By Melissa Domsic
GREILICKVILLE -- The Grand Traverse Yacht Club is staying afloat with sailing events and plans to rebuild its ruined clubhouse.
Members are seeking a land-use permit to reconstruct their headquarters on M-22 in Elmwood Township after a fire destroyed it last month.
The April 16 blaze started from "careless smoking" that ignited grass outside the building, said Elmwood Township Fire Chief Ray Haring.
Flames took a toll on more than just the structure, but members are keeping busy with sailing races and social gatherings.
"It's been a little tough because our normal meeting place and watering hole is not as it was," said Dave Skibowski, a member of the club's board of directors. "There's a majority of the group that instead of meeting at the club on Friday nights, we meet next door at Apache Trout Grill. We're hoping to get things moving along so we can meet on our own grounds in the near future."
They've also held events at Ware Brothers Frosty Treat and Sleder's Family Tavern.
"We had our annual clambake, usually a new member-type drive, but this year it was kind of a wake more than anything," club Commodore Mac VanStratt said.
"People are pretty committed to the club and they want to continue on with our racing series," he said. "We're pretty optimistic."
The 150-member club started in 1960 and has operated from the M-22 building for more than 40 years.
Elmwood Township issued a land-use permit last week to demolish the old building, township Supervisor Derith Smith said. Another permit is needed for reconstruction.
Salvageable awards, photos and historical items were recovered, and an insurance company is still working on the case, VanStratt said.
Members haven't come up with a new design, but hope to make it fit the architecture of other buildings along the corridor.
"It's going to be a slow process," he said. "We're all volunteers ... doing this on the side, and it's a pretty huge undertaking."
