The First Hundred Years: Clearwater Yacht Club, 1911-2011

Marie McMahon (far left), Ann Cornett, Naomi Seavy, Sandy Jamieson, Mary Ewell, and Becky Jamieson serving coffee at the 1987 Snipe Midwinters Regatta. Gulls Archives.

the world. From quilting bees in Appalachia to women’s investment groups in Manhattan, across the years and around the globe, women find excuses to gather, to work, to eat, and to share their voices and their lives. As the women’s auxiliary of CYC, the Gulls carry on this tradition and have done so since 1977. The Gulls gather every Wednesday morning to work on craft projects (which they sell for the benefit of CYC), have lunch at the club, and to talk. Like the women of my family, they talk about everything from the philosophical to the mundane. They support CYC and, in coming together to provide service, they support each other. The idea of creating a circle of women to support the club was born in 1977 when Margaret Hanselman (wife of then Commodore George Hanselman), with the assistance of friends, began the planning process. Twenty-five women answered the call to come to the first luncheon and Betty McGraw Perkins suggested the name “CYC Gulls.” Since that day, the Gulls have gathered faithfully each week to

Gulls at work in the Gulls’ Nest in 1986 (left to right): Connie Boblenz, Marian Donovan, and Hank Hardy. Gulls Archives.

work, eat, and chat. They work all year on items to be sold at the annual “Boatique” in November and often hold a dockside rummage sale as well. These events are the major sources of income from which they make their generous contributions to the club. In addition to monetary contributions, the Gulls also provide invaluable volunteer services to CYC. Over the years, they have given essential assistance to the

52 The First Hundred Years: Clearwater Yacht Club, 1911-2011