Ephraim Yacht Club
About Ephraim Yacht Club
Posts by Ephraim Yacht Club:
- Announcements
- Dockside Blog
- Education
- Events
- Member Benefits
- Member News
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- Youth Activities
Shop at the EYC Online store
EYC Online Store
We had our first snow at the EYC, which means the holiday season is upon us. EYC swag makes the best gifts! Check out our online store through Gameday Gear for all the special people in your life. We have a link on our website under the home tab or you can use this link. EYC Online Store
2025 Volunteer and Sportsman of the Year Awards
EYC Annual Recognition Awards
Volunteer and Sportsman of the Year
The EYC would like to recognize Carol Fiedler and Gus Braun as the recipients of the 2025 Volunteer of the Year and Sportsmanship Awards. These two individuals embody the spirit and values that define the EYC.
Carol Fiedler has been a longtime volunteer at the EYC, initially a parent volunteer at the various Jr. activities and then as co-chair. She is a regular and dependable sign up genius volunteer, Bratfest, Pancake Breakfast, First Mates, and Commodore’s Party to name a few. For years, she has handled Ephraim Regatta registration and is often the first person who greets party goers at EYC social functions.
She currently serves on the Education Committee and has for over 7 years. Brian Ritter, Education chair shared that, “She’s been an amazing partner on my committee. She puts in great effort each week and provides good insight into how to improve the program.” In her education role, she is the face of EYC for the parents. She answers all their questions, makes class adjustments, solves scheduling problems and corresponds with parents weekly. She handles every situation professionally and empathetically. And by the way, this is not just a June to August job. She loves EYC and noted that EYC sells itself, however, her timely responses to parent emails and inquiries throughout the year contribute to the growth of EYC membership and lesson program.
And last, but not least, she often comes early or stays late to help social gatherings run smoothly by setting up or cleaning up. This year she stepped in at the last minute to chair Ephraim Regatta lunches this year. She always has a smile. Legacy and new members appreciate the big heart she has for EYC!
Gus often arrived early for lessons and would help the staff get ready for the morning session. No task was too small including wiping the tables or sweeping floors. After a rainy day, Gus could be seen on the dock draining out boats. He has been taking lessons at the yacht club for many years and he successfully completed the skipper’s test and received his skippers’ license this summer. Every time he was on the dock or at the clubhouse, EYC staff knew they could turn to him to lend a hand and he helped create a spirit of togetherness.
EYC Clubhouse Activities Ending on 9/30
The leaves are turning in Door County and the drive to the EYC amazes us with hues of orange, red and yellow. This is a reminder that our clubhouse activities, Bridge and Mahjongg, will end this month. Wednesday, September 24th will be the last day for Mahjongg and Tuesday, September 30th will be the last day for Bridge.
Keep your skills sharp over the winter and we will see you all next summer.
Passing of Melissa Mielke
The EYC is saddened and heavy heartedly announces the passing of Melissa Mielke. Melissa loved a lunch hour sail on a Flying Scot, the EYC community and was very proud of her son Max working as a sailing instructor. We extend our condolences to her family and friends, especially her husband Dan and her son Max.
Melissa’s obituary can be found HERE
End of Season Clean-up Day
End of Season Clean-up Day-Saturday, August 30th
Just a reminder for those EYC members in Door County during the Labor Day weekend, please come on down to the dock for our end of season close-up day on Saturday, August 30th We will start at 9:00 a.m. and we will have refreshments for the participants.
End of Season Clean-up Day/NYE Save the Date
End of Season Clean-up Day-Saturday, August 30th
The weekend showers brought cooler, crisper air to the county as if to signal the end of summer of 2025. This time of year, we look forward to our fall/winter activities and the first one on this list is the closing of the Clubhouse. For those EYC members in Door County during the Labor Day week, please come on down to the dock for our end of season close-up day on Saturday, August 30th We will start at 9:00 a.m. and we will have refreshments for the participants.
New Year’s Eve Social- Tuesday, December 31st
Save the date! Skip Heidler is coordinating an EYC NYE open house at the Village Hall. Stay tuned for further details .
Bridge/ Mah Jongg continue
Bridge will continue through September and follows the following schedule: Mondays – 1:00 – 3:00/3:30 Open play, Tuesdays – 4:30 – 6:30, Couples (bring a partner) and Thursdays – 9:30 – 11:30 Open Play. Last day of bridge will be September 30th. Mah Jongg will meet on Wednesdays at 3:30 through October 1st.
See you on the Dock!
