Update: Link to Zoom meeting is added below. 

A quick note on virtual AGM. It’s worth mentioning, that while we are keen to return to in person meetings, we are also mindful that our members do not all share the same level of risk tolerance surrounding covid. Sadly, the club does not have access to reliable enough internet to hold the meeting in a hybrid fashion. Because of these facts, and the number of recent COVID cases, we’ve decided to hold off on having the event in person for 2022. On a positive note, the number of people attending the AGMs over the last few years in a virtual setting has been quite high. 

 

Rat Reports 

Rat Reports.pdf

2021 AGM Meeting Minutes

2021 11 21 Water Rat Sailing Club - AGM 2021 Minutes.docx.pdf

Agenda 

1. Call To Order

2. Approve 2021 Minutes

3. Director Reports

   • Money

   • Body

   • Paper

   • Dinghy

   • Paddle

   • House

   • Race

   • Party

   • Web

   • Badger

   • Chief

4. Elections

1. • Money

   • Body

   • Paper

   • Dinghy

   • Paddle

   • House

   • Race

   • Party

   • Web

   • Chief

2. Proposed BYLAW Changes
   

3. Other Business

4. Adjournment

 

How to Connect

Link to Zoom Meeting: 
https://sunlife.zoom.us/j/1233335638?_x_zm_rtaid=bR0dc-mvR9G4LJvYlx6reQ.1668962976662.857669e9ba86d05fc1940fcb399c9253&_x_zm_rhtaid=976

Dial in number: 1-647-558-0588 

Meeting ID: 123-333-5638 

 

Best way to connect:

Use your personal computer at home.  

Click the link above

 

Second best way to connect: 

Use your mobile device

Click the link above

 

Third best way to connect: 

Use your telephone

Use the External Dial In number (see above) 

You will also need to enter the Meeting ID (see above)

Then hit "#" on your keypad

Quorum

Note that we do need 15% of the membership to attend to make this an official AGM.  That is about 32ish people.  If you can, please do attend.

Running for 2023

Here’s what we currently know about who is running for re-election for 2023, please reach out if you are also interested in running for one of these positions.

Position	Incumbent 2022	Running for 2023
Chief Rat (Commodore)	Jeff Gerrits	Jeff Gerritts
Money Rat (Treasurer)	Gordon Akum	Gordon Akum
Paper Rat (Secretary)	David Street	David Street
Lead Body Rat (Membership)	Michael Williamson	Michael Williamson
Dinghy Rat (Membership)	Joe Van Rossem	Joe Van Rossem
Paddling Rat (Membership)	Christy Sneddon	Shona Chornenki
House Rat (Grounds)	Barb Anderson	Barb Anderson
Race Rat (Racing, Vice Commodore)	Ray Davies	Ray Davies
Party Rat (Social)	Monika Roschlaub	Walburga Groetzinger
Web Rat (Communications)	Annette Bradford	Annette Bradford
Badger (Past Commodore)	Norm Lamb	Norm Lamb

New paddle rat needed!

If you're interested in joining the Water Rats board as paddle rat please contact Norm Lamb.

Boat lift day: Saturday November 12

A  crane coming to move the boat lift in the am and we could use some help from 9 am - 2 pm. Bring work gloves, rakes and wheel barrow if you have them.  Contact Barbara Anderson. 

Winter party in January

Are you interested in attending a holiday party in January? Please visit our website to let us know in an online poll. We're trying to sort out numbers.  

Free AED training for 10 members

We will be holding an AED workshop. Please contact Barbara Anderson with your interest. Priority will be given to active members. 

Please save the date: AGM

On November 27 at 2pm Water Rats will hold its annual general meeting. The official announcement of the meeting with agenda and other materials will follow shortly.

Volunteer Hours

Please submit your volunteer hours for 2022 using our online form by November 30, 2022. Make sure to use the email address that you log into the Water Rats website with. We will not be making corrections to the volunteer hours by email due the significant effort required to do so.

Winter Storage

Members are permitted to store the boats listed in their profile over the winter. Members who wish to store another boat may request permission to do so for a fee of $50 per boat, subject to available space. Winter Storage runs until April 30, 2023.

Nearly the end of the season (boo)

Please visit the club and make sure your boats and equipment are safely stored and secured!

And we hope to see you for some skating when the harbour ice freezes.

No fall clean up

To help the critters that we share our property with, we're going to leaves our leaves this year. Ground cover is a great way to help out moths, butterflies, snails, spiders and others.

But: we will be putting out a call for help to bring the boat in AND we may be organizing a group of people to help get a few outstanding club projects done. Stay tuned!

