Activities Education Officer s Aid Coordinated Seminars at Detroit Boat Show Lt/C Janet Klumpp, AP (nominated for District Assistant Secretary) Mount Clemens Power Squadron 1994 present Merit Marks: 16 Grade: Advanced Piloting Current Rank: Squadron Secretary Squadron Offices Assistant Secretary Education Officer Secretary 9 years Administrative Officer Executive Officer [2] 1999, 2008 Commander [2] 2000, 2009 Squadron Assignments and Involvement Membership Committee USPS Certified Instructor Vessel Examiner Boat Show Volunteer District Involvement District Commander s Aide District Membership Committee National Involvement Membership Committee - present P/C Vincent A. Cooley, JN District Rules Committee (3 year term) Member Detroit Power Squadron: 2005-Present Merit Marks: 6 Grade: Junior Navigator Current Rank: Squadron Offices Flag Lieutenant: 2007 Administrative Officer: 2008 Executive Officer: 2009 Commander: 2010 Commander: 2011 Squadron Assignments Executive Committee member: 2007, present Advanced Grades and Electives chairman: Squadron Public Relations Committee chairman: 2008 Meetings and Programs Committee chairman: 2008 Vessel Safety Check examiner: 2006 present Nominating Committee member: present 21

22 P/D/C John C. Bennett, SN District Audit Committee (3-year watch) Member: Grosse Pointe Power Squadron 1968 to present Merit Marks: 29 Grade: Senior Navigator Current Rank: Staff Commander Squadron Offices Assistant Secretary Secretary Administrative Officer Educational Officer Executive Officer Commander Executive Committee member Nominating Committee Chairman Audit Committee Chairman Rules Committee member Squadron Assignments Membership Committee member Vessel Examiner Cooperative Charting USPS Certified Instructor Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Seminar Chairman (Knots, Bends, and Hitches) Boating Course Proctor Rendezvous Chairman District Offices Assistant Secretary Treasurer Administrative Officer Executive Officer Commander Nominating Committee Chairman Audit Committee Chairman District Assignments Planning Committee Treasurer s Seminar Chairman Governing Board Committee (Detroit) National Offices Committee on Rules- member Staff Commander (Boat Handling Committee) P/D/C Mary Ann Jensen, SN District Nominating Committee (3 year term) Lansing Power Squadron since 1991: Family Member: Active Member: 2001 present 12 Merit Marks Squadron Offices Held: Administrative Officer, 2002 Executive Officer, 2003, 2012 Commander, 2004 Squadron Assignments: Operations Training Instructor, 2009 Nominating Committee Member ( ) and Chairman, 2007 Merit Mark Chairman, present Executive Board Member, District Offices Held: Assistant Secretary, 2006 Treasurer, Administrative Officer, 2009 Executive Officer, 2010 Commander, 2011 District Assignments: Kids Crew Coordinator, 2001 & 2002 Membership Acquisition, 2005 National Assignments: Chief Commanders Aide, Government and Partners Relations Committee, Secretary, 2004 present Member of the Governing Board, present The USPS Pledge I do solemnly pledge to: Abide by the bylaws of the United States Power Squadron; Promote high standards of navigation and seamanship; Maintain my boat and operate it legally; Render assistance whenever possible; And conduct myself in a manner that will add prestige, honor, and respect to the United States Power Squadrons. 22

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24 Please Apply Correct Amount of Postage D/9 Conference - Seminar Schedule - Saturday 24 March 2012 ROOM BREAK Davidson Bridge Officers Meeting* Meet the National Administrative Officer*** Davidson 2 Treasurers** Navigate the USPS Web Boat Shows Davidson 3 Davidson SEO Meeting Lighthouses - John Wagner USPS Seminar - Anchoring Membership Salon D DB 2000 Implementation Plan for USCG Auxiliary MOUs with USPS *Commander, Executive, Administrative, Secretary, Treasurer **Treasurers will break from Bridge Officers Meeting for separate session ***Interactive discussion about concerns, suggestions & ideas for enhancing USPS 24