Welcome to the Block Island Club!

The Block Island Club is open to all
with memberships ranging from
two weeks to full-summer. Members
have access to sailboats, kayaks
and tennis courts as well as swimming,
sailing, tennis, and arts & crafts
lessons for kids.

You can join using the application here
or by stopping by the Club.

Click here for this week's schedule
The Weekly Update: July 6th-July 12th

Remember to sign up for the Count-Me-Ins posted at the Clubhouse. Many fun events are planned and all are welcome though space is limited so sign up early.

Lessons as scheduled all week plus the following highlighted events

Monday: Regular Lessons

Tuesday: NO BBQ tonight (change from original calendar)

Wednesday: Ladies Tennis Round Robin. Sign up at the Clubhouse. Kids' Fun and Games during tennis.
New this year: Advanced Sailing Clinic every Wednesday 10-12. For experienced 420 sailors of all ages.

Intern Reunion Party scheduled for today is canceled

Thursday: Thursday Night Races on the Pond begin at 6:00, arrive at 5:30 to rig up. Sign up for a 420 at the Clubhouse. Experienced racers only and at least one member of the team must be 16 years or older. Need a partner? Call the Clubhouse.

Friday: Fun Fridays: games and prizes during lessons, even more fun than usual!
Couples Evening Pot Luck Round Robin Tennis 6-8. Sign up at Clubhouse and bring drinks or snacks

Saturday: Saturday morning races for kids at 10:30. Come at 10:00 to rig up.

Sunday: Great Salt Pond Flotilla 11:00-1:30
Families please come for this exciting event. We will decorate our boats and sail out into the Salt Pond to parade around the recreation area. Corrie Heinz, President of the Committee for the Great Salt Pond, will bless the fleet and return with us to the Club for pizza and a talk about the importance of the Pond.
 
 
News

President's Comments from Opening Party
6.28.2009

Hello. My name is Pam Dickinson and I am President of the Block Island Club.
Welcome to the 2009 season: the Summer of the Great Salt Pond

Welcome New Members I especially want to welcome new and newer members. The Club is a continuum of members who start out fresh-faced and new and become increasingly involved and committed to the place as the years go by. For those of us old-timers, please make an extra effort to welcome the new faces, both adults and children. You new members are the future of the Club and we are very glad to have you.

Thank Board Members I want to thank this really exceptional board for all the great work we did this winter and highlight a few of the things we accomplished and have on the docket yet to do.

1. The renovation. Within 12 months, this board planned, fundraised for and completed a major renovation of our facilities. We have a new roof, beautiful new windows, a new electrical system, and completely rebuilt docks. I would especially like to thank board member Jane Musky for shepherding us so expertly through this project. This renovation cost the Club $110,000, of which we have raised $85,000 and have $25,000 still to go. If you have not yet donated to the capital campaign to fund this renovation, there is still time! Arts & Crafts is busy building our thermometer to gauge our progress and we will accept your check, cash or credit card at any time at the front desk. Simply tell Chris or Elizabeth you are making a donation to the capital drive and they will make sure the money goes to the right place and the thermometer is filled in!

2. Count-me-ins. You can also contribute to the capital drive by signing up for one or all of the count-me-ins we are posting tonight and will continue to post over the next week or two. These are open events with a limited number of sign up spots and range from a family bbq on the beach to an open air kids’ movie night (think drive-in, without the cars) to a special event mysteriously titled, Chris and Tim’s Excellent Adventure. Sign up sheets are here tonight and will continue to be posted at the Club until the event fills up. I really encourage all members and particularly new ones to use these events as opportunities to connect with other families, and help us raise money in the process.

3. The website. Hopefully many of you are using this terrific new tool we have to disseminate information and communicate with our members and potential members. I thank Club member Michael Rock, an amazing designer who not only put in countless hours designing our website, but also designed our beautiful and classic new logo this past fall. I encourage you to check the website frequently for calendar updates and other information. We have a new area on the home page called This Week which highlights special events each week and any changes to the previously published schedule. We’ve never before had a way to communicate so broadly and universally to our membership and we really hope people will take advantage of it.

