November 17, 2022

Last night, Lisa Curcio Gaston was elected to serve as the 71st Commodore of the Chicago Yacht Club and will begin her term on New Year’s Day. Lisa fell in love with the water decades ago when she first started boating on the Chain O’Lakes. By the early 1990s, she was boating on Lake Michigan and joined the Chicago Yacht Club in 1997.

October 25, 2022

When Bill Bloom joined the Chicago Yacht Club in 2009, it changed his life. A longtime athlete with a competitive spirit growing up, Bill was introduced to the sport of sailing that year and never looked back.

October 25, 2022

by Greg Miarecki

Dear Friends,

It’s been an amazing year so far at the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation. During the boating season, we saw hundreds of kids from all across the city of Chicago participating in Foundation-supported programs.

October 25, 2022

Chicago teen Eric Zirkle didn’t know what to expect when he signed up for the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation’s new Maritime Academy this summer. A senior at Rickover Naval Academy in Chicago, Eric just hoped to learn some basic skills he could use to get a job on the water.

September 20, 2022

by Greg Miarecki

Welcome to the September edition of the Beacon!  

Let me start off with a heartfelt THANK YOU to Nancy Snyder, Ed Falkenhayn, and the members of the Chicago Regatta organizing committee. 

September 20, 2022

Victor Chigas was one of a kind. He grew up in Catskill, New York, and worked in his father’s Greek restaurant where he honed the exceptional people skills that were a hallmark of his remarkable life.

September 20, 2022

Chicago teen Sky Edmonds worried she’d be homesick over the course of five days sailing on a tall ship on Lake Michigan. Alice Bakkum wondered if she’d be able to fall asleep on the boat.

August 15, 2022

by Greg Miarecki

Welcome to the August edition of the Beacon.

In this edition, we’re featuring our new SOS Illinois Sailing Camp, a joint venture between the Foundation and the Chicago Yacht Club Sailing School.

New to the Beacon this month is our “Donor Spotlight,” featuring longtime CYC members Peter and Marijane Thornton.

I know you will enjoy the features.

August 15, 2022

A few rainy days couldn’t dampen the excitement of 10 Chicagoland kids from SOS Children’s Villages Illinois who got their first taste of sailing through a new camp sponsored by the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation.

For nine-year-old Randi, swimming in the lake was the best part of the camp while Nevaeh, 13, liked learning boating lingo. “I know I can’t say left and right – it’s port and starboard,” she said.

August 15, 2022

Peter Thornton was just a kid when he fell in love with Jackson Park, its lagoons and especially the harbor.

“I can remember as a young boy, standing at the foot of the bridge on south Lake Shore Drive, fishing with my mom on many a Sunday morning. My dream was to be able to own one of those boats someday,” he said.

August 15, 2022

Join us for the first “Foundation Night” in the Mac Bar (Monroe Station) on Thursday, September 1st from 5:30 - 7:00 pm.

July 14, 2022

by Greg Miarecki

I’m honored to serve as the President of the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation and hope you will enjoy these updates about the impact we are making.

We focus primarily on Chicagoland’s kids, many of whom have never even seen Lake Michigan. Our initiatives include everything from grants and sponsorships to after-school programs to nautical education programs.

We have many exciting new initiatives this year and look forward to doing big things—together.

July 14, 2022

Chicago teen Marcus Davis graduated from the CYC Foundation’s Maritime Academy this month with not only a range of new nautical skills – but also a summer job.

“I’ve never been on the water – and seeing the sunset over the city was great,” he said.

July 14, 2022

This year, the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation is delighted to be the Platinum Sponsor of the Open Horizons Youth Sailing Program, an initiative of the Jackson Park Yacht Club Foundation.

July 14, 2022

Members of Chicago Yacht Club enjoy complimentary admission to the exhibit “Boats: Captain Your Own Adventure” at the Chicago Children’s Museum on Saturday, August 13, 2022.

“We hope children have the opportunity to try on new roles, create stories, and play together in an environment that inspires exploration and adventure.”

- Karen Lewis Alexander

VP of Development

Chicago Children's Museum