What an absolutely devastating time of year. The leaves are dying like the summer’s potential, and every morning there’s a looming chill in the atmosphere and the word ‘September’ cuts like a cold knife through an over-ripened watermelon. The season’s finish line is dead ahead, but we’re rocking our boats back and forth, hoping for one more dump into the cool summer waters before we reach the inevitable demise of fun-as-we-know-it. Do not go gentle into that good night.
Race Week
Our final week at the sailing club is devoted to Race Week, a week of combining our accumulated sailing skills and taking them to the streets; so to speak. It’s a week of speed, backstabbing, and betrayal. Friends become rivals, cousins become estranged, and instructors become frustrated.
Tuesday Movie Night
The final movie night of the summer is this Tuesday and there’s a lot of pressure on the Silvers to pick something that encapsulates the season’s dramatic tone. Grease? Jaws? Perhaps Dazed and Confused? The first flick start at 6:30PM and goes until 8:15PM, while the second movie for those 13+ starts immediately after. Both films cost $1 each and there will be juice and popcorn provided.
Wednesday Bonfire, Talent Show, and Holy Matrimony
This Wednesday (tentatively; might move to Thursday because of predicted rain showers), all are invited back to the sailing club for our annual Bonfire and Talent Show. Supper — if you can call two hot dogs and a s’more that – will be offered as well.
The night’s festivities include a talent show, and our sailors will get the chance to show off their skills, stunts, voices, or pyrotechnics in front of the entire club.
But the evening’s main event is, of course, the marriage of our two beloved co-coaches Megan Thomas and Minkel Robson. It’s been a long time coming and I’m so proud that these two wonderful human beings have decided to take the first big step into the rest of their lives.The invitations are in the mail. Entry costs $5.
There is no ice cream fight this year.
Do NOT prepare for an ice cream fight! I repeat, there will be NO ice cream fighting on Friday so DO NOT bring an extra change of clothes, NOR a bathing suit, and DEFINITELY NOT closed-toe shoes for jumping in the water to clean off all the ice cream I WILL NOT throw at you. Our insurance agency told us that we are not able to let this take place because of insurance reasons.
Friday Prizegiving
As we approach the season’s close, there are some loose knots that have to be tied, and some victors who deserve recognition. This Friday at 6PM (following no ice-cream fight), all club members, parents, or anyone somehow associated with the club are invited to congregate at the Sturgeon Point Union Church on the corner of Irene and Sixth Avenue. There we will award the many paddles and trophies that commemorate the outstanding sailors who have passed through this summer.
AGM
As the sailors depart from the church in a hurried frenzy to the final SLSC dance ever, parents are welcome to stay at the Church for the Annual General Meeting. This is the space to raise any concerns, questions, or comments about the summer that has passed or the summer to come. Civility is encouraged; God will be monitoring.
Sweetheart Dance
As mentioned previously, I’ll be ditching the AGM to rush over to the final SLSC dance ever; all are welcome to join me at the Sweetheart Dance. The Silvers have spent a strenuous amount of time pairing together possible summer-lovers in preparation for this dance of epic-prom-proportions. The last-bash-ever goes ‘til 9PM, but the party doesn’t end there. Every kid and adult is encouraged to return for the…
…Clean-Up Day!…
…Saturday morning cleanup! At 10:30AM, please join the instructors as we go through the horrid actions of closing down the SLSC. We are weak, and we are tired, and we require your assistance in lifting boats, cleaning grounds, and shutting the doors to our wonderful clubhouse.
Last Goodbye!
“You’ll have to excuse me I’m not at my best…” the solemnest lyrics for the saddest occasion ring out in the first lines of Home For A Rest, the SLSC’s final song at the final dance. Who could possibly feel at their best at the close of this glorious season? It’s the end of eight hazy, hectic weeks but they flew by far too quickly. We are too lucky to be able to spend our Julys and Augusts on a beautiful blue lake with our friends, siblings, and cousins. It has been an astounding summer; we sailed like explorers, we danced like maniacs, and we British Bulldogged like rabid canines. I don’t think anyone’s quite ready to go home for any rest of any sort.
*****
This was one of the summers that reminded me of the summers of my childhood — and that’s a good thing. The kids I coached, the instructors I worked with, and the people I worked for made this whole job strange to title as “work”. I can speak for all seven instructors in saying that we would’ve rather been nowhere else. I’ll miss this place a lot.
Have terrific school years! In the grand scheme of history as a whole, summer 2016 is just around the corner!