The Summer of The Great Salt Pond

The board thought we would try something new this summer by creating a theme for the season. Given the importance of this great Island resource and the threat to it from Champlin’s renewed expansion bid, the board decided to revolve this summer’s activities around the Pond. We are joining with other groups that use the Pond to create co-activities and stronger bonds between those of us that love and use this magnificent resource. Look for the following new and existing events throughout the summer:

1. Flotilla on July 11th: Kids from the Club, BIMI, CGSP, and other independent families will decorate their boats and sail around in a floating parade. Corrie Heinz, President of the CGSP will bless the fleet.

2. Swim to Bean Point on August 2nd: This will be a mini-fundraiser for the Salt Pond where the kids will get sponsored for their swim. Being a kid-event, this is not meant as a big fundraiser, it is more an opportunity to get them personally involved in supporting the Pond.

4. CGSP Parents Party on July 25th: Mindy and Bob Ignarri have graciously invited us all to their beautiful home, better known as The Breakers, for a CGSP sponsored party to learn where the Champlin’s fight stands while sipping wine and enjoying the sunset from Mindy and Bob’s back lawn. Look for an invitation in the mail for this special event.

5. Thursday night and Saturday morning races throughout the summer where we mix with sailors from all over the Pond. On July 23rd the Club will host a special Thursday Night Race where we will run the committee boat and host a pot luck supper after the event for all racers. We even plan to set a small Opti course that night off Andy’s Way so bring the kids and mark that night as one not to miss. Even if you don’t sail, come and enjoy the evening as a diner and spectator.

The Staff
I want to take a minute to introduce our wonderful staff. Of special note this year, each member of this talented group is an experienced Club employee with all but one returning from last year, and one an alumna from a few years past. Many of them have been here longer than I have if you consider they started at the Club as five and six year olds! Please welcome our:

Manager Elizabeth Berube
Assistant Manager Chris Bergan
Head Sailing Instructor and Waterfront Director Andy Sherman-Ash
Assistant Sailing Instructor Jack McManus
Assistant Sailing Instructor Liz Noonan
Assistant Sailing Instructor Anna Musky-Goldwyn
Co-Head Tennis Instructor Tara Deieso
Co-Head Tennis Instructor Tannar Combias
Head Swimming Instructor Sarah Levinsky (returning after a two year absence)
Assistant Swimming Instructor Meg Taylor (jumping up from our Intern program)
Arts & Crafts Instructor Grace Ignarri

We look forward to a wonderful season with this enthusiastic, knowledgeable and smart group of young adults.

Thank You Gifts
Finally I want to take a moment and single out a few people who went above and beyond the call of duty this year. I mentioned our building project earlier tonight and I especially want to thank our contractor Bill Carey and his head carpenter Kim for their extraordinary effort and workmanship. They were out here in all kinds of weather, clinging to the roof to get the windows in and shingles on and did so on-time and on-budget! Please accept these gifts from the Club, courtesy of Club member and renowned photographer K.C. Perry. Thank you K.C. for contributing these beautiful works of art. I also want to thank Michael Rock for the work he did for the Club this year on the website, logo and numerous other projects with one of K.C.’s pieces. Unfortunately Michael could not be here this weekend but I none-the-less wish to acknowledge him tonight in front of you all and will hold his gift until he arrives.

Thank you for your attention for these past few minutes and please enjoy the food, drinks and rest of the evening. Approach me at any time with questions or suggestions. We look forward to a great 2009, The Summer of the Great Salt Pond!

Grace needs your old shoe boxes, jars and cardboard tubes, etc. for Arts & Crafts classes!
5.5.2009

I would greatly appreciate if some of the parents could start collecting shoe boxes, glass jars, and papertowl/toilet paper tubes, etc. for the Arts and Crafts classes.  It's always great to get a head start! – Grace Ignarri

Don't forget the Annual Fund!
4.21.2009

Sign up for 2009 membership on-line now.
4.19.2009

Welcome to the new BI Club website!
4.19.2009

Hours

Daily Operating Hours
Clubhouse and boats: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Tennis courts: 8:00 am to dark

Contact

Mail
Box 147
Block Island RI 02807

Telephone
401.455.5939

We are located on Corn Neck Road
on the shore of the Great Salt Pond.

Email
info@blockislandclub.org
To report trouble with this site:
support@blockislandclub.org

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