October 2021 Anchorlines

October 2021 Anchorlines

ANCHORLINES

Coming MEMBER Events October 2021

Volume 21:10

COMING MEMBER EVENTS

Saturday, October 30 5:30 pm Come in Costume or Come as You Are! …but come join the fun and kick off our new season. A Signature Event with singers, dancers, prizes & more! Watch your email for the menu!

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COMING MEMBER EVENTS

October 2

Dancing at the Burgee Bar with the Moonstone Riders; sponsored by Jim/Jean Lavery; Todd/Michele Nelson

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Fla-mingle Progressive Dinner

Day Cruise Circumnavigate the Island; Lunch MIYC

High Tea with Illy Evening Colors

Welcome Back -- Monster Mash Halloween Party

November 2-8

Key West Cruise

Members Recruiting Members Our Member Recruiting Member Program is in full swing for FY2021! The Recruiting Member and new Member each receive a $100 gift certificate to use for food and beverage on a Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday Evening or at Sunday Brunch as long as joining fees were paid. Bring us new Members and celebrate with them! We have a new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/marcoislandyachtclub Please “Like” and “Follow” our new page to help share the fun of MIYC. We also hope you’ll “Check In” and share a picture from the club!

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Golf, Anyone? Thursday, Nov. 4 th Join us for 9 Holes of Golf!

• Couples and Singles • 9 holes “The Links” • $20/pp cart + green fees

• Tee times begin @ 3pm • Format: Scramble • Dinner at Club afterwards

Contact Alice Jobe at 239-248-7640 or email: [email protected] Deadline to sign up: Noon on Wed., Oct. 27 th Full & Equity Members Welcome

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Mariners Fund 20 th Anniversary Commemorative Engraved Brick Fundraiser

To celebrate the Marco Island Yacht Club’s 20th Anniversary, the Mariners Fund is offering members an opportunity to contribute engraved commemorative bricks that will become part of the courtyard walkway linking the Clubhouse to the new Riverside Marina. Your $150 contribution for each 8” x 8” brick enables you to customize the brick to show your support of the Club. Add your name and year you joined the club or remember friends or loved ones. All bricks will include the MIYC burgee logo, and you can add up to 5 lines of text, 18 - 20 spaces per line.

Be sure to order a commemorative brick now so that it can be engraved and ready for the walkway construction this fall.

Order forms are available at the Club reception desk. Or, contact Jon Holt, Co-chair MIYC Mariners Fund at [email protected].

The proceeds from this Mariners Fund project will be used to support additional enhancements to our Clubhouse.

Thank you for your continued support of our Club.

Mariners Fund Committee Jon & Angela Holt, Co-chairs Dick & Grace Pantano Henry Stanley John & Marguerite Steeves Diana Winterhalter

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Dear MIYC Friends,

There isn’t a day that goes by, where we don’t think about our youngest daughter Kelly, who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on April 22, 2021, at the age of 40 years. As written so eloquently on her memory card: “Kelly had a special gift for motherhood. Her little boys (Nolan 8, Conor 3) were the most important part of her life. She was loving, kind, selfless and loyal. She loved doing things for other people and found much joy in bringing others joy. She took every opportunity to show the people in her life how much they meant to her.” This was devastating for our family and certainly not the natural order of life. For five months, we lived with the lack of closure about what caused Kelly’s death. We recently spoke to the Coroner Doctor

