Our own Candace Porter is this year's recipient of the 2022 Huse ILYA Sportsmanship Trophy. We all know her many years of service to the LBYC as board member, social chair, race committee, webmaster, regatta chairperson, the list goes on and on. During these years she's been equally, if not more if you can believe it, as active with the ILYA. I can't say it better than the ILYA has, so I'll let their words do the talking. Congratulations Candace, on the well deserved recognition! 

Excerpt from ILYA Scowlines November 7th, 2022

Candace's contributions are myriad, impactful and above all are geared toward the promotion of sailing. She receives this award, much like the first recipient, Gloria Melges, for not only her body of work, but also for promoting and teaching sportsmanship at all levels. Her dedication is especially evident as she shepherds our youth sailors as they start their careers at the ILYA No Tears regatta and the ILYA Optimist Green Fleet Championship.

From past ILYA Commodore Tom Hodgson:

Candace Porter is quite probably the most (pick your adverb here:) involved, caring, foresighted, enthusiastic, fun-loving, dedicated volunteers that has ever served the ILYA. Her legendary service in the ILYA was first noticed in the early days of the Optimist Dinghy, when she teamed with the Barkows, Jeff Baker, and her sailing sister Suzi Reese, to bring Pram Power to the sailing schools of the Inland.

What followed was service on the ILYA Board, elected Commodore (more appropriately, “Mamadore”) in 2007 and decades of service at regatta after regatta, first as the registration person who learned everyone’s name and made them feel special even before launch. Then, there were contributions to Scow Slants, and 15 years as the editor of Scowlines, the news lifeblood of the association. Then, years of race committee service, setting the Gold Standard for excellence on the ILYA signal boat, and as PRO—or rather Mother Hen—at the Opti No Tears and Green Fleet.

More recently, Candace participated in the Fair Sailing program and has been a driving force in the Education and Safety Committee, probably the ILYA’s most ambitious initiative. She is an original member of the ILYA Foundation where she serves as a deep reservoir of institutional wisdom and knowledge.

The Huse ILYA Sportsmanship Trophy was created to recognize the ideals held by ILYA Commodore and great C Scow champion Jerry Huse. Jerry was deeply committed to making the ILYA better for all sailors through service, kindness, and caring—all character values that exemplified his leadership.

Candace shares these values with Jerry. She was recognized in 1995 as our Member of the Year, but in the nearly three decades since that award, her service—and the resultant benefits to our members—has increased 100-fold.

As sportsmanship—in practice—is caring as much or more about your fellow sailors, Candace Porter has no equal. As she has honored us with her service, let us honor her with the 2022 Jerry Huse ILYA Sportsmanship Trophy.