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Glenda Gephart knew nothing about Seneca Lake and the Finger Lakes in 1978 when she was assigned to be Watkins Glen bureau chief for the Elmira Star-Gazette. She was based in Watkins Glen for the 24/7 job, reporting on all things Schuyler County, from government to house fires to Formula One races. Glenda has never regretted the move – especially once she met her future husband, Bill Phoenix, who had a power boat.

Glenda worked for the Star-Gazette as a reporter, editor and freelancer for nearly 40 years. She was editor of the weekly Watkins Review & Express for seven years. In 2023 she retired after five years as executive director of the Schuyler County Historical Society. She also was associated with the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen for more than 15 years.Bill and Glenda raised two successful young men, both of whom learned at a young age the joys and responsibilities of boating. The whole family is grateful for life in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region and gets together every summer for a family reunion on Owasco Lake, Bill’s childhood home lake.

Glenda joined the ABC-FLX because of her strong belief in the importance of boating safety and fascination with the many boating education opportunities offered by the club.

 

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Tom and his family sail a 1965 Alberg 35 sloop, Tomfoolery, and are active racers and cruisers with the Finger Lakes Yacht Club in Watkins Glen, NY. Tom has been a member of America's Boating Club since the late ‘80s when he got serious about sailing and having fun on the water. He also manages the Alberg 35 User Group web site.

Tom is also one of the captains on the schooner True Love, also based in Watkins Glen, NY.

When he’s not sailing, thinking about sailing, or tinkering with his boat, Tom is either scuba diving, hanging out with fellow amateur radio operators (his callsign is NT2S), or (as a last resort) working as an engineer to support his sailing addiction and, if there’s any money left over, send his kids to college.

 

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Mark got into his life-long dream of sailing in 2011 when he purchased and refurbished a 1970 CAL-25. He and his wife Anne joined the Finger Lakes Chapter, taking the Seamanship course followed directly by the Sail course. They were hooked, got deeply involved in Club activities and Watkins Glen has been their home port ever since. He initially served on the Executive Committee and as Assistant Public Relations Officer, then as Executive Officer which led to a four-year stint as Commander as well as serving as District 6 Secretary for two years. Mark and Anne eventually sold the CAL, owned a Hunter 28.5 and an O'Day 272LE and a 1963 Alberg 35.

Childhood summers were spent growing up at the family cottage on Starkey Point where he learned to fish, swim, canoe, row, ski, and operate small watercraft. He was a radioman in the U.S. Navy from 1969-1973 (Vietnam era), specializing in teletype communications for ComCruDesLant staff in Newport, RI, followed by an assignment to the light guided missile cruiser U.S.S. Little Rock CLG-4 (now part of the naval museum at the Buffalo Waterfront Park). Mark is also a ham radio operator, call sign N2RZZ, holding a General class ticket.

Over the last few years Mark completed Piloting, Advanced Piloting, Marine Electronics, Marine Communications, Partner-In-Command, the home-grown seminar Fiberglass Boat Maintenance and Restoration, completed the USPS online "America's Boating Course", has been a Junior Sailing Coach, became a Vessel Safety Examiner in 2016 and a Certified Instructor in 2019. He also holds "dual citizenship" as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 2-2, District 9ER, in Ithaca, NY where he is Crew Qualified and served as Flotilla Staff Officer of Publications.

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