2025 EYC Weekly Series Winners, Staff Thanks you’s and Summer Video
2025 EYC Weekly Series Winners
Opti Tuesday / Thursday: RS Tera Tuesday Series:
3. 64 Points – Rohan Goettelman 3. 106 Points – Henry Knight
2. 57 Points – Sean McCabe 2. 84 Points – Murphy Travnicek
1.46 Points – Alex Ott 1. 17 Points – Penelope Hoag
420 Thursday Series: 420 Friday Series:
3. 235 Points – Hudson Bridenhagen 3. 106 Points – Hayden Johansen
2. 141 Points – George Kircher 2. 24 Points – Henry Knight
1.86 Points – Penelope Hoag 1. 12 Points – Penelope Whiteside
Laser Friday Series: Laser Monday Series:
3. 69 Points – Geoff Werner 3. 66 Points – Charlie Sauter
2. 36 Points – Nick Mueller 2. 55 Points – Geoff Werner
1.32 Points – Dan Mielke 1. 32 Points – Dan Mielke
Laser Masters Series Champion: Dan Mielke
Flying Scot Monday Series: Flying Scot Saturday Series:
3. 51 Points – Lily Ahrens 3. 99 Points – Dan Mielke
2. 21 Points -Jay Lott 2. 31 Points – Michael Faugust
1.12 Points – Nancy Claypoll 1. 27 Points – Jay Lott
Flying Scot Junior Champion: Charlie Dischner
Skipper’s License Recipients:
Lily Ahrens, Calvin Hoag, Max Travnicek, Madison Butler, Henry Knight, Brooke Lisle, Scarlett Downs, Graham Ottem, Julia McCabe, Gus Braun, James Woerful, Hudson Bridenhagen and Penelope Hoag.
Congratulations to all of you!
Staff Thank You’s
We had a great summer season, the EYC had 114 different group sessions this summer, with 226 unique students (many returning ones), and 429 group lesson sign-ups. Our 22 staffers did an amazing job teaching our students important sailing skills, which our sailors can then put into action on and off the water ,and keeping our equipment and dock in good condition. Additionally, our staff created a positive and enriching learning environment and the many happy kids on the dock, the clubhouse and at the races are a testament to their character.
Here’s a shout out to our amazing leadership team: at the helm our Director, Jackson Graham, Race Director, Hayden Johansen, Head Instructor, Penelope Whiteside, and Dock Director, Henry Tasker. Thank you to Senior Instructors, Nathan Taylor and Will Knight and to the rest of the instructional team, Charlie Dischner, George Knight, Vivi Sauter, Cameron Reynolds, Peyton Reynolds, Charlie Sauter, Max Meilke, Josie McCabe, Ellie Ottem, Spencer Kircher, Leander Braun and Liam O’Rear. Dock Assistants Rose Mortara , Calvin Hoag, Max Travnicek , George Kircher and volunteer dock assistant, Bill Hoag.
We look forward to seeing everyone on the dock next summer! Until then here’s use this link for a recap of the summer of 2025 Video Link . Thank you Henry Tasker for putting this together.
See you on the Dock!
Last EYC Pop-up Shop, Fall Clean-up Day
Last EYC Merchandise Sales of the summer- Friday August, 15th
Come on down to the dock this is your last day this summer to shop the Friday pop-up shop! We still have many options to choose from including this year’s Regatta UVs and Tees. Grab those fall birthday and Christmas gifts now.
EYC Online Shop Link
If you are not able to come to the dock this Friday, don’t forget to check our online store through Game Day Gear. This site has a variety of EYC branded merchandise from Helly Hanson, Peter Millar and Yeti, with a variety of options to choose from. The best part is the EYC earns 10% of the sales, so buying items helps us to fundraise. Use this link for the EYC Online Store.
Bridge and Mahjongg continue
While our last sailing lesson will be on Friday, Bridge and Mahjongg will continue in the clubhouse through September.
Fall Close-up Day-Saturday, August 30th
We made so many sailing memories this summer and the laughter and cheer from the dock will carry us into the fall and winter. On Saturday, August 30th, we will prepare the club for its long winter’s rest. Come on down to the dock one last time for our fall close-up day. We will start at 9:00 a.m. and we will have refreshments for the participants.
Commodore’s Cocktails Thank You’s
While the storm took away their thunder, we give a huge thank you to the folks who set up our year end awards and recognition event only to take it back down including our coordinator Julie Watkins, Claudia Werner, Lisa Gifford, Carol Miles, Marta Fonseca, Susanna and Rose Mortarra, Laura and Jack O’Rourke, and our staffers, Charlie Dischner, Jackson Graham and Penelope Whiteside.
See you on the Dock!
