Holiday Issue
December 2009

Happy Holidays, Flying Ducks!

It's snowing outside right now, but we are thinking of summer swim here at BLST. If you miss your fellow Ducks and want to catch up with them, please join us at our holiday party Sunday, January 3, 2010 at (where else?) Big Joe's from 5-7 pm. Be sure to bring a friend and let them see what a great team we have, and encourage them to join us next summer! While you're there, be sure to pick up some team apparel to tide you over. Flannel pants and sweatshirts come in handy this time of year!

Winter Clinics

Also coming up is our annual winter swim clinic. The clinic will be held at the Jeff Rouse/QDD Aquatic Center on Sunday evenings beginning February 21 and running each week (except Easter) until May 2. The clinic will emphasize improving technique in all four strokes and is a great way to get ready for the summer season. We will only have one session this year, from 5-6 pm, and the cost for the entire session is $60. Space is limited, so please register early. Any interested swimmers may register for the clinic at the holiday party on January 3, or you may send an email to Susan Doster at mysticmutt@verizon.net to secure your space. Note that in order to participate you must pay the full registration fee prior to the start of the clinic on February 21. This is another great chance to introduce your friends to the Flying Ducks, so sign up with a friend!

Team Yard Sale

We are planning another yard sale this spring. Last year's yard sale brought in nearly $1,000 for our team so it's a huge boost to our slim treasury. Last year, we put it together quickly, but this year we are hoping a longer lead time will give us more items to sell, bringing in more money for the Ducks. Please set aside a box NOW and use the next few months to stash yard sale items to donate. What a deal: clear the clutter at home and raise money for your team! We'll send out information about dates, drop-off times, and volunteer opportunities in a few months. Thanks for your help with this!

Coaching & Volunteer Aide Opportunities

We are very pleased that we've had a large number of past and current swimmers express interest in being either a coach or volunteer aide during our winter clinics and/or the summer season. Unfortunately, there are too many requests to accommodate everyone. So, to ensure that each person who is interested gets a fair chance at these exciting opportunities, the BLST Board has decided to follow an application and selection process for this year's coaches and aides. We will be posting an application on our website in the near future. Anyone who would like to be considered for a coach or volunteer aide position should keep an eye on our website, http://www.benlomondswimteam.com/, for the application. Our plan is for BLST President Mike Romanowski and Head Coach Karri Guiliani to interview all applicants early next year.

Holiday Apparel Sales

BLST Flying Ducks sweatshirts, sweatpants, flannel pants, T-shirts or caps will make great holiday gifts for the Ducks in your family flock! If you are interested in purchasing any apparel for the holidays please contact Melissa Rowley at melissa.rowley@comcast.net.

Enjoy the season, Ducks, and be sure to come to the holiday party!