who performed Kelly’s autopsy. The natural cause of Kelly’s death was a Heart Attack. She had Myocardial Ischemia, caused by atherosclerosis. These are plaques made up mostly of cholesterol build-up on the artery walls of the heart that restrict blood flow. When a coronary artery becomes completely blocked, there is a lack of blood and oxygen that destroys the heart muscle. Some people don’t have any signs or symptoms (silent ischemia) and we believe it was the case here. It is a hereditary condition. The reason that we are sharing this is because medical advances and technology have made great strides in the area of heart disease. We would like to call your attention to one of them which could save lives, particularly for those who don’t have symptoms or know that there is a problem. There is a test available called the “Heart Scan” (Coronary Calcium Scan) which measures the plaque buildup in your arteries and gives you a “Calcium Score.” The higher the Calcium Score, the greater risk you have to develop obstructive heart disease. The Calcium Score can either provide a baseline, where changes can be monitored over time, or it can help you identify a problem, if one exists. Of course, it is essential to talk to your doctor. Tom and I have both had this simple test. The average cost is $100.00, and is covered by most insurance plans. We have recommended this test to friends who didn’t have a clue they had a problem and are now proactively managing their heart health with a cardiologist. We grew up in an age where the medical community focused on “Cure.” We are now in a time where we are empowered to focus on “Prevention” with medical community support. Nolan, Conor and Aaron, their father, visited us on Cape Cod this summer along with our oldest daughter Michelle, her husband Jimmy and our two granddaughters Mackenzie (8) and Carly (7). We had a lot of fun together, enjoyed our family, and it was incredibly uplifting and hopeful. These beautiful children have given us a renewed sense of purpose. We are happy to be back in Marco Island and look forward to seeing all of you at the Marco Island Yacht Club. God has blessed us with many friends who offered thoughts and prayers, and we are grateful for all of the love and support. We are truly appreciative.

Best, Denise and Tom Morrison

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Key West Extended Cruise: November 2-8, 2021 This cruise is full for boat cruisers, but crew by land or sea are welcome. Land cruisers need to make their land reservations ASAP. If you are interested in joining this cruise, contact Peggy or Pete Frazier ([email protected]) Frazier.

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BOATING COURSES The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Marco Island Power Squadron (now rebranded as America’s Boating Club) offer many excellent classroom and online courses on a variety of boating topics. Currently, there are new classes being offered by the Power Squadron for September 2021 through March 2022. Click on the link below for course information*. To register, contact Ted Reiss at his email address: [email protected] Marco Island Sail and Power Squadron (America's Boating Club) https://marcoboatingclub.org/

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Helpful Links Looking for an easy way to find information? We’ve created these helpful links for you. Just click on the name of the item and you will be re-directed to the online version.

FY 2022 Calendar October Calendar Cruise Schedule FCYC Reciprocal List FCYC Summer Reciprocals MIYC Facebook Page MIYC Instagram Mediterranean Cruise - Sept 2022

FCYC MEETING SCHEDULE

CLUB

DATE

Harbour Ridge Yacht Club

November 12-14, 2021 January 14-16, 2022

Smyrna Yacht Club

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2021 MIYC BRIDGE-BOARD

Bridge - 2021

Commodore – Geoff Walker Vice Commodore – Tom Wentworth Rear Commodore – Henry Stanley Fleet Captain Power – Pete Frazier Fleet Captain Sail – Dwyn von Bereghy Port Captain – Melanie Kraemer Safety and Training Officer – Jim Rich Director FCYC – Ray Rosenberg Director FCYC Alternate – Tom Wentworth Chaplain – Alan Sandlin Recording Secretary – Dr. Shelly Derrough Quartermaster – Lee Dorison Fleet Surgeon – Dr. David Randall

Board – 2021 Chairman – Dave Everitt Vice Chairman – Angela Holt Treasurer – Gerry Gorman Secretary – Vicki Bretthauer Directors (term expires)

Bob DeFeo (2021) Geoff Walker (2021) Dave Everitt (2022) Tom Wentworth (2022) Angela Holt (2023)

Bill Wallen (2021) Tom Jobe (2022) Susan Hieftje (2023) Henry Stanley (2023)

