TWENTY-FIVE YEARS YOUNG
The Twenty-fifth Anniversary Graduation and Awards Evening was held at the Britannia Yacht Club on Saturday, 22nd April 1989. There was a cash bar in the lower lounge at 1800 and dinner on the upper deck at 1900. Eighty-two members and guests enjoyed an excellent buffet dinner, short pleasant appropriate speeches, induction of new members and the presentation of awards.
The guests at the head table were Past Commander James B. Milne, AP, the first commander of the Squadron and Mrs. Milne, Chief Commander Arthur B. Charles, N, and Mrs. Charles, District Commander Evelyn Clue, AP, and the Commodore Dennis Foy of the Britannia Yacht Club and Mrs. Foy.
In addition to Past Commander Milne, three other past commanders of the Squadron were honoured as guests of the Squadron. They were Paul C.M. LaDelpha, N, 1970-1972, Ralph C. Smith, JN, 1974-1976 and K. Joan Feltham, AP, 1987-1988. Other distinguished guests were Commander Rosine Weisbord of the Ottawa Squadron and Mrs. Weisbord, Commander Roger Valiquette of the Outaouais Squadron and Kurt Cardinal, AP, one of the Charter Members of Britannia Squadron.
As a souvenir of the Anniversary Dinner everyone present received an attractive coffee mug. It had the Squadron Pennant in colour on one side and on the other side the words "Britannia Power and Sail Squadron 25th Anniversary 1964".
During the presentation of certificates and awards Colin C. Nicholson, N, was congratulated by the Chief Commander for being the first member of Britannia Squadron to become a Full Certificate Member of CPS. He completed the program with the weather course during the past winter.
Peter and Margaret MacLeod, both AP, were the recipients of the Rideau District MAREP Trophy for the second time. Unfortunately, they were not present to receive the award.
The formal festivities came to an end at 2155 and for the next hour many members and guests remained for a spontaneous and informal social hour.
At the date of the Anniversary Evening the strength of the Squadron was 423 members including associates to make Britannia, it was reported, the seventh largest Squadron in Canada. Two months later, when membership renewals were in, National statistics showed a Squadron strength of 346 including associates, which still made Britannia the thirteenth largest Squadron in Canada.
The twenty-fifth Annual General Meeting was called to order at 1730 in the Lower Lounge of the Britannia Yacht Club on Thursday, 27th April 1989. Squadron Commander Howard G. Peck, AP, chaired the meeting. The District Commander was represented by District Executive Officer Donald Bell, AP.
following officers were elected for 1989/1990:
| Commander | Howard G. Peck, AP |
| Lieut. Commander and Executive Officer |
Lawrence H. Brown, AP |
| Lieut. Commander and Training Officer |
Andris Rezebergs, JN |
| First Lieut. and Secretary | Beverley Rezebergs, S |
| First Lieut. and Treasurer | Christopher Brown |
| First Lieutenants | |
| Assistant Training Officer | George P. Hebb, S |
| Public Relations Officer | Donald Lee, AP |
| Membership | Robin E. Dingwell, AP |
| MAREP | John T. Woolsey, AP |
| Supply and Regalia | Stephen L. Testart, S |
| Safety | Ian A. Swan, S |
| Historian | Alex C. Falkner, AP |
| Editor, Running Fix | Anita S. Comeau, AP |
| Squadron Auditor | Ralph C. Smith, JN |
In his report the Commander reviewed the activities of the past year and mentioned events that the Bridge was planning for the coming year. 1988/1989 was another successful year for the Squadron.
As in most of the past twenty-five years the Treasurer was able to report a satisfactory financial situation. The surplus on operations for the past year was $383.52. This compares with a deficit of $5.06 for 1987/1988.
The Training Officer reported total registration of 103 for the Boating Courses excluding the super-accelerated joint course administered by the Ottawa Squadron. There was the usual number of drop-outs but the disappointment was a pass rate of only 76 percent for the 78 students who wrote the examination. The full results for other courses were not available for the AGM.
The formal reports to the Annual General Meeting from all of the officers are filed with the historical documents of the Squadron.
At the Annual Rideau District Conference on Saturday, 13th May, three members, and Past Commanders, of Britannia Squadron were elected to the District Bridge for 1989/1990. They were A. Kenneth Findlay, AP, District Lieutenant Commander and Administrative Officer, Stuart K. McNeely, S, District Lieutenant and MAREP Officer, and K. Joan Feltham, AP, District Lieutenant and Membership Officer.
The 50th Anniversary Flag of Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons is crossing Canada with stops at all Squadrons that asked for the flag and can arrange an event to receive the flag and to pass it on.
On the evening of 24th May the Britannia Squadron hosted a small informal reception at the Britannia Yacht Club for Squadrons in the National Capital Region. At the reception a representative of the Rideau Lakes Squadron handed the flag to Commander, Ottawa Squadron who in turn presented it to Commander, Britannia Squadron. Our Commander passed the flag to a representative of the Oiseau Rock Squadron. To end this event the Squadron representatives signed the Log for the flag and then the Oiseau Rock Squadron member handed the flag to a volunteer courier for delivery to the Kingston Squadron.
At the meeting of The Bridge on 12th June it was announced that the Public Relations Officer, 1st Lt. Donald Lee, AP, had resigned due to pressure of other work. His resignation was accepted with regret. No replacement was found for this position or for the Activities Officer position which was unfilled at the time of the AGM.
On their 0900 morning program on Monday, 19th June the CTV Television Network, CJOH Ottawa, presented a half hour on boating safety. The guests in the studio were Commander Howard G. Peck representing Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons, Commodore Dennis Foy of the Britannia Yacht Club and a representative of the Canadian Red Cross, Kathy Egan.
The interviews were well structured. The three guests were all articulate and obviously knowledgeable of the contributions their organizations make to safety on our local waterways.
Saturday, 24th June was "Sailday 1989" at the Britannia Yacht Club. The weather was very hot and humid with a light breeze from the east. Members of the Squadron provided some yachts and crews while others volunteered for safety and administrative duties. The Yacht Club was open to the public and visitors paid $10.00 for an hour on board a yacht. At the invitation of the Yacht Club the Power and Sail Squadron had an information booth on the grounds. There was relatively little interest from the public in either the Power Squadron or the other exhibitors. It was too hot. Nevertheless the event was a modest success. All the proceeds from Sailday were donated to the Children's Aid Society.
"To show the flag", an impressive number of yachts taking out visitors, as well as others moored around the harbour, for the day wore CPS member's flags. This was the result of a telephone campaign by the Executive Officer who organized the CPS booth.
This completes the chronicle of significant events for the first 300 months in the history of the Squadron, July 1964 through June 1989. Now Britannia Power and Sail Squadron looks forward to the next twenty-five years of growth and service to the owners and operators of pleasure boats and yachts.
Introduction
Year 25 - 1988 / 1989