That was last year. 2021 is a new year. Graham is signing up new members nearly every day of the week. Lessons are filling up within minutes of posting. Camp sold out months ago. Adaptive sailing, member sails, "WoW Wednesdays," kayak orientations, and "Cruiser Sundays" are in full force. We even conducted a fun teambuilding regatta with UVA's Darden Business School last week. Awesome, right!?

It IS awesome... but it is only the beginning of what we can accomplish as a community. Regardless of your membership level, please make volunteerism a key part of your DSC experience. Whether it is volunteering for member sails, adaptive sailing events, or facilities projects, our sailing community needs member-volunteer support now more than ever.

If you are a new member and are looking for the best ways to maximize your membership, take an Access Dinghy lesson, participate in a kayak orientation, or join in a weekly member event. Also, Welcome Aboard! I have enjoyed meeting so many new folks through The DSC this year, and new members are bringing fresh energy to The DSC.

And if you are an out-of-towner or have the privilege of owning your own boat, please consider donating to The DSC today so that we can continue to improve the lives of those we serve. Every dollar makes a difference, and your financial support is essential to us.

There is more to The DSC than just sailing and boating. As a community sailing center "Where Sailing is for Everyone," we want to make sure all of our sailors have an equal opportunity to sail in a safe, nurturing environment. Our community exists to support those who have traditionally been left out of the sailing community.

As sailors, we are self-reliant... but we also commit to helping others in need. It is easy to get tunnel vision and "ditch the mask" as we think about our own needs. I appreciate the care that our sailors continue to take around others, and I want to assure all of our sailors and supporters that The DSC is committed to protecting the safety of all who sail with us.

I thank all of our sailors for continuing to practice good hand hygiene, mask wearing on the docks, and boat washing, and I know that we can avoid transmitting COVID-19 at our docks if we stay attentive to our safety protocol and do our part to look out for our neighbors.

The last thing I will say about the coronavirus pandemic is this: Though we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel, we are not "out of the tunnel" yet. Our DSC community has been doing its part to keep our friends and families safe from the virus, but we cannot ease up now. In sailor's parlance, "it is time to hike harder and keep the boat flat until we have crossed the finish line."

I am as excited as anyone to relax like the "before times"... but we have not yet finished the race. Thank you for doing your part to stop the spread of COVID-19, and thank you for showing compassion to your fellow sailors as we continue our beat to windward.

And, in the spirit of finishing strong, I would be remiss if I failed to ask for you to DONATE to our spring fundraising campaign if you are able. The DSC is only 10% of its way to achieving our annual fundraising goal. Our spring fund drive, $26,000 for our 26th year, is focused on capital improvements that make our facility safer, cleaner, and more beautiful. These capital improvements are for the benefit of our future DSC sailors, be they eight or eighty-eight.