SCYC Calling for Kids (Helen's Post)

Happy New Year!

Very soon, the outgoing and incoming club officers will be getting serious with planning the 2012 calendar for the club.   Since I noticed that there were a lot more kids on the dock this summer, I am hoping to add activities to the calendar that would specifically be of interest to them.    Those of us who have kids know that if you’d like to drag them with you every weekend to participate in your hobby, there’d better be some fun in it for them too.  And the best way to do that is to help them get to know the other kids and have some fun.    I have a suspicion that there may be more kids than I am aware of who just don’t come because it’s BORING for them. 

If you have kids (generally defined as offspring of club members) who come to the lake AT ALL, please help me collect a list of them.   (The kids personal information will definitely not be distributed beyond the SCYC standard distribution list and the other kids, but if you would like it restricted further, please let me know that.  I would like:

• Boat Name
• Slip #
• Parent’s (or Grandparent’s) Name
• Child’s Name
• Child’s Birth Month/Year
• Child’s contact info (cell/email) - optional
• How often they come to the lake
• Special interests (or limitations)
• Information restrictions

If you don’t have kids at the dock, but have ideas or life experience with keeping kids entertained at the lake, do share!   Those who have water toys such as jet skis, tubes, “playgrounds,” etc.  and wouldn’t mind helping out with dragging some of the kids around for an afternoon once or twice this year, let me know that as well.   (Maybe an early summer and late summer water fun day.)

If you have ideas on what would be fun for them – all the better.   Some of the things I have been thinking of are:

• Outdoor movie nights at the Gazebo  (Family friendly, bring your own chair, drinks, and popcorn).
• Rotating game nights on host boats for kids of similar ages.
• Water camping for families.   Anchor out, have campfire on beach, play in the water, visiting each other boats, and maybe have a sleepover.
• Dinghy and/or kayak races.   Depending on equipment availability.  
• Outdoor games, Cornhole competitions.
• Educational opportunities – we may be able to arrange for some boating education for older kids who are interested in getting their Basic Boating Safety certificate now required for those under age 26.  Or even just general knowledge of knots, VHF how-to, rights of way, safety, etc.    This may interest some of the adults as well.
• If nothing else – just help them know who else has kids and help them connect (who, what boat, what slip).

Thanks!  
Helen Rock
Nominee for SCYC Commodore 2012
RockReation, Slip C-12