Letter from the Commander

As many of you already know, I have succeeded myself as your Commander, on 18 January, during our formal Change of Watch ceremony, having been voted in for a second and final term, a few months ago. I now find myself in an enviable position which allows one the rare opportunity to either coast to the finish line or actually attempt to accomplish something lasting during their last term in office.

I choose the latter.

To everyone out there these days, progress equates to change. However, it's fast appearing that the simple word "Change", which has touched us all to one degree or another with overflowing visions of near limitless promise, is fast turning into just another "cause celeb" buzzword, mostly devoid of any viable substance or functional specifics. This means the responsibility falls to us all not to have our squadron get caught up in the trap of change for change sake. We need to stay our own true education based course but plan our organization's social and fraternal future together.

To that end, I propose to you my personal promise, a compact, if you will, with the membership of the Chicago Power Squadron, whereupon I will actively seek out each and every one of you possible for consul, by personally calling you within the first 30 days following the mailing of this Chicago Log. We will discuss at length your ideas and concepts of just what our organization needs to be or do to reflect your own expectations as well as your individual or family needs. Simultaneously, you will also gain the unprecedented opportunity to help chart our organization's meaningful course into the distant future.

This opportunity does not come without cost to you. Between now and your call, you need to think over very carefully what it is that you and your family want to see happen, starting NOW, within the squadron to get you all meaningfully involved. This could take the form of planning family themed events, or a "green" day where we all pitch in to help clean up a stretch of a river or lakefront. It could include a yearly museum outing , social events, the scheduling of speakers on subjects of interest at our often overlooked first Monday of the month meetings, or WHATEVER you all want or consider valuable.

This is your opportunity to make a difference and I say again, complacency is not an option. You all can begin now by accepting my challenge to take it one step further by referring just one boater to our basic boating safety course or to join the squadron. If everyone did their part, it would mean the addition to our waterways of nearly 125 newly qualified boaters before the start of the new season!

Everyone's voice is important, now more so than ever. Injuries and freak accidents are on the rise. Proposals for additional lakefront harbors which will surely lead to more congestion, have been surfacing repeatedly. At the same time that new requirements for mandatory boater education and certification are looming on the horizon, a new phenomenon is making an appearance, that of the educationally complacent family boater.

This surfaced repeatedly at the recent Chicago Boat Show, during conversations with dozens of boaters, many with small children in tow, who exhibited a clear lack of operational boating literacy. Many had never taken a formal class and openly professed limited levels of safe boating knowledge. Their reasons for avoiding classes ran from time to costs to locations. When told of our class offerings and costs, they were surprised because they never figured that the cost of a basic boating safety course was less than a tank of gas or a family dinner at a fast food restaurant. It only got worse from there when they realized that they were putting their precious families at risk for less than burgers AND an investment of a few hours of time!

This only underscores the need for your participation as instructors, inspectors, proctors, or just active supporters of our educational programs and squadron. Throughout our country, we constantly hear about or see countless civic, social, or fraternal organizations in various states of distress or turmoil due to little or no comprehensive or prior planning. We can learn from their errors and together get things right ….now…..but only as an organization of purpose.

Best regards,

Cdr. Wayne Toberman, S