March 2026 | Ashley Farr
With each warm and sunny day, we are nearing the start of another beautiful season on the crystal clear waters of Lake Tahoe. The annual budget has been balanced. Race and social calendars have been finalized. And community education plans are already in motion. Ready about, 2026 is going to be an exciting year!
As always, none of this happens without the passion and involvement of our members. Thank you to everyone who volunteers, organizes, mentors, and participates. We are working on creating volunteer sign-ups and opportunities, so stay tuned for more ways to get involved this season!
2026 Budget
Earlier this month, the Board finalized the 2026 budget. This year’s budget reflects a thoughtful balance between fiscal responsibility and meaningful investment in the experiences that bring our community together. We’ve taken a close look at opportunities for cost savings and operational efficiencies, while ensuring we continue to prioritize the programs and events that make our club special. Our goal in 2026 is to continue building opportunities for members that align with our mission as an organization.
Important Callouts
- Our club’s primary revenue stream is driven by new and returning memberships. This year, we are planning for 106 members to help cover our planned budget expenses. Help us meet this goal by renewing your membership and recruiting new members!
- In 2025, we spent nearly 60% of the budget on operational costs. This year, the Board is actively seeking ways to help lower these costs so funding can be directed towards strategic club initiatives and value-added programming for members and our South Lake community.
- A big thank you to our Treasurer, Spencer Griscom, and our Communications Coordinator, Laura Fichet, for their ongoing efforts to lower costs. We are already anticipating at least a $1000 savings annually based on their efforts!
- We are excited to announce two new strategic budget investments: community education and juniors’ program! These budgets are expected to bring in additional revenue to the club to help sustain investments in education and community outreach. More specifics available below.
All members in good standing are welcome to request a more detailed breakdown of the 2026 Budget plan, please email secretary@sltwyc.com for additional information.
Membership Focused-Value
At the helm of our social activities is this year’s Party Commodore, Lesley Bosch! Focusing on high-quality and cost conscious activities, she is refreshing our social programming with a new look at club gatherings and events. Our goal is to create more opportunities for members to come together in a relaxed and welcoming environment throughout the season. Our next big event will be the Welcome Back Mixer on Friday, April 10. Be sure to check out the club calendar for the full lineup of socials and activities, there’s something for everyone! Have an idea for a casual meetup? Email Lesley and help build out our amazing community!
Following an exceptional 2025 sailing season, our Rear Commodore, Eric Villadsen, has been hard at work identifying ways to continue to elevate racing in South Lake. This year, we’re excited to introduce a new doublehanded distance race while also welcoming back some member favorites, including Wednesday Night Beer Can series (Spring, Summer, & Fall), Sail Week Lake Tahoe and the ever-competitive Tahoe Cup Regattas! Keep an eye out for Tahoe Cup early registration and the website racing page for more details on sign-ups.
Community Education
Last but certainly not least, the 2026 Board is THRILLED to celebrate two amazing individuals that are helping to drive incredible community programming: Alex Gross, Juniors Program Lead, and Sam Corso, Community Education Lead. Under the leadership of these two dedicated members, SLTWYC will be hosting multiple week-long Juniors’ summer camps in addition to offering Adult Learn to Sail programming for the South Lake Tahoe community. Beyond teaching sailing fundamentals, these programs help cultivate confidence, teamwork, and what we hope is a lifelong connection to the sport.
Alex has been working hard to develop a robust, weekly long juniors’ program focused on dinghy sailing of Optimist (better known as “Optis”). We have already made incredible headway by acquiring FIVE Optis for use in our program! Thanks to Sam’s successful partnership efforts with several Bay area yacht clubs, four were acquired by donation from Richmond Yacht Club. The fifth was donated by our very own Susan Chandler! Susan joined SLTWYC last year and has been an advocate and great asset in establishing our Opti program. Although we still have a few open questions to answer, we are excited to launch a pilot Juniors’ Program this season!
We’re also expanding access to sailing through additional instructional and community programming. Last year, Spencer proved great success in partnering with Lake Tahoe Community College, LTCC, Adult Learn-to-Sail sessions. A big shoutout to Ross Groelz, Mike Robinson, Eric Villadsen, and Andy Groelz for their support in the 2025 program. We are excited to iterate on last year’s success to offer even more elevated learning to our community.
Finally, I am excited to announce the return of the Women’s Sunday Sailing Clinic. Inspired by the success in years past, I am personally planning to bring back this exciting learning opportunity to the South Lake community. The programming is still being defined, but we plan to offer a special discount to any female members of SLTWYC that would like to join in this event as well. If you’re interested in volunteering OR if you’d like to participate, please let me know!
As the season approaches, I’m reminded that what makes this club truly special isn’t just the racing, the events, or even the beautiful setting. It’s the people who show up, lend a hand, and make things happen. The plans are in place, the momentum is building, and there’s a lot to look forward to in the months ahead. Thank you for being part of this community and for helping make SLTWYC such a vibrant and welcoming place on Lake Tahoe. I look forward to seeing you all on the water this season!