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2021 MIYC COMMITTEES

Finance

Member Events

Boating Committee Community

Building and

Gerry Gorman, Chair Angela Holt, Chair

Tom Wentworth,

Grounds

Relations

David Caruso Bob DeFeo

Val Bilbrey Patti Cohen Deb deVries Cara Dubay M.A. Harlacker Russ Doeringer

Co-Chair

Geoff Walker, Chair Heyward Boyce

Dwyn Von Bereghy,

Dwyn Von Bereghy,

Chair

Jon Holt

Co-Chair

Dale DeFeo

Vicki Bretthauer Linda Sandlin

Jeff Comeaux Peggy Frazier Jim Heckenlaible Tom Morrison

Meredith Downton Bruce Kraemer

Bill Schroeder

Mary McKeown John Steeves

Bill Wallen

Ship’s Store

Jon Holt Alice Jobe

Deb deVries, Chair

Information Technology

Jim Rich

Communications/

Joanne Chute

Carri Kendall

Ray Rosenberg

Marketing

Ellie Everitt

Joan Gorman, Chair Deb Melges Wiebe Bill Schroeder

Michelle Hennessy,

Michele Niblack Kerri Pakalnis

David Caruso Carol Comeaux Gerry Gorman M.A. Harlacker Ed Gerri

Marguerite Steeves Paul Soden

Chair

Nancy Traiser Kelley Wentworth

Geoff Walker

Vicki Bretthauer Carol Comeaux Ellie Everitt Susan Hieftje Linda Marr Mariners Fund Jon Holt, Chair Dick Patano Grace Pantano Henry Stanley John Steeves

Advisory Members

Nominating

Vicki Bretthauer

& Governance

Alice Jobe

Ellie Everitt

Dave Everitt, Chair Vicki Bretthauer, Vice Chair

Michelle Niblack

Michelle Hennessy

Jan Rich

Kelley Wentworth

Angela Holt, Co-chair

Ed Gerri

Human Resources Kevin Hennessy, Chair Joan Gorman

MA Harlacker Denise Morrison Tom Sessa Geoff Walker

M.A. Harlacker

Marguerite Steeves Alice Jobe Diana Winterhalter Susan Smith Tom Wentworth

Feel free to contact us by email. We love to hear from you.

General Manager - Mark Felbinger ext. 302 [email protected] Executive Chef - Bob Aylwin ext. 305 [email protected] Assistant Manager - Pamela Dorr ext. 304 [email protected] Sales/Catering - Pamela Dorr ext. 304 [email protected]

Membership - Cynthia Hultquist ext. 303 [email protected]

Contributions to Anchorlines - email

[email protected] Reservations - 239-394-0199 ext. 301 [email protected]

MIYC Dockmaster - Mike Davey cell 630-329-1985

MIMA Dockmaster's Office - 642-2531 [email protected]

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Getting to Know You - Our New Dockmaster Mike Davey By Kevin Hennessy

Mike Davey was born and raised in Glen Ellyn, a suburb of Chicago, where he ultimately became Dockmaster of the prestigious Chicago Yacht Club. But before that happened, Mike spent several years in boating and crewing--more on that in a minute. Mike graduated from Roosevelt University in Chicago with a degree in Management. His passion in boating came naturally as a youth while fishing and enjoying water sports with his grandparents and extended family on Wisconsin lakes. His early career was devoted to working as a dock hand and crewing on large yachts.

To say that Mike knows yachts “inside and out” is literally true. He maintained and crewed large yachts traveling through the St. Lawrence Seaway and from New England to St. Martin. This invaluable experience helped Mike get the Dockmaster post at the Chicago Yacht Club. Mike ultimately settled in Ft. Lauderdale as Dockmaster at the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, which is also in the Florida Council of Yacht Clubs. Mike was very excited about our new Riverside Marina and felt that his “ability to provide excellent service while crewing for yacht owners would continue to transition well in providing that same service in a marina establishment.” Mike is an outdoorsman. He loves biking, swimming and keeping fit. He is also relearning guitar and ukulele--echoes of his youth calling! He has fond memories of vacationing in Hawaii with his family when he was in high school but he also loves the coastline of Maine. His “bucket list” includes Machu Picchu. His favorites? Books- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest ; Movie-As Good As It Gets; TV show - American Ninja Warriors; and Music - Classic Rock & Roll (Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton.) Mike is also passionate about volunteering, especially for food pantries. (Speaking of food, Mike’s guilty pleasure is pistachio gelato.) Mike is excited to contribute to the Club and Riverside Marina. His goal is that “in ten years the Marina will look like it is only five years old.” Welcome, Mike!

