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“We feel that unmistakable wistfulness as another ending draws near.
Packing up, wearing a sweater, and saying goodbye to friends is actually the beginning
of the countdown to next summer when another adventure begins.”
~ “Remembering 100 Year at the Beach”
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KBIA by the numbers
We have reason to be proud of another great season here at KBIA. Not only did we see and hear children “being children” all summer, our numbers tell us the same story. We had more participants than ever! We served 691 people this summer; the previous high was 665 in 2013. During Week 4 alone, we served a record 343 folks!
Weekly we offered more than 55 various programs, and we also played host for two swim meets, a MIRC sailing competition, our 23rd annual 5K/1K road race and the fifth annual Reid Sacco Family Regatta, plus weekly sold-out movie nights, bonfires on the beach, teen and tween nights, and two celebratory awards/barbecues.
KBIA’s signature program – the Waterfront – saw growth in Sea Fleas, plus every level of sailing and kayaking we offer. And our Sailing Team had a fantastic season! At the five MIRCs in which they competed, KBIA had 3 first-place finishes and 1 second-place finish in the 420 division. In the two competitions, KBIA placed second both times in the Opti division. And two members of the race team represented KBIA at the Junior Olympics in Portland this July!
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Extend the gift of “summer”
KBIA also almost doubled from last year the number of scholarships we were able to award, and, with your help, we’d like to carry on that tradition. And now through the end of September, friends of KBIA will match every $2 we raise with an additional $1 donation! By donating to our fund, you will give a child the opportunity “to be a kid,” experiencing a summer of swimming, sailing, crafting and so much more at KBIA. All donations — large, small and/or online — will help push us across our finish line.
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Steering the ship
KBIA alumna Shannon Beer Belanger named President
At August’s meeting, our Board of Directors appointed a new president, Shannon Beer Belanger, mother of two and herself once a KBIA kid and office employee. Her father, Mike Beer, served as President from 1986 to 1990! Shannon replaces Seana Wood, who tirelessly led the board for two years. Thank you both for meeting the challenge!
KBIA wouldn’t and couldn’t run without the year-round efforts of its volunteer Board of Directors. In addition to working behind the scenes on everything from policy to the playground, members also meet quarterly as a group to help steer the organization. Thank you all!
OFFICERS 2014-2015
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Shannon Beer Belanger, President
Pierre Monaghan, Vice President
David Keating, Treasurer
Kirsten Oppenheimer, Secretary
Dianne Gregg Harrington
David Sweetser
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
John Bauman
Brian Campbell
Jim McGuckin
Courtney Finnegan Sepic
Susan Rundquist Palmer
Donna Smyth-Wilson
Julie Wolfson Stockman
M M Shore Tornga
Chad Walier
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Congratulations to our August award-winners
Always a bittersweet ending to a season, we concluded our 2014 season with KBIA’s biannual BBQ & Awards ceremony on Aug. 17. All children received participation ribbons, some received KBIA “wedges” or plaques for those who exemplify the KBIA spirit in attitude and accomplishment, while a select few earned their way into KBIA history. For these top honors, winners’ names are engraved on our traditional “silver ware,” which are on display in the office for all to see. Those winners were:
Hartley Lord Cup for Seamanship: Kate Stevenson
Eagle Rock Yacht Club Officer’s Cup: Madeline Montagner
Eagle Rock Yacht Club Hartley Lord Cup: Joe Ricca
Eagle Rock Yacht Club Friendship Cup: Brendan Spaulding
Sisters Gerold and Vincent Art Award: Frederique Savard
Feldman Art Award: Shoshana Polivy
Keepers of the Cove: Kate Stevenson and Shoshana Polivy
Griswold Tray: Dan Jussaume
Cornelia Smith Award: Kelley Parisi
Jane Wydra Award: Colleen Neuberger
President’s Cup: Sophia Chauvin
Waterhouse Cup: Spencer Rundquist
Calder Cup: Chris Mara
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Coming soon to KBIA members!
Home is where the heart is, so many of us consider KBIA a home away from home. Some come to us from around the corner, while others come from around the globe, and we are united by our love for this great spot on Kennebunk Beach. To help us keep in touch year-round, we publish a Membership Directory every fall with families’ names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mails. Following tradition, it also includes a listing of winners’ names from our July and August awards ceremonies. The directory is in production right now, and members will receive the booklet in the mail by early October.
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‘Remembering 100 Years at the Beach’
“KBIA is an association of people who yearly answer the siren song of Kennebunk Beach, a place where the sky stretches overhead like a pale blue blanket, and the ocean crawls in over the sand and retreats leaving just a hint of its memory … scarlet-hued sunsets, double rainbows, periwinkles and insatiable seagulls.”
~ “Remembering 100 Years at the Beach.”
As we close out our 100th Anniversary Capital Campaign, we want to remind members of our special book, “Remembering 100 Years at the Beach.” We still have several copies left to sell! This 90-page hard-cover edition, written by Susan Doherty Hannaford and edited by Faye Denniston in 2010, features historical photos, our history, and personal stories through a century at the beach. Copies are available for $45, plus postage if mailing.
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Thoughts? Comments? Questions?
Please share your thoughts
Now that you have had a chance to reflect on your family’s summer, what did you and your family like most at KBIA? What can we improve on next year? In the spirit of open dialogue, we want to know how we may serve our members even better in the future. We invite you to gather your thoughts and send them to Executive Director Martin Lodish.
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Summer isn’t over … until Martin jumps in the pool!
See you next year!
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