Dear Friends and Northwoods Neighbors,

Thank you to all who responded to the Star Lake Yacht Club questionnaire that was mailed out last month.  We greatly appreciate the time you took to answer the questions honestly and in a timely manner.  While the majority of you strongly agreed with the statement “I have enjoyed attending a past SLYC regatta,” there is not enough interest to continue with our annual regatta at this time. 

The Star Lake Yacht Club was started in 1970 by our father/grandfather/great-grandfather, Tom Caraway, founded on his love for sailing… and socializing.  His vision was to create an opportunity to promote closer community relations and good sportsmanship on the lakes we all love.  Since then, multiple generations of Star Lake neighbors have enjoyed learning to sail, participating in regatta activities, and creating new friendships – just as he intended.

Unfortunately, today we find ourselves faced with making the decision to suspend this great tradition.  While some years have been better than others, recently it has been a challenge to find enough sailing members to field a competitive race.  In addition, of the responses we received, 99% of you strongly disagreed with the statement “I would be interested in being a commodore sometime in the future.”  

To preserve the historical record of this club, our family will maintain the documents and records dating back to the first regatta in 1970.  To honor the tradition, we have also protected the Star Lake Yacht Club name and burgee. The remaining funds in the Star Lake Yacht Club account (approximately $525) will be donated to the trust that was established for the children of our former, fallen commodore Karen Wessel.  

We will stand ready to bring the club back to life if there is renewed interest. Until then, we all have many years of wonderful memories.

On behalf of the entire Caraway/Conley family – thank you.

Dan Conley

July 2015