| A Status Report on the Mariners and Mariner Juniors August 2020 Where we go one: we go all — pass it on!  Proud recipients of the Great Republic at AMR 2019 An appeal from SCST President Jim “Skip” Wehan Dear Friends, I wrote to you in December that it had been a difficult year. I had no idea then how much more difficult it was to become. I write to you now to ask for help! I appeal for your financial support. The Pandemic now threatens our survival because like so many other institutions our income is severely restricted while our expenses mainly continue. Let me explain.  Over the years, I shepherded the growth of the Mission Viejo High School Sailing Club from its founding to the Sea Scout and Community Sailing Programs of today. Initially, funding was provided by dues and the recycling of old newspapers. Over the 42 years since I began, financial support had grown to become a complex stream of dues, fees, grants, and individual donations. Revenue is now stripped of its dues, fees, and probably its grants. Expenses such as dock fees, insurance, and taxes continue. As the Pandemic storm threatens our youth and their families, we have battened down the hatches, lashed down all of our equipment, and gone almost totally virtual. Survival until the Virus is overcome depends on reserves and individual donations. In this newsletter, I reach out to you, the youths, parents, adult advisers, friends, and donors whose email addresses we have saved or found during these 42 years. I appeal for your financial support if you are able. I also appeal for your help in making contact with lost friends as well. Contact with many of those touched by Mariners has been lost over the years. However, the advent of social media has brought about a way in which you through contacting friends can help us reconnect bonds formed – oh so many years ago. If you know someone who desires to be reconnected or connected, please have them send their email address to skipwehan@fea.net. The last 42 years have been a team effort. Together not only have we provided so much fun, social bonding, instruction, and a safe environment in which to spend teenage years for thousands of youths but we have been a major factor in the development of their character, leadership skills, and confidence. We emphasized that love is the best approach to meeting the challenges of life. We can resume providing this extremely valuable community service once the danger imposed by the Covid-19 virus has been brought under control. Our challenge is to survive until that day comes. This too must be a team effort Thank you! Your efforts have been, are, and will be greatly appreciated. Fair winds and following seas, Jim “Skip” Wehan Donate                     Summary of Programming Youths served:       Fall Season     18 Mariner Juniors  52 Mariners      Spring Season   12 Mariner Juniors  57 Mariners Honors achieved:        Fall Season   Rendezvous – Top Ship among all participants from                     Western States                     Recipient of the coveted “Clipper” award      Spring Season  AMR – Cancelled due to Pandemic The Winter Cruise to Avalon and the Spring Cruise to San Diego were wonderful with ideal weather. The annual corporate meeting of the SCST was concluded in February with no sense of the storm on the horizon. Major restructuring of the leadership to lighten some of the load on Skip was completed. Skip remained President of the SCST, Shannon Salome became Skipper of the Mariner Juniors, John Fellner became Skipper of the Mariners and Mary Jane Johnson became Treasurer. Planning for the usual Spring Season was completed without sighting the storm clouds approaching. The Spring Season opened in the usual manner including a new program in square-rigged sailing to be offered in conjunction with the Brigantine Irving Johnson. Mariner Juniors had gone through Orientation. Mariners were organized into teams complete with youth elected boatswains, crew leaders, and assistant crew leaders. Training and rank advancement classes had started. Commitments had been made to attend AMR and Long Cruise. Suddenly, the storm by name of Covid-19 hit. Lock-down forced the programs to heave to.  Virtual meetings became the norm. The rank advancement classes were successfully completed on a virtual basis. Limited Community service was performed. The March Cruise, AMR, and Long Cruise were canceled. Both  Mariner and Mariner Junior programs remain positioned to fully reopen when conditions become favorable.     Summary of Financials Prior to the lock-down, the SCST was in good financial shape. The nonprofit corporation over the years had acquired an impressive array of vessels and equipment. Revenue was a good mix of dues and donations. There were no outstanding large maintenance costs. The rebuild of the Mariner engine had required a major outlay but donations for the rebuild of the Mariner engine had been sufficient and fully expended. After lock-down, it was difficult to fathom what was to come. An emergency budget was created for the rest of the year 2020. Revenue for the emergency budget was estimated using cash on hand and a modest dip into reserves. Refunds were issued to those who requested them for canceled cruises and competitions. Dues and fees were not refunded. Expenditures were restricted to unavoidable costs such as registration, insurance, vessel and equipment storage, taxes, and emergency repairs. Looking forward, SCST like most nonprofits has a very uncertain economic future. For the foreseeable future, dues if charged at all will be greatly reduced. The general reserves should fund the SCST through the rest of the year. After that, the corporation may be forced to utilize the restrictive funds of money donated for specific purposes. The restrictive funds will not be touched unless all other money is exhausted. Next to the flow of dues, the receipt of donations is the most uncertain question for the SCST in a time of such dire worldwide economic problems. If donors can and are willing to continue donating to the SCST at the pre-COVID-19 level, the SCST will be insured of survival.     Summary of Member Status Youths want their programs. Adults are committed to providing the same level of programming when it can be safely done.     Fund for Survival during Pandemic Provides for general expenses |
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