Thanks to friends, volunteers, and donors for a great season of youth, college, and adult community sailing at Yellow Creek State Park. We’re ending the season with a great step forward for 2024.
Last week, we were able to purchase and pick up six FJ sailboats from Middle River, Maryland. These Chesapeake hulls will be a great addition for our youth and college sailors–beginners who are just learning and experienced folks who want to try racing.
Donors over the years to FOYC sailing and the foundation account for IUP sailing made this possible. We were able to pool resources to purchase a joint fleet; each organization taking responsibility for half.
Thanks especially to Nathanael Arthurs, who helped facilitate the purchase. And to all the volunteers who helped us unload, organize, and put the boats away for the winter.
We are always looking for new sailors. Are you a youth or adult who wants to learn how to sail? Are you an experienced sailor looking to get back into the sport, perhaps even teaching others? Please contact FriendsOfYellowCreek@gmail.com
We want sailing to be accessible to all with modest participation fees. Our expenses are ongoing, including insurance, new sails, and equipment repairs.
If you are able to contribute, both community sailing at Friends of Yellow Creek and the sailing club alumni IUP Foundation invite tax deductable donations. Write FriendsOfYellowCreek@gmail.com or IUPSailingClub@gmail.com
Donations are accepted any time via:
FOYC PA Parks and Forests Foundation
IUP Foundation Alumni Sailing Club:
Friends of Yellow Creek remembers our founding board member, Patrick F Gates, 86 of Nanty Glo, who passed away on March 17, 2023. Pat was an enthusiastic, no-nonsense volunteer. H was always ready to help, whether planting trees, registering bike racers, or building picnic tables. When we rehabbed a pontoon boat for the Friends group, Pat showed up with a battery he’d purchased for us at Walmart — “I thought this would be useful.” He also made connections and sought donations from other groups for the park. Pat was born April 10, 1936 in Hollsopple. Pat was a United States Marine Corp Veteran and retired from Bethlehem Steel. True to form, Pat made sure to renew his own membership for 2023, signing up in December, beating all the rest of us. Here he is pictured after helping us sink posts for a canoe rack at the lake.
Families have enjoyed being part of the sailing base this season. Many have joined us for the Windy Wednesday “Learn to Sail.” But some days the wind isn’t there. Community Sailing Base members can also enjoy access to kayaks and paddle boards.
Friends, enjoy your Memorial Day weekend. Community sailing begins this Wednesday and every Wednesday through Labor Day, at 4pm. Our volunteer instructors will help novices or those who need to brush up their sailing skills earn their US Sailing certification. Experienced sailors can “check-off” their skills and gain full access to the FOYC fleet.