Winter party

We're on this year! December is a busy time so we'll be having a post holiday party in January.  We're looking for a volunteer who can find a venue and a date and organize volunteers for the event.  It's a great way to get those last few volunteer hours in. Please contact Monika Roschlaub if interested.

Join us for another BBQ Bash on August 25

Join us at Water Rats for an all-members BBQ on Thursday August 25 at 7 pm! Free food and good company for everyone!

We need 5 people to help out (three people to do set up and two people who will do the cooking of the meat/veggie burgers).

This involves being at the club around 6 pm, helping with setup AND clean up including cleaning dishes, bowls, utensils, taking out the garbage, etc.

Please contact Monika Roschlaub if you're available. Hours will count towards club hours.

Free AED training

Help save a life! We are sponsoring training for 10 members.  Members who are more frequently around the club will be given priority. 

Please contact Barbara Anderson if you're interested. 

Volunteer for our cat regatta on Sept 10/11

Our cat regatta team needs volunteers for a variety of positions on the weekend of the race.

Please contact Beata Sejane if you are available. Hours will count towards club hours.

Club closure: July 28

Ant spraying is done twice a season usually in June and July. No one is allowed on the property between 8 am and noon.

If you come and ant spraying is underway, YOU leave the property not the ant sprayer. Today the ant sprayer had to leave as some club members refused to.

The club will be sprayed Thursday the 28th. 

Locker Building Day: August 6 from 10 am

We have purchased a shipping container which will house 40 new locker spaces. There will be a work party on August 6 at 10 am to fit out the interior of the container with the individual lockers. We need members to help with the construction. Please bring your own hammer and drill if you have them.

Once the lockers are built, members who indicated they would like a locker on their membership renewal will be contacted.

Please don't forget to log your volunteer hours so they count towards your six required hours for 2022.

Marvin Coulson GoFundMe

If you are able one of our club members, Marvin Coulson (you may know him as the guy who cuts our grass) is in need of some help.

We have an AED for medical emergencies

We have an AED, a device known to save lives if someone is having a heart attack. It is located in the clubhouse under the thermostat. Instructions are on the wall .

All members are requested to review this video in order to learn how to use the device.

Additional training will be announced at a future date. 

Marvin Coulson needs your help

Water Rats member and volunteer, Marvin Coulson is having some medical issues. You may know him as the member who cuts the grass at the club. His nephew has set up a Go Fund Me where you can make a contribution to assist towards his recovery.

Club closure dates 

Please note that the club will be closed June 14 and July 28 from 8 AM - 12 PM for spraying. 

Our clubhouse is clean! 

Please help us keep it that way by knocking the sand off your shoes before entering and cleaning up after yourself. 

Thank You!

Thank you to Roger Moss who very kindly donated his boat to the club for sale in the WRSC auction. The proceeds from the sale will go towards building new locker space. 

Unidentified boats

We need your help in identifying the owner of a few more boats and trailers at the club. Please take a look through the photos and reach out to Michael if one of these boats belongs to you.. 

Join the Cats race practice at JTown 

JTown is hosting a new initiative this year, running seven basic race practice sessions bi-weekly on Sundays at 3 PM. All cats are welcome! They'll will be setting up in front of JTown on the South side of the Water Rats spit. 

Here is where you can find more information.

Here's how to finish your volunteer hours

Thank you Shona, Earl, Franziska and the gang for great picnic table work! Thanks also to Bruce for our amazing shade on the porch.

Still missing a few? Here are some things that still need doing!

LOCKER CLEANING: Prepare (clean & sand) & paint the rusting lockers & windsurf container roof. L Mc is the project lead but we need some assistants.

FIX CONCRETE CYLINDERS: On the 2 last fence poles in water. Project lead is Bruce Hanson, we need assistants.

WATER BIG MAPLES: To keep the guarantee on the planted trees - need to be watered every week Spring to October. Need to know how to operate a gas water pump so can water from the lake. Join Micheal and Barbara in taking care of our new trees.

Please contact Barbara Anderson if you can help out!

Please don't forget to log your volunteer hours so they count towards your six required hours for 2022.

See you on the water!

Here are a few ways to get in your volunteer hours this summer!

LOCKER CLEANING: Prepare (clean & sand) & paint the rusting lockers & windsurf container roof. We need a project lead and assistants.

FIX CONCRETE CYLINDERS: On the 2 last fence poles in water. Project lead is Bruce Hanson, we need assistants.

