March 2026 Newsletter
Editors: Anne Martin and Mary Lu Hodgins | | Dockmaster, Jeff Plummer
There is still snow on the docks! In order for us to attract and welcome visitors we need for it to melt!
Progress on the docks will continue as the weather allows.
I'm looking forward to the season. Once we do get some warmer weather, we will need to have some poles painted blue. Then, we can install some that are broken.
Jeff
Dockmaster@OOYC.org
| | |  | | Fleet Captain, Darren Leonard
Social Media Update
We’ve seen a great bump in activity on our social media over the last month. Our Facebook posts brought in 8,650 views — up 56% from the previous period. (See graph below.) Even better, about half of those views came from people who don’t already follow us, which means more folks are discovering Oak Orchard Yacht Club and seeing what we’re all about.
Photos continue to get the most attention (no surprise there — boats, sunsets, and club events are hard to beat).
Thanks to everyone who’s been liking, sharing, and commenting. It really does help spread the word about OOYC and everything happening at the club. Let’s keep it going as we head into the season!
Do you have a photo that you think would help to sell the club? Send it to Darren Leonard at fleetcaptain@ooyc.org
| | |  | Why “Liking” Club Facebook Posts Helps OOYC
Facebook doesn’t automatically show every post to every member. Instead, it uses a system that decides what content is “interesting” enough to show more widely.
When you like, comment on, or share a post from OOYC, here’s what happens:
1. Facebook sees engagement as a signal
A “like” tells Facebook: people care about this post. The more engagement a post gets, the more Facebook believes it’s worth showing.
2. The post gets shown to more OOYC members
If a post gets early likes, Facebook will show it to more people who follow the club but may not check Facebook often.
3. It can reach beyond current members
When you like or comment on a post, that activity may appear in your friends’ feeds. This helps introduce OOYC to:
- Prospective members
- Sailing families
- Guests and visitors
4. It costs nothing but makes a real difference
You don’t need to write anything or share the post. Simply clicking “like”:
- Boosts visibility
- Supports the club’s programs
- Helps promote events, sailing, and community
In short:
Liking a post is the easiest way to help the club get its message out. It’s the Facebook version of word-of-mouth.
|  | Below is the link for registering for the Henri Race:
Darren
Fleetcaptain@OOYC.org | | Becky Almeter
Fleet Captain, Youth Sailing
See the flyer and registration form below for the summer 2026 Youth Sailing Sessions
If you register your participant by April 1st, you will receive a $25 discount.
The sessions are already filling so get your registration in soon.
Becky
YouthSailing@OOYC.org
| | | | Treasurer, Chris Zimmerman
The Five Star bank account balances are as follows as of 2/23/26:
Operating $73,440.99
Money Market 14,813.62
Youth Sailing 15,428.31
Membership fees & dock dues are coming in steadily. Thank you to everyone for your payments!
Property taxes of $4,480 were paid in January.
| | | I will be transferring $11,146.36 from Youth Sailing checking to the operating account. When payroll was processed for the sailing instructors last year, the money was pulled from the main account and never reimbursed. Becky and Kim have been notified.
John and I will be out of town from 2/19 – 3/2/26 but if something urgent comes up, feel free to text me.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Chris
Treasurer@OOYC.org | | Vice Commodore, Tom Pavone
Preparations for the restaurant and bar service for this season are well underway!
Cortney has applied for a co-license with the State Liquor Board – Riverside Retreat will be able to fully operate both the bar and restaurant. Cortney has recently hired a bartender, sous chef, and hostess to complete her staffing for this year. She has five servers which will rotate through various nights –
| | | | many are returning from last year and they are all looking forward to this year!
Restaurant and bar opening night will be Friday, May 15. Our OOYC Facebook page has recently posted Cortney’s menu for this year – check it out. Cortney listened to our preferences and has designed this year’s menu with us in mind.