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Reservations Please! Please remember to make your reservations for dinner and events at the Club at least two days before the event. Chef Bob and his Staff like to be prepared in order to have the right amount of food and beverage. Also, when you make your reservation for a specific time, please be prepared to be shown to your table at that time. We appreciate you help as this also helps the kitchen Staff serve you in a timely manner.

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Chairman

It's October, and that means the beginning of another season. We completed our fiscal 2021 with strong usage of the Club, and this coming year is shaping up to be great year! As you know, we have had a lot of activity at the Club this year, despite the lingering Coronavirus impact. Through the summer, our club usage by members and reciprocals exceeded our budget. However, the banquet revenue continued at very low levels. Looking forward, the strong usage during the summer gives a strong indication of Club usage this fall as more of our members return to the island. We have heard from several of our international members they are anticipating a return to the island this fall. And the pre-bookings for the coming year are strong. During some months, we are fully booked!

Dave Everitt

The marina project is nearing completion. We have had a few delays related to supply issues on some components, but it still looks like the marina will be ready for occupancy in October. The burgee restrooms are in the process of reconstruction, and we are getting ready to start framing in some of the temporary spaces in the building (like the dockmaster's office and storage areas) in the next couple of weeks. Our focus for the last few weeks has been on the landscaping plan. Geoff Walker has done Yeoman's work getting quotes together and finding a supplier that will be able to handle all aspects of the project except for lighting. We have identified a landscape lighting supplier that has developed a plan that will highlight the new landscaping and will enhance the perspective of the Club from the water. Work on the replacing the landscaping will begin during the last week of September and will continue into November. The reconstruction of the curbing by the circle is currently planned for the end of September or early October, and the driveway pavers will be re-installed at that time. The Mariner's Fund has identified a chair to replace the chairs in the Harbour Room. They are finalizing the fabric coverage and will be ordering the chairs soon. The new chairs will complement the lighter decor we installed last year. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not recognize Joan Gorman and her IT subcommittee and all the other members who worked so hard to get the new operating system installed. We were able to 'go live' on schedule. We are still learning how to optimize the new system. The staff is getting more proficient with the iPad order system and the kitchen has been excited by the new 'visual' system installed with Northstar. As we look forward to 2022, the Club is positioned as a stronger and more vibrant organization than at nearly any time in recent history. And there is more opportunity to come! Stay tuned!!!

Dave Everitt

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General Manager

Dear Members,

I think I can officially say I now have my feet wet being at the Club for six months. It has been a time of learning for me, the staff, and Club members. I can't say that I have personally met all of our members but a good percentage -- and that has been very gratifying. I can confidently say that our members and staff truly care about the success of the Club and caring for each other. I have enjoyed serving our members over the Summer, but I miss our "snowbirds" and am patiently awaiting their return.

Mark Felbinger

You will notice several cosmetic changes to the Club, a few new staff members, not to mention our new marina. I am very proud of the team that I inherited and the additions that I have hired. I am quite certain that you will feel the same way. We have a couple of kitchen interviews left but now have a few competent choices that will be hired very soon. I am extremely excited about our calendar of events for the approaching season. We will continue to host the most popular events such as Wine and Dine. Mark your calendar specifically for the Welcome Back Party "Monster Mash" on October 30 th . We have a Fla-mingle Progressive Dinner on October 16 th where there will be an opportunity to meet some of our new members and maybe spend time meeting an existing member you may have not yet met. I would also like to highlight a High Tea being sponsored by our new coffee company "Illy". If you have never tasted Illy coffee or tea, you are in for a real treat. As always, my door is open for questions/issues or even if you just want to chat. Again, I am looking forward to a great season at MIYC and hope to see all members very soon. Mark

MIYC’s Summer Hours of Operation

Lunch Dinner Brunch

11:30am - 2:30pm Wednesday - Sat.