2025 Commodore’s Party Message
Dear EYC Members,
We call the gathering at the end of the summer season the Commodore’s cocktail party, but I feel it is not about the Commodore or even in celebration of the Commodore. It is the Commodore’s opportunity to recognize, honor and celebrate skippers and crew, who race in the weekly race series throughout the season; volunteers, who are generous with their time, resources and talents; and benefactors who contribute financially to the EYC. It is a celebration of EYC staff who bring it rain or shine. It is a celebration of the EYC Community who are the heart of the club.
I’m heavy hearted that a tornado blew away our opportunity to gather in celebration. Skipper of the party Julie Watkins with crew Claudia Werner created a whimsical and beautiful space which was awe inspiring! The string of life jackets and apple branches captured the essence of our gem of a sailing club which is nestled upon the Door County Peninsula. I am incredibly sad we could not gather to celebrate the accomplishments of the racers, hard work of volunteers and EYC community in this gorgeous setting.
This blog is long, but you all deserve the recognition you’ve earned.
EYC Racing was robust this season. Congratulations to all winners of the Weekly Race Series, you know who you are and so will the EYC community because we will list the winners in a blog and Fall Eagles Cry. I’m sorry we could not present your plaques to you in person, but that does not take away from your racing achievements! I hope to see you all racing again next Summer and winning plaques to add to your trophy wall and cups to add to your barware collection.
EYC is committed to the vision of building a sustainable, life enriching sailing education experience that positively impacts the community and reinforces a desire to preserve sailing’s Corinthian values. We give the Sportsmanship award to an EYC youth member who embodies this vision. I believe the Sportsmanship Award is one of the highest, if not the highest honor an EYC youth member can achieve. I am honored to present the 2025 Sportsmanship Award to Gus Braun.
As a volunteer run club, EYC only stays afloat when members raise their hands to chair fundraisers and gatherings; serve on committees; and pitch in last minute and behind the scenes. Volunteer of the year honors the EYC member who has a long history of taking on volunteer jobs that are often not highlighted or shiny. For years and years, the winner of this award has been behind the scenes making the EYC better because of all her tireless efforts. I am honored to present the 2025 Volunteer of the Year award to Carol Fiedler.
Thank you to Lisa Forsman who has served as Social Chair for four years. I believe the social gatherings allow for community building and that is what makes the club so special. Thank you for organizing and assisting Chairs and volunteers for the many social events we have during the summer! I appreciate all you’ve done to make EYC a party on the dock.
I would be remiss in not taking this opportunity to thank Geoff Werner for the many years he has served EYC on the BOD and in the Merchandise Chair Role. He created upscale classic designs for the club. I proudly don my EYC sail bags, foul weather gear, vests, polos, and t-shirts in Connecticut and get stopped by many asking if I belong to Eastport Yacht Club. When they read the fine print, Ephraim Yacht Club, they are intrigued, as they should be, because even though we only have a small clubhouse with a dock, we provide first class sailing education and racing opportunities.
I am very proud of what we achieved together at the EYC Gala this year. A huge thank you to Jane Lacy who chaired the Gala and served up the fun. No detail was left to chance and we all kicked up our heels and Lifted up EYC! Our goal was $25,000 and we raised almost $30,000. So thank you members who contributed generously!
Thank you to the EYC Board of Directors with whom I serve the EYC. It’s a pleasure to work with each of you in the summer and off season. We may close up the Clubhouse on Labor Day, but we labor for the EYC all year round.
Thank you to all Rear Commodores. I am honored to be in your company now and to have kept what you poured yourselves into afloat.
To make sense of Saturday, I look to the Tibetan custom of mandalas. In Tibetan Buddhism, sand mandalas are meticulously created as temporary works of art, only to be ritually destroyed shortly after completion. This destruction, often referred to as “blowing away,” symbolizes the Buddhist concept of impermanence and the ephemeral nature of all things. The process of creating and then dismantling the mandala serves as a powerful visual lesson in the transient nature of life.
What Julie created for us on Saturday was a work of art. The destruction blew it away, but this provides clearing for new. As EYC Commodore, I was inspired to honor the past and at the same time trim EYC sails for the future. The course is clear and I wish the best for EYC and Commodore Marta Fonseca as we sail into the future together.
With a warm heart,
Lisa Gifford
EYC Rear Commodore ’24-’25
*Thank you to everyone who helped get the EYC back in order after the storm, including Josie and Sara McCabe. Colin and Henry Knight, Andrew and Cameron Reynolds, Katie and David Lucey, Charlie, Vivi and Steve Sauter, Max Travnicek, Jackson Graham and Penelope Whiteside.