CHICAGO REGATTA RECAP

CHICAGO REGATTA DONATIONS SET NEW STANDARD FOR GENEROSITY

BY NANCY SNYDER & SONJA VEILLEUX

The racers, cruisers, paraders, donors, sponsors and auction shoppers who participated in the 2021 Chicago Regatta presented by Wintrust increased their contributions for the fifth year. This year’s event allowed the regatta to donate the most ever to the regatta’s charitable partners, Comer Children’s Hospital, SOS Children’s Villages Illinois and the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation.

The largest growth in contributions in 2021 came from our donors, including seven donors at each of the platinum and gold levels, 31 silver-level sponsors and 41 donors giving at the bronze level.

“The challenge that we made to ourselves and our participants for 2021 was to ‘do even more,’ and we did!” said Bruce Danly, chairman of the 2021 event. “Outstanding is the word that comes to mind as the many complex pieces of this event came together and our community came through with more generosity and enthusiasm than ever before. We cannot thank everyone enough.”

The addition for 2021 of a new Leaderboard contest exploded with donations from coast to coast as friendships around the country were connected to our local waterfront community. Congratulations to the teams that assembled the largest donations and so get their names added to the Chicago Regatta trophy: Ed and Carrie Falkenhayn’s Lake House – a power yacht, Pinnacle Foundation’s Vincitore – a racing yacht and the Women on the Water committee’s Sonar sailing team. We look forward to seeing this new regatta element grow.

Nearly 80 boats registered for the day of racing, including one-design fleets, cruisers and DragonForce model sailboat racing. Competitors enjoyed warm sunshine and a moderate southeasterly breeze, offering a day of champagne sailing with clear views of the city’s shore and skyline. The DragonForce racing attracted not only a large field of competitors but also drew a crowd of spectators as beautiful late-summer conditions drew everyone to Monroe’s south patio.

As the sun set the evening’s activities kicked off with the regatta’s new event, a parade of many of the club’s most elegant and impressive vessels. Parade participants added a new way for us to enjoy Chicago’s waterfront while making an enduring impact on the lives of children in need.

“We loved the casual nature of the event and the opportunity to showcase the charities we supported,” said Kurt Lentsch, CYC’s power fleet chairman who helped organize the parade. “We’re looking forward to including more participants and raising even more funds for our beneficiaries.”

Sons of Chicago Band served up lively blues led by our own Gary Feracota. The band had people on their feet dancing on a perfect late-summer evening, delightfully capping off the buffet dinner that featured a Chicagothemed menu. Throughout all the activities, our silent auction saw lively bidding on fantastic items from wine and jewelry to destination vacations.

We offer our enormous gratitude to presenting sponsor Wintrust along with the continuing support and generosity of Pinnacle Yachts and Pinnacle

Foundation and our new sponsors, BMW, Larsen Marine and OMEGA. generosity and love of the water continues to flourish and support the city’s most deserving children.

Many thanks to our medal donors for their gifts to our charitable organizations, and to those who donated extraordinary and memorable items to the Silent Auction.

A special thank you goes out to the event chair, Bruce Danly, with vice chairs Nancy Snyder, Ed Falkenhayn and Gary Feracota and the entire planning committee for their hard work throughout the season to ensure the city’s premier event showcasing our community’s As always, our volunteer Race Committee did a great job of managing our racecourses and the countless hours and passion unreservedly contributed by the yacht club staff made this year’s event a true highlight of the club’s season!

The 2021 Chicago Regatta thanks you for your participation and donations, and we look forward to seeing you all at next year’s event. ✶

THANK YOU SPONSORS & MEDAL DONORS

PLATINUM MEDAL LEVEL

Will and Tammy Conrardy The Duda Foundation Edward & Carrie Falkenhayn Andrew & Patty Hurst Peter Thornton Townsend Family Foundation William and Julie Vitner Family Fund

GOLD MEDAL LEVEL

Commodore Nick Berberian & Nancy Berberian Bruce & Jill Danly Cal Falkenhayn Kurt and Dena Lentsch Past Commodore Greg Miarecki and Chris Albanis, M.D. Amy Robertson Jane Stroud Wright Trust

SILVER MEDAL LEVEL

Charles & Rita Anderson James & Susan Armstrong Peter & Elizabeth Barrett Michael Belsley Jeffrey Bernacchi Mark Birringer William & Jude Bloom Jill Brennan Frank ten Brink Tom & Mary Falck Carrie Falkenhayn Gary Feracota Charles Gerstner Rear Commodore Ray Groble Treasurer, Michael J. Kovacs Cari Murray Kremer Warren and Sue Ellen Levins Walter Lisowski Dawn A Mackie Nick and Lauren Manusos Laura Zeman & Tone Martin Cari MurrayKremer Abbey Paving Eric Oesterle Raymond Oral Sharon and Louis Rosenthal Karma Sailing Group - Sandoval Family Randall Schmidt Derek Torrey Whitford Family Sam & Sonja Veilleux

BRONZE MEDAL LEVEL

William Ankenbrandt Cyd Archer Nancy & John Arnold Denise Ashurst James Banovitz Jeff Barton David Baruch Past Commodore Jerry Bober & Sandy Bober Elizabeth Burtt Armand Candea Christy Coon Michael Dannecker Thomas Dodd Steve Dorfman Michael Matthew Frerker Matt & Emmy Gallagher Captain David & Sharon Galen Vice Commodore, Lisa Curcio Gaston Anthony Hadley Stanley Hill Rick & Mary Ann Lillie Josh Lutton Lauren Manusos Dr. Alice Martin & Ted Jones Michael & Merry Mayer Liz & John Newman Ken Nordine & Janice Dale Shawn O’Neill Clark Pellett Jordan Peters Patrick Pilch A David Radomski John & Sally Rudnick Ann Rundle The Sigmond Family Scott and Stevie Sims Owen & Emily Smith Nancy Snyder James Surgue Adam Spense Tom & Liz Sublewski