5:30pm - 8pm 10am - 2pm

Wednesday – Sat. Every Sunday

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Membership What a Summer we have had! It has been ALL HANDS ON DECK as we transition from our old operating system Jonas to our new Club Operating System NorthStar. There are excellent enhancements for members in this new system. We will host training sessions as you all return for season AND we will have some ZOOM Sessions, too, if you are not able to attend in person. The new website is accessible for EVERY member; no more sharing an account per membership. Also, the mobile app is really nice. (Oops, sorry, I’m spilling the beans as I have been testing it. It should be released soon!) You can see all the emails that have been sent recently, check your statement, make a reservation, and check the roster to just name a few things! We’re kicking off the season with Dancing at the Burgee on Saturday, October 2 nd featuring the Moonstone Riders sponsored by the Laverys and the Nelsons! Next, we have a great Saturday,

October 16 th planned featuring a Progressive Fla-mingle Dinner! This will be a great time to meet members old and new! You will dine with new folks for appetizers, salad, dinner, and dessert as well as mingle-time during cocktails. We are in the planning stages now, and we will keep COVID procedures in mind as we hold this event. GM Mark Felbinger also told me that he has signed a contract with Illy, known for great coffee and teas. Illy will host a High Tea for us on Thursday, October 28 th so mark your calendar for that new event, too! We will have other ways for you to meet some of our new members, whether in NorthStar training or great Club Events. As you know, this is my favorite part of this column, announcing all the upgrades and new members to our Club Membership! So, for your reading pleasure, here are all our new members since the end of July! First, Dan Healey , one of our new wet slip owners, upgraded from Full to Equity in September. Rebecca & Bob Brisbois , Summer Members brought in by Ray Rosenberg and Linda Spell, have decided to join us as Equity Members! Leslie Meier, daughter of Linda & Earl (deceased) Meier, will be joining us as an Equity Member taking over the membership from her mother. Linda, Leslie’s mom and former member, will again be joining us at the Club on the membership with her daughter. Early Bird Full Members joining us in August and September are Maureen & Tim Bauwens , Anne & Sam Roberts , Scott & Denise Albanese, Michael & Jessica Rizzo and Robert Kimble & his son Chris ! Chris is also our newest advertiser in Anchorlines as he owns HULL 2 PROP LLC, a boat cleaning business. Chris has a work ethic we all can admire! If you need boat cleaning or have other issues, check out HULL 2 PROP’s ad in our issue! George & Janice Connell Jr., Richard & Patricia Kent, and John Wagner & Tammy Druckenmiller, all joined us as Full members from MIMA. Please be sure to go up to introduce yourselves to anyone whom you do not recognize! Or, better yet, be sure to add your photo to the roster so that everyone will know your name! CHEERS! Now for some information really exciting about our Club, and I may quiz you at the Annual Meeting. Our new marina along with the pandemic has created the perfect opportunity for members to join us and return to us. We have added 53 memberships to the Club this year as of the 23rd of September. Let’s face it, we’re a fun, Social Club! With all the new people moving to the island, they know who to check-out for great activities and camaraderie! To date, the number of members who are resigning for different reasons is lower than ever. Thank you all for making this such a wonderful Club; casual, inviting and FUN! Remember, the offer is still available for upgrading to Equity at $12,000. If you are contemplating upgrading to an Equity Membership at your Club, NOW is the time! Feel free to contact me at [email protected] for more information. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in the Fall and meeting all these new members in person! FY2022 is shaping up to be a monumental fiscal year for MIYC!