In addition to Friday and Saturday nights, we’re working with Darren Leonard to coordinate Thursday night bar and restaurant service for race night. All members should take note: we will be encouraging all members to come out on Thursday night, it’s not just for the race crews. | | |
Sunday brunch worked out well last year, Cortney sold out and expanded her seating to accommodate all interested parties. So, this year we have scheduled four Sunday Brunch dates, starting with the first on May 24. Our events calendar will be updated soon, and we’ll be sending out notices and details before each event.
We’ve met with Commodore John Zimmerman, Darren Leonard and the Board to plan bar and service for our club events and special weekend races. Fun will be had by all!
As last season progressed, Cortney got a better handle on our bar & drink preferences. We’ll be completing our bar inventory next month, so if anyone has any further suggestions, let me know and we’ll try to accommodate as best we can.
In March we are also taking inventory on our restaurant and bar equipment and already making plans to upgrade some of our equipment to ensure reliable service each night. This includes our software (Clover system) and improvements to our reservation process and communications with Cortney each week. Dave Soehner will be a big help on this, so thanks Dave!
In summary, we are off to a good start this year to make our bar and restaurant an even better experience in 2026! Cortney and I thank the Board for their support. And please feel free to let me know if you have any comments, suggestions, or questions. I can be reached at tpavone14@gmail.com.
Tom
ViceCommodore@OOYC.org
| | Marketing Director, Open Position!
Unfilled position at this time. Please let us know if you are interested!
| | | | Rear Commodore, El Roberts
Not a lot to report this month. Things are pretty quiet at the club.
Clean-up Day has been scheduled for May 2nd, 0900-12. Coffee and donuts will be on site for all. A list of tasks to be done will be available. As you pick a job, sign your name so everyone knows that job is done. Once work is done there will be a lunch and membership meeting. I will post more on that as things are decided.
Darren & I are organizing a double hand race. I would encourage anyone interested to participate in any way you can. This type of race will be a good test of your skills.
I look forward to seeing you all on clean-up day.
El
RearCommodore@OOYC.org
| | | | Membership Chair, Kim Hofmann
Membership Report: February 2026
|
Membership Type
|
May 2022
|
July 2025
|
February 2026
|
|
Honorary
|
4
|
8
|
7
|
|
Associate
|
16
|
10
|
12
|
|
Social
|
25
|
30
|
31
|
|
Full
|
37
|
40
|
39
|
|
Total Memberships
|
82
|
88
|
89
|
Note: The following membership report reflects primary memberships that represent an entire household
| | | |
Membership Dues
A special thank you to all who have paid your membership dues!
There are still many who need to send payments for 2026. If you log into ooyc.org it will show you have a payment due. You can pay online with a credit card. Even better, mail a check to Oak Orchard Yacht Club, PO Box 436, Albion, New York 14411.
Member Incentive Plan for 2026:
We plan to continue to offer 50% to new members.
Instead of offering rebate checks to members for incentives, we will gift members a $50 chits gift card per new member referred to us.
*Please note, the 50% off does not apply to previous, returning members.
Intermediate/Full Membership Level
I am very pleased that we offer this level of membership for younger boaters! Please remember when advertising docking for our club, that the Intermediate Level offers an annual savings of about $300. This membership level gives members ages 18-40 years old, as of January 2026, full membership at a lower rate!
New Members of 2025-2026
Please text or email me a photo of you or you with your family. It is also great to have a photo of your boat for our online directory!
Please remember that you can reach out to any of your board members at any time for help or questions. We are putting together new welcome packets for you as well that will be ready for you by the spring!
Kim Hofmann
Membership@OOYC.org
(585) 356-9086
Call or text at any time!
|  | | Website Director, Carl Engle
If you are like us, you are counting the days until “ launch day”…even as I watch the snow fly outside my office window, it’s fun to dream about boating on Lake Ontario.
Not many updates this time of year. One reminder, dates on the website calendar can be fluid, meaning keep checking for additions and any possible changes.