PRESSURE WASH AND RESTAIN THE CLUBHOUSE DECK: We need a project lead and assistants.

WATER BIG MAPLES: To keep the guarantee on the planted trees - need to be watered every week Spring to October. Need to know how to operate a gas water pump so can water from the lake. We need two more volunteers.

PAID MECHANIC: We need a mechanic to service the chain saws, blowers, zizzers for edge of grass. This is paid position. 

REINSTALL SUN SHADE ON THE DECK: Project lead is Bruce Hanson, we need assistants.

STAIN PICNIC TABLES: One member has started this project, we have the stain, looking for someone to take over!

Contact Barbara Anderson to help out. 

Please don't forget to log your volunteer hours so they count towards your six required hours for 2022.

"Summer series final results - Congrats to all who

participated in our 2021 club racing series!" - RRR

Select spreadsheet to load larger version.

Tuesdays

Thursdays

From Head Rat Norm Lamb

AGM and Board Positions:

"The AGM is Nov 21^st at 2pm to 4pm. Please register.

We do need a quorum to hold this meeting, so our participation is important.    

This will be a Zoom meeting and the connection information will be sent to you closer to Nov 21^st along with the pertinent material. 

We encourage everyone to take a leadership role in the operation of the club. New faces and ideas are always welcome. If you are at all interested in helping, please reach out to us. As the phrase goes “Many hands make light work”. 

The following list is of those directors who will be transitioning out. If there is a name beside a current director’s name it is the name of a member willing to step up and take on that position. This candidate will need to be voted in at the AGM.   

Please note, this list may grow as not all directors have determined if they are going to stay or transition out.   

If the list does grow, I will let you know. If you are willing to fill a vacancy or contest any of the candidates below please let me know. 

Descriptions of Executive Roles

Position and current member	Candidate
Head Rat – Norm Lamb	Jeff Gerritts
Race Rat – Randy McMeekin	Open, no candidate
Membership Rat – Jeff Gerritts	Michael Williamson
Social Rat – Monika Roschlaub	Willing to transition out if there is an interested member
Communications/Web Rat – Matthew Burpee	Willing to transition out if there is a super interested member

Volunteer Hours:

Covid has made the pursuit of volunteer hours that much more interesting this year and last.  In an effort to remind you that we do need volunteers to run this club we are asking the following of you.   Please go to the website and fill in the Volunteer Hour Sheet for 2021.   If you did not do Volunteer Hours due to covid, that is okay.  We understand.  This exercise is not meant to be punitive but to get an idea of the number of volunteer hours that were done this year.  

Volunteers Needed: 

Barb is looking for volunteers on Oct 16^th and 17^th (Saturday and Sunday) to assist with moving Hanlan’s  back to Hanlan. If you can assist either of those two days, please contact Barb directly. Barb's email

Filming:

A film company will be using TMCC (last club at the end of Regatta Rd) on October 12^th and 13^th (Tuesday and Wednesday of next week).   The film company will be occupying much of Regatta Rd.   There may be a delay to access the club if they are shooting a scene.   Parking should not be impacted as we have parking inside our club.  As well, during those two days they may restrict access going around the spit.  I would suggest launching from the west ramp on those days.   Please note the film company is paying a ‘users’ fee to TMCC along with a fee to the other clubs of the OHSF, so there is a benefit for our inconvenience for those two days.   See the attachment below for more details. 

Clean Up Day:

No Fall Clean Up Day.  We hope to return to them in 2021, covid permitting

Holiday / Christmas Party:

There will be no Holiday/Christmas party this year. Extra restrictions and policing around indoor gatherings due to covid is the key reason. We hope to have one next season. There was a suggestion made to hold the party in January as it is easier to find a facility and easier to find spaces on people’s calendars. 

WRSC Vaccination Policy:

The board last night debated and approved a Vaccination Policy for our location at 4 Regatta.  Effective immediately, only persons with double vaccinations or medical exemptions will be able to use the facilities.  When using the clubhouse masks must be worn too.  All regattas will require participants to be masked or practice social distancing when on land.   I am in the process of putting the final touches on the policy itself and will circulate it when complete.   As it is the end of the sailing season, this should not impact us significantly but will come into play in 2022.   Stay tuned for further details. 

Restricted Area – No Sailing:

A friendly reminder, not to sail within the mooring area of the TMCC boats.  That area of the harbour (east end) is out of bounds as it is difficult to navigate and quite easy to hit one of their boats or a mooring line.    

2021 10 08 MDGS2 - Notiification Letter - TMCC - 16 Regatta Rd.pdf

Norm

Head Rat