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Marketing & Communications I hope you've checked out our website! So many members and staff were involved in developing this website - we're all very proud! Each member now has their own login. Some personal information did not completely transfer to the new system, and we ask that everyone log in and: • add an individual picture of yourself (if you have trouble, you can send the picture to Vicki ([email protected]) • update your personal information, including contact info (phone #, address(es), etc.) • update your birthdate (the year will not be visible to other members but will help the club have good statistical information). If you don’t enter a year, your age will be reflected as “0” ! ! Another great benefit is the calendar! You can see all the events in the calendar and the Upcoming Events on the Home Page. You can make a reservation right from the website - and add others to your table! To help the staff, we ask that you place your reservation at least three (3) days in advance. We will be offering training/information sessions to help everyone discover all the enhancements the new site offers - watch for in-person and Zoom sessions coming soon! And there will also be an App coming soon! You'll be able to make a dinner reservation, check upcoming events, check your statement, and more - all from your phone! We're very excited about the new site as part of our overall communications strategy and all the enhancements it offers for our members. If you have a suggestion for the website, please feel free to send it to me, Michelle Hennessy. I'd like to extend a "Welcome" to our newest advertiser - HULL 2 PROP LLC, owned by new member Chris Kimble. If you have a boat, check out his ad for a list of services. Speaking of ads, do you know a business that would benefit from advertising in Anchorlines? We're looking for someone to help manage our Anchorlines advertising. Please contact me if you'd like to help or have suggestions for our communications. Michelle Hennessy ([email protected]) Chair, Marketing & Communications Committee

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Safety and Training

“I WAS BOARDED BY THE U.S. COAST GUARD” Did I get your attention? Good, for that is exactly what happened while returning from a leisurely trip on our boat this past May. We had just enjoyed a wonderful week with the Morrisons in Key West. The two boats were traveling together until about 15 miles from Marco. Since the lead boat (Infinity) was much faster and I could see Marco on the horizon, I radioed for them to go ahead, and we would see them back at the marina. Just about the time they were out of sight, I was hailed on my radio, asking to identify myself and if I had been boarded in the past six months. Since they had not initially identified themselves, I responded by telling them I would comply with their request once I knew who they were (I could barely see their vessel in the distance and was not about to slow down for the ever possibility act of piracy).

Jim Rich

As they approached (at about 40 knots) and I saw the obvious markings on their boat, I called back with their requested information and asked if they wanted me to stop. They responded by telling me they were just doing random safety checks, to slow down to 10 knots, head due west away from Marco and put the boat on auto pilot. My only request for them was that they be careful when coming along side, as the boat had just been painted. They assured me they had a very experienced pilot and would not touch our boat. As they approached, I remained at the helm and Jan (my wife, first mate and admiral) met two of the six officers as they leaped into our cockpit. The first question they asked was, “Do you have any weapons aboard?” Jan confirmed that we did and led them to the guns to be disarmed until their inspection was over. Now, I can’t say I believe we were really boarded for a safety inspection. We have a relatively new cruising boat flying a large American flag, a Yacht Club flag, and a Safety and Training flag (which one of the crew members actually commented on). Plus, with all the inspections we have had through the years, I have never had an inspector look through all the cabinets in our galley. What do you think?! Anyway, they did check absolutely everything that would normally be checked in a normal inspection, plus, now I know that all of my drawers, cabinets and hatches are also in good shape! (Maybe I should recommend that we add these items to all future boat inspections.) When the guys left, they handed me a completed inspection sheet and said this was one of the best

equipped boats and inspections they had ever done. The two things I learned from this experience were:

1. If you want to impress the U.S. Coast Guard, make sure you have a complete and up to date list of safety equipment on board. (You can see my recommended list by going to our website, click on “Boating”, then “Safety and Education”, and finally my article, “Safety at Sea”. 2. When following someone and are detained like we were, BE SURE to notify the lead boat. (The Morrisons actually turned around when they realized we weren’t behind them and headed several miles back toward Key West to make sure we were OK!) I hope you enjoyed our little adventure. Until next time, Happy and Safe Boating! Jim Rich

