Announcements from the History Committee
Apr 1, 2024
4 min read
Updated: 15 hours ago
October 2026
Welcome a new member to the History Committee
Introducing Dushka Semsch, a club member since 2004. Dushka's impressive experience in Graphic design will help establish the visual identity and design standards for all our historical content. You will find more information about Duschka and other commmittee members in our Historian page.
Check out our Club Milestones Timeline book!
History Committee member, Nora Camejo, designed the KBYC Official Historical Timeline representing a carefully curated narrative of the club's seven-decade journey. The History Committee has placed a book with all of this information at the entrance to the club, under the Gallery of Commodores. We hope members will look through it and learn more about our rich history. You will also find a copy online in our Historian Page.
Presentation to the Board of Governors
During the October BOG meeting, History Committee Chair, P/C Hortensia Sampedro Hacker introduced two committee members to present their projects. Nora Camejo explained the Milestones Timeline which currently resides in the Historian page, and is now available as a printed book for members to see at the entrance to the club. Nora handed over the recently published book for all to see. Nelly Palmer unveiled the new Interactive Commodore Video Archive. A much anticipated project since the initial QR code system was implemented. We also had the opportunity to mention all of the other projects currently being developed by History Committee members. The Committee's work was very well received.
September 2026
The 54th Annual Southeast Dinghy Championship
From September 25 - 27th, 2026, KBYC hosted this prestigious event. Top awards are: The Larimore Trophy to the overall winner, The Thomas J. Stickney Memorial Trophy to the KBYC winner and the Corinthian Trophy, recognizing good sportsmanship. Raced in Optimists, the world's largest youth sailing class, alongside lasers and CLUB 420s, the SED has hosted over 4000 young sailers and continues to shape the future of the sport. Search in our blog for more information.
July & August 2026
Explore Our History with One Click!
In July, we introduced a new feature to the members' portal: a floating ship's wheel icon labeled "The KBYC Story." Simply click the wheel to jump directly to our History page and dive into our club's rich past!
Our Fourth of July Club Float won a prize!
A special congratulations goes to Carol and her Summer Camp team for earning the “Most Original” award in the Key Biscayne Independence Day Parade. Their creativity, enthusiasm, and team spirit made us all proud!
June 2026
Honoring Retiring Employees
In June 2026 we celebrated two KBYC staff members who retired: beloved server Ramon Valencia and long-time cook Francisco “Chicho” Logo. Together, they provided nearly five decades of exceptional service, warmth, and culinary delight to our members. To watch their farewell videos, click here for Ramon's video, and here for Chicho's story.
May 2026
End of Year Youth Sailing Banquet
On May 5th, we honored our young sailors and presented two of our most prestigious trophies. You can read about the history and significance of these awards here:
The Gaston Family Sportsmanship Award (Opti Rudder): Award History.
The Hacker Family Top KBYC Female Award (Opti Centerboard): Award History.
Expanding Our Oral Histories
Our legacy collection continues to grow. We are currently planning a new series of interviews with our longtime employees who are nearing retirement to capture their unique perspectives on Club life. In the meantime, you can watch our Legacy Family Oral Histories here.
The Archive Assistant (New!)
Keep an eye out for our new interactive search bubble appearing on the website this month! This tool is being implemented to provide you with quick, AI-powered access to the stories and historical files of the Key Biscayne Yacht Club.
Around the Club & Ongoing
These Walls Can Talk: Scan the QR codes located throughout the Club to see the stories behind our trophies and achievements.
Sunset Room Exhibit: Visit our first rotating exhibit featuring the KBYC Milestones Timeline, highlighting historic events from 1955 to the present.
Preserve the Legacy: We are always looking for old copies of The Key Cue, vintage photos, or documents to catalog. Contact historian@kbyc.org to contribute!
Anniversary Pins: A reminder that all milestone anniversary members now receive a commemorative pin along with a certificate during our yearly Club Anniversary Heritage Event.
April 2026
New Historical Digital Archives
Two major pillars of our Club’s history are now live and fully cataloged for your review:
KBYC Milestones Timeline: A closer look at the dates and events that shaped us since 1955. View the Timeline.
History of KBYC Governance: A collective portrait of service tracking every Commodore, Flag, Squadron, Board of Governors member, even Commodore boat names, and more - since our founding. View the Governance Chart.
The Battle of the Bay
Congratulations to the Coral Reef Yacht Club, winners of the April 2026 Interclub Challenge. While the trophy is currently at their club, you can learn about the competitive history and origins of this spirited rivalry here.
Ha Ha Tarpon Tournament
