Club Manager Opening Day 2009 Report

 

Opening Day 2009 has come and gone. Actually Opening Day has turned into Opening Week since we begin on the Wednesday before Opening Day. My title as Club Manager is a bit confusing to some. The title is actually a Washington State Liquor Control Board title. Any private club serving liquor in the state of Washington is required to hold a Class H Liquor License and is also required to have a Club Manager: a person who is completely in charge of bar operations, ordering product, managing funds etc. The position has grown to the extent that one person cannot do it all. Therefore the need for an Assistant Club Manager who would fill the Club Manager position in his/her absence. Then there is the need for the Bar Manager and the Assistant Bar Manager. These positions essentially work under the Club Manager and are in charge of seeing that the many bar shifts we have each year are scheduled with licensed bartenders. Yes, we are a Class H liquor establishment and every bartender is required to be a licensed bartender. The Bar Manager’s job is a big one currently managing 69 licensed bartenders.

 

For a club that does not have full time food and bar service, you might be surprised to learn that this year we will have approximately 170 bar shifts. There are approximately 50 Friday lunch events and approximately 19 meeting nights. Aside from those routine events, we have the Seattle Sail & Power Squadron events which add up to 10 or 11 per year. We have several Friday and Saturday Socials as well as several private parties of which we are allowed to have as many as 40 per year with our special endorsement to our liquor license.

 

What, you might be asking, does all this have to do with Opening Day? I just wanted to bring attention to the bar and those who operate it so the general membership can take a moment to reflect on how hard the Bar Committee works and the amount of time donated on a yearly basis to bring to you the quality bar you enjoy.

 

Opening week is the single biggest bar event of the year. This year 21 bartenders filled 12 different shifts. All shifts were manned by at least 2 bartenders. Some bartenders did more than one shift. The Bartenders (alphabetical order) who served you $4,724.50 worth of drinks are:

 

 

Aside from working bar shifts, Cary Gould (Bar Manager), Jerry Dishneau (Asst. Bar Manager) & Andy Gerde (Asst. Club Manager) worked overtime in their management functions. I caught sight of Linda Dishneau and Carol Voegeli filling in and hovering around the bar in case they were needed aside from their shifts.

 

I would very much appreciate it if you would, at the very least give these people a huge silent round of applause and, when you partake or if you don’t partake, go to the bartenders and thank them for what they do. Even though many of the other bartenders we have are not listed above for Opening week bartending, doesn’t mean they work any less hard. It’s fairly well a thankless job, requiring listening to a bit of grumbling. Please don’t grumble at the bartenders: they are just doing their job. If you have complaints, come to me. I make the policy and I make the big bucks.

 

Your Bar Committee thanks you all for your support!

 

Jess Hill
Club Manager