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Human Resources

Formerly the Operations & HR Committee, the newly constituted “Human Resources Committee” has hit the ground running. With an expanded mission, the Committee has renewed focus on supporting our Management Team and Board of Directors, while maintaining its traditional role as advocates for our committed staff. Let’s meet our new Committee members! Alice Jobe is an active member in many supportive roles in our Club over the years. Alice also has hands on experience as an HR rep at Hideaway, handling payroll and benefits, among other disciplines. Susan Smith is a new member who comes to us uniquely qualified on HR issues as she has 22 years of experience in an HR Generalist role at Marriott, handling employee development, training, investigations, performance reviews and more. We should also celebrate some new faces on our staff! Recently joining us are: Dockmaster Mike Davey (featured in this edition of Anchorlines ); Marina Accounting Debbie Rhattigan (in next month’s Anchorlines ), Receptionist Nikki Koerner ; and Servers Catherine Stogner and Nora Limoni . If you have not already been able to give them a warm welcome, please try to do so when next in the Club. Florida has more jobs looking for people than people looking for jobs. There are a record number of 500,000 jobs open in Florida right now. We are lucky to have the dedicated staff we have! Retaining quality staff and attracting new candidates when needed are the challenges ahead. I firmly believe that to be “The Club of Choice” in SW Florida means we must also be the “Employer of Choice.” That is the task to which your HR Committee will be devoted in the weeks and months ahead. Kevin Hennessy Chair, Human Resources Committee

Kevin Hennessey

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Fleet Surgeon

Potential Benefit of Supplements for COVID-19 COVID – 19 has sparked interest in vitamins and supplements that may prevent or ameliorate infection. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) web page addressing dietary supplements states, “research hasn’t clearly shown that any dietary supplement helps prevent COVD – 19 or can decrease the severity of COVID- 19 symptoms. Only vaccines and medications can prevent COVID – 19 and treat its symptoms”. * The main problem with demonstrating clear benefit reflects the lack and quality of studies. Other issues involve consistency of investigational design as

David Randall

well dosages of vitamins used, as the NIH publication goes on to describe. It should be noted that the NIH does not have evidence against use of these supplements. Vitamins C and D, as well as zinc and selenium all have significant importance in our immune systems and reduction of oxidative stress damage to tissues. Deficiency of these has been associated with COVID and occurs more often than one would think. Infection can reduce the body’s level of these vitamins and minerals - potentially worsening ones’ immune system – such that safe supplementation seems reasonable. The potential benefit weighed against the essentially zero risk argues for taking these supplements on a regular basis. Coronaviruses are RNA viruses. COVID – 19 has a spike protein is a transmembrane trimeric glycoprotein (what a great term!) that protrudes off the virus and functions to attach to a cell surface. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) is a point of attachment for the virus and is found particularly in the lung, heart, part of the bowel, kidney and bladder (but also on most cells). The virus RNA is injected into the cell and undergoes reproduction until the cell bursts and releases COVID particles. Human responses vary from minimal symptoms to severe respiratory infection and multiple organ failure throughout the body. ACE is found on the cells lining the lung, which may explain the potential for adverse respiratory symptoms. Severe disease can be basically characterized as an over-reaction of the immune system that attacks its own bodily tissue. This also can cause a generalized inflammation with release of cytokines (cytokine storm) and other inflammatory molecules causing severe respiratory illness and failure of multiple organs. Many of the nutrients mentioned below act to support the immune system while reducing the inflammation.

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Potential Benefit of Supplements for COVID-19 (cont’d.)

