Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club (GLYC) marked the 89th anniversary of its foundation with a celebration attended by around 90 current and past members and friends last Friday night.
Club commodore Gary Maskiell and vice commodore Anne Delahay addressed the crowd, highlighting the many and varied activities of the club during the current sailing season.
Alongside the regular program of yacht racing three days a week and a successful Sailability program, the club has already hosted two sail training programs for juniors and adults, as well as two national regattas.
Still to come this season are two more national regattas, with GLYC facilities also serving as the base for the Paynesville Classic Boat Rally, with many members assisting in its organisation.
GLYC is a fully volunteer-run organisation that contributes significantly to the local community, particularly through the tourism its activities generate. The club is justifiably proud of the many member volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain its heritage and standing within the Gippsland Lakes region.
While 89 years may seem an unusual milestone to celebrate, the decision was prompted by the forthcoming demolition and complete rebuild of the current building. The project has been initiated by the East Gippsland Shire, which secured a Federal Government grant to partially fund the redevelopment, with the remainder contributed by the Shire Council.
At the end of this sailing season, GLYC will scale back operations during construction, preparing to return stronger than ever with a revitalised calendar of activities once the new facility is complete.