Some exciting dates to look forward to:
Saturday, June 13th-Board of Directors Luau & Dinner
Saturday, June 20th-Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on the new docks-4:00ish
| | |
Club Cruise to Cobourg, Ontario for the annual “Cobourg Water Festival” & Canada Day Celebration - make reservations for a dock at Cobourg Marina for anytime within the June 27 - July 2, 2026 timeframe. Highlights: Rotary HarbourArts Tents, Lions Marketplace, food, and live entertainment (June 27-29th) and Parade, Bands, and Fireworks on July 1st. I know of at least 5 OOYC boats (including the Engle’s) planning the trek across the lake this year. The more the merrier!
Carl
WebsiteDirector@OOYC.org
|
John Zimmerman, Commodore
Get Ready for 2026
Better weather is on its way, which helps us shift our thoughts towards the summer boating season. Plans have been underway for some exciting things happening around the club this year.
Riverside Retreat will be back managing our restaurant and bar this season. Tom Pavone, our new vice commodore, has been working with Riverside Retreat owner, Cortney Black, to get ready for their second year. I know they have been working on menu choices, kitchen equipment repairs/replacements, dining room service, special events and more. I’m sure they have much better information about what they are planning and what to expect.
| | |
The main dock repairs should resume soon as weather permits so the project is completed in time for boats to go in the water this spring. Electrical, plumbing and lighting upgrades will be made over the next year or so.
Fleet Captain Darren Leonard has proposed a refreshed look for the front of our clubhouse which the board has approved. Staining the front entry steps and deck gray with white railings, adding flower boxes to front windows, repainting window shutters and painting the burgee should give our building a fresh, clean look. Rear commodore El Roberts is planning to help with making sure our front shrub and flower beds work well with the new club appearance.
There are plans to install a fire pit somewhere on the south side lawn with chairs or benches surrounding it so members can enjoy time together outside on summer evenings.
We are particularly excited to have professional sailing instruction come to OOYC beginning this season. Captain Justin Sircus has joined our club and will be offering several ASA courses through his school, Rochester Community Sailing. ASA (American Sailing Association) courses are offered throughout the country and considered to be a predominant source of training for basic sailing skills development, safety, navigation and cruising. We are happy to welcome Justin to OOYC.
Please check the events calendar on our website, ooyc.org, for the most current plans. These are some important plans for 2026 so you can mark your calendars.
- May 2: Spring Clean-up Day
- May 15: Restaurant opening
- May 17: Race season meeting
- June 13: Two handed Sailboat Race - morning
- June 13: Directors Party, band- evening
- June 20: Basic Sailing instruction for youth and adults
- June 20: Dock Ribbon Cutting, Boat Open House and Dock-tails on the tee dock, dinner buffet at club
- July 11: Henri Race and party
- August 8: Lakeside Race morning
- August 8: Steak Roast, band evening
- September 5: Ketchup Race and party
- September 20: Sailing Sanquet
- Thursday nights after the races are for all our members not just racers so come get ready for the weekend with friends and some light buffet food. Bar will be open.
Other parties and events will be scheduled and found on our events calendar so check it for the most current information.
John
|
|
OOYC Marketing Sites
Keep up with the latest posts on our Facebook Pages, Oak Orchard Yacht Club at Facebook.com or Oak Orchard Yacht Club - Club Life.
Check out the ads for OOYC which are in the current issue of Scuttlebutt and in the Orleans County Tourism Booklet.
|
|
Bottle Returns to Benefit OOYC Youth Sailing
When you are at the club please deposit your returnable bottles and cans in the barrel by the dumpster or in the barrel by the laundry room. These will be dropped off at Upstate Bottle Return. Or you can drop your bottles and cans off at Upstate Bottle Return, 449 West Ave, Albion. Just tell them it is for the OOYC Youth Sailing Program. Every little bit helps.
|
|
Member Boating & Club Event Photos
This is your newsletter so if you have any photos you would like to share of your boating activities or OOYC events during the season or over the winter months, email them to us (preferably in .jpg format) at marylu@hodginsengraving.com or annemartin2@charter.net
|
| |