Incoming President's Letter

As the incoming President of the Finger Lakes Chapter, ACBS, I would first like to acknowledge Rob Kidd for the wonderful job he has done as President of FLC. A lot of Rob's work has been behind the scenes with phone calls, letter writing, and lots of thank-you notes to all those who contribute to our chapter. Thank you, Rob, for a job well done.

Our annual meeting was held the first weekend in November at the Sherwood Inn in Skaneateles, with wonderful food and a guest speaker. The topic of the evening was a trip up the Hudson River in wooden boats (put together by FLC member Wil Vidal) including a slide show of the ACBS-sponsored event. An award was also on display that Dick Sherwood won for the best newsletter at the ACBS Annual Membership Meeting in September. A huge congratulations to Dick! We are all very lucky to have such a great newsletter.

Looking forward, the Board of Directors is working on two upcoming events for next spring - a day's visit to the village of Fairport's Annual Canal Days in June, and a trip to the Adirondack Chapter's Annual Fulton Chain Rendezvous (held in the Adirondack village of Old Forge) in July. (See page 7 of this edition of Brightwork for more details.) We are also working on boat show items and coordinating our efforts with the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce and our sponsors. We always need a few extra hands during the boat show, so if you would like to help, please contact any Board member. They're all listed (with telephone numbers) on page 3.

It is a great pleasure to be involved with such a wonderful group of people -- on the FLC Board and with wooden boaters in general. Remember that everyone is invited to our Board Meetings, usually held the third Sunday of the month at the Sherwood Inn in Skaneateles. Brightwork carries the dates of the next quarter's meetings in the Calendar of Events on page 3 of each issue. Best Regards, Janice Miller, FLC President

Vintage Clothes Needed For Historical Display

Two shivering manikins are standing-by to be the centerpiece of an upcoming display at the Skaneateles Historical Society. They're cold because they're in dire need of clothes - not just any old clothes, but some 1940s-vintage clothes.

The man will be dressed as a workman in the Skaneateles Boat Works. Approximate sizes: shirt 15 � -33; pant waist 35 to 36 with 28 inseam. The woman will be dressed as she would for going shopping including white gloves and hat. Her measurements are 38-30-34 �. (How about those numbers!)

If you can help with clothes for this display, please contact Arnie Rubenstein at 315-637-8522

Imm. Past President's Letter

I can't imagine a nicer way to close our year than with the Annual Dinner Meeting that we recently had at The Sherwood Inn. Bob & Teddi Myllymaki organized this year's event and decided to try something new by substituting our usual buffet with a choice of three or four entrees. Without exception, everyone I spoke with said that their meal was among the best they've ever had. Mike Tutor of The Sherwood tells us that they have some of the best staff ever working in their kitchen and it certainly shows. Our special guests Wil & Mary Vidal gave an entertaining and informative presentation on ACBS's recent Hudson River Cruise. They also brought along two beautiful framed prints that were raffled off to raise money for the chapter. Thank you to all concerned for helping to make this one of the nicest Annual Dinners ever.

During the past year I've had the opportunity to visit with a few of our Brightwork advertisers. It's no secret that their financial contributions are what make this fine newsletter possible. With this in mind, let's all remember to do business with them whenever we have the opportunity to do so. Remember also to let them know that you saw their ad in Brightwork. It will help to make their decision to renew next year's ad that much easier.

During the past two years I've had the pleasure of working with a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic Board of Directors. Their efforts are what helped to make my job easy and I know that our incoming President Janice Miller can look forward to the same kind of cooperation. I hope that anyone reading this will consider becoming more involved in our chapter. Every organization benefits from fresh, new ideas and we would welcome yours. Remember that our meetings are always open and that your level of involvement is always up to you. For me, getting involved has meant getting to know a lot of very nice people and enjoying my membership in the chapter even more. Bring your appetite with you and plan to join us for dinner. I still recommend the Yankee Pot Roast!

Rob Kidd, FLC Immediate Past President

ACBS Joint Chapter Meeting

The 2008 edition of the Joint Meeting of the eight ACBS Chapters based in New York State is scheduled for April 19th. Organization and planning are being handled by the Adirondack Chapter with a major objective of increasing attendance which has been dwindling in recent years. The meeting will again be held at Geneva's Ramada Inn because of its central location.

So, save the date, plan to attend, and think about asking some friends who may not have been to one of these dinner meetings before, to also attend. Look for more info early in the New Year and in the March issue of Brightwork.