Dear Friends of LIC Community Boathouse,

WOW ! You turned out Thursday at The Foundry in strong numbers and with such enthusiasm that we just blew winter away. Paddler friends traveled from Westchester, Staten Island and Canarsie to shake off cabin fever, mingle, and bring on spring together with us in LIC . Jerry Blackstone’s flight from Lauderdale was just not in time and Paul Baker was working his way back from Sacramento but both bought tickets anyhow and enabled us to comp several worthy individuals. Guest of honor Dorothy Lewandowski, NYC Department of Parks’ Borough Commissioner for Queens brought the good news that improvement at our favorite NYC Water Trail site, Hallets Cove will begin soon..

Band Bongo Surf surf rocked the house pro bono, DJ Jeff complemented the band and emcee Travis Laughlin made it all go. The Du Val family generously provided the awesome venue again! LIC restaurants TukTuk, Five Star Punjabi and Manducatis Rustica donated their fine cuisines. Brooklyn Lager, Wine and Spirits Magazine and Blue Streak supplied the libations and Sage American Kitchen sent desserts. Auction items and prizes came from many supporters including Socrates Sculpture Park, Recycle a Bicycle, Green Shores NYC, Greater Astoria Historical Society and Jersey Paddler.

Amazing LICCB volunteers worked their magic to create the illusion that this was easy. David Halloran tirelessly tended bar and donated all his tips to the Boathouse. Wynne Parry managed press releases and helped Lynne Serpe greet you and take donations at the door. Jill Palermo and Marissa Lustig sold tees and mugs, Karen Overton managed the auction with help from fellow parkies Velma Segars and Helen Ho. Boathouse founder Erik Baard solicited many of the donations and most of the entertainment. Pia Doane and John McGarvey tended to food service and details. Gregory Gruber produced the big as life slide show. Monica Schroeder designed our new brochure and Steve Sanford created the East River map which adorns the back or our 2009 tee shirt. Robert Di Maio treated us to a preview of his new water centric film. Paul Mallery handled transportation duties and arranged the emergency pizza. Our Hallets Cove chief Tanya Elder was kind enough to synchronize her birthday with our fundraiser event so that we could have a cake big enough for bear our City of Water Day group photo.

Net proceeds will finance substantial improvements to our new Anable Basin launch site. Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance has donated a floating dock and our good friend and neighbor Veso Buncic has offered his company’s expertise and labor to install and implement it. We’ll soon launch more easily and safely than before.

Did I miss anyone? Of course I did and it was not deliberate. THANK YOU ALL so very much for your part in making last week’s fundraiser event a huge success. I apologize for the food shortage and confusion that effected some of our guests. We’re aware of and will learn from these glitches. We are all volunteer, not for profit and thanks to you, we are growing.

Some free events you should know about are Going Green in Queens greening, educational and networking event March 28th, free sea kayaking adventure film screening at Downtown Boathouse’s 56th Street boathouse April 7th, “It’s My Waterfront Park” Day March 16th, the 100th Anniversary of the Queensboro Bridge celebration at Queensbridge Park June 6th , Summer Solstice Celebration at Socrates Sculpture Park will include an extended public paddle in Hallets Cove on Sunday June 21st Checkwww.LICBoathouse.orgcalendar page often so you don’t miss any of the fun.

See you soon, on the water,
Ted Gruber
Chairman, Long Island City Community Boathouse