Vitamin D Vitamin D enhances bone calcification but affects most all parts the body. Most tissues have receptors for this vitamin. It has multiple beneficial effects on the immune system. This nutrient may reduce the number of ACE receptors and make it harder for the virus to attach. Many Americans lack the recommended daily intake. Worldwide vitamin D deficiency is as high as 50%. Sixty percent of nursing home and hospitalized, 35% of adults, and 70% of obese individuals have vitamin D Deficiency in our country. These same individuals are more likely to have COVID. Darker skinned individuals absorb less sunlight, particularly at the upper latitudes and are at risk for low Vitamin D levels. Between 50-90% of our active form of vitamin D is produced in the skin. One needs at least 20 minutes of sun exposure daily to 40% of the skin. The minimum daily requirements are 800 international units (IU) and 1,000 IU for those over 65. For those with poor sun exposure, 4,000 – 6,000 IU (obese patients 6,000 – 10,000 IU) are required daily. Given that vitamin D is tolerated well, and the its known degradation with infection, 4,000 – 6,000 IU daily appears to be a reasonable supplement, particularly for the at-risk groups above. Vitamin C Vitamin C exerts multiple effects through the body: antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, immune system, and strengthening of respiratory lining cells. By reducing production of inflammatory cytokines and histamines, it can modulate against cytokine storm and other effects. Seven percent of American citizens have low vitamin C levels. The adult recommended daily allowance is 75 mg for non- pregnant females and 90 mg for males. Above a certain intake, excess vitamin C is lost through the kidneys; 200 mg daily for the healthy individual ensures this maximum blood level. Vitamin C is not stored in the body must be regularly replenished. The literature indicates that up to 2,000 mg daily is safe although it must be noted some studies have used up to 8,000 mg per day. As with the other nutrients discussed herein, Vitamin C is degraded during infection, resulting in lower levels.

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Potential Benefit of Supplements for COVID-19 (cont’d.)

Zinc Zinc is the second most common mineral found in the body, after iron and is incorporated into at least 3,000 body proteins. It has important benefits on metabolism, wound healing, inflammation, as well as the immune system. There may be protective benefit for lung tissue when on a ventilator. It may also block attachment and insertion of the COVID virus as well as reduce reproduction of RNA viruses. Reviews of a number of studies has shown decreased zinc associated with COVID infection. Worldwide deficiency has been cited at 17% although 15% of Americans may have marginal intake – particularly the elderly. The United States recommended daily allowance is 8 mg for women and 11 mg for men. 40 mg daily has been reported safe but at least one study has used 50 mg. Toxicity, immune impairment, and other side effects occur with 150 mg or more per day. Forty or 50 mg appears to be a reasonable daily dose. If stomach upset occurs, the dose may be divided and taken twice daily. Selenium This element offers benefits regarding oxidative stress, cancer, neurogenerative disease, cardiovascular disease and is antiviral. COVID – 19 causes oxidative stress which can result in hyper inflammation and cytokine storm that can lead to severe disease, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and failure of multiple organ systems. The US recommended daily allowance is 55 mg daily for adults and 70 mg daily for pregnant and lactating women. The World Health Organization recommends 90 mg daily. Common oral supplements contain 200 mg, arguing for its safety and tolerability. Toxicity has been reported at 400 mg daily, however Conclusions The jury remains out – hence the reason that the NIH can neither argue for or against supplementation. Some studies show benefit while others do not. Design issues as well as the newness of COVID – 19 limit the material in the literature. Each individual makes their own choice. Given the known degradation of all of these during infection as well as their documented safety, it seems reasonable to supplement as discussed above pending better information.

* National Institutes of Health: Dietary supplements in the time of COVID – 19. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/DietarySupplementsInTheTimeOfCOVID19-Consumer/

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Report from The Ship’s Store Committee By Deb deVries

We have added a new member to the Ships Store Committee, Joanne Chute. We met Joanne Chute on the last day of the “Clear the Decks” sale in March. While she was waiting to be checked out with her items we learned she had lots of experience in retail merchandising and had been a buyer at Macy’s. I asked her if she was interested in helping us with the Ships Store and she said yes! The majority of the new Ships Store merchandise has arrived and is being stored off site. We will spend October entering >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38

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