CPYC Donates Club-Record

Special to the Transcript

On Thursday, Oct. 24, representatives of Make-A-Wish, a nonprofit organization dedicated to granting wishes for children living with critical illnesses, visited the Cottage Park Yacht Club  (CPYC)in Winthrop for a check presentation ceremony marking a record $93,000 raised during its Make-A-Wish benefit weekend in early August.

The weekend, an annual feature at the club since the 1990s, celebrates a love of the water, of boating and the sport of sailing, and is a demonstration of the power of a worthy cause to rally a community. The weekend draws participants from several area yacht clubs and kicks off Friday evening with a gala reception featuring live music, gourmet food and beverage tastings — thanks to the generosity of many restaurants, wine and spirit providers from Winthrop and beyond — and premium silent auction and raffle prizes. It proceeds with two days of racing by youth sailors, three one-design fleets, and a Saturday handicap race for sailboats of all kinds. It also features a fundraising dinner Saturday evening, complete with family-focused raffles and auctions, and concludes with a Sunday afternoon awards ceremony. 

CPYC is the regional chapter’s oldest partner and an important fundraiser in support of their mission to make wishes come true for children struggling with serious illness, Make-A-Wish representatives said during the ceremony. CPYC Commodore David Reynolds thanked the army of volunteers, led by the club’s Make-A-Wish Committee, co-chaired by Past Commodore John Cataldo, Michelle Lentz, Lisa Feingold, whose efforts were essential to hosting a successful event.

“The Cottage Park Yacht Club is proud of its 30-year relationship with Make-A-Wish and we look forward to many more years of supporting their important mission,” Reynolds said.

Planning is in its early stages for next summer’s Make-A-Wish weekend, to be held Aug. 1-3, 2025.