“I’m a sailor from the Great State of Iowa. This statement as incredulous as it may seem is true. As a kid summer sailing, racing scows, on Lake Okoboji in the Iowa Great Lakes was like heaven to me. I have been sailing ever since, cruising the South Pacific in the ’70’s on a 32’ cutter my husband and I built, racing the 39’ sloop we also built, and campaigning our Moore 24 for 20 years. I was the light one on the crew and loved being bowperson doing 40+ races a year. We now have an Olson 25. Two years ago I retired from racing after fracturing my left arm on the main sheet in a 30 knot jibe. I’m now ashore helping with Race Committee—much safer.
Six years ago when I started working on the Tall Ship project helping Meghan in the office I would not have imagined I would be sailing aboard Matthew Turner yesterday. What a pleasure these six years have given me and Lon. To go to work for Alan Olson, the supreme dreamer who has an extraordinary can-do attitude was the best thing that could happen. Volunteering gives me such a sense of fulfillment. Someone once said “you feel good when you do good”. That works for me.
Since my real-world jobs have always involved office management, I am so lucky to escape the office and be working with the Sewing Team at Call of the Sea. I learned to sew when I was 10. A neighbor, who was a retired school teacher, gave Saturday sewing lessons during the summers to a bunch of us little girls. I still have my Singer Featherweight I used to learn to sew clothes for myself and my doll. I went on to study Home Economics at the University of Northern Iowa.
I love working with team “Sew N Sews” on the projects we have done on Matthew Turner and Seaward. The team is busy now getting Seaward spruced up for her winter season in Baja Mexico. For my future with Call of the Sea, I can see no end to the self-perpetuating sewing projects—mending and extending the life of fabric items is one of my favorite things to do. And I love working with all the volunteers and staff of Call of the Sea; what a varied and diverse group of talented individuals.”
