b'NAVIGATOREASANT B Fall 2020 NewsletterP L A Y C O GM I NMUNITY BO TADear Friends,I hope you and yours have all been staying healthy!Its hard to believe that the pandemic has been with us for nine months now; what a challenging year its been for everyone.As I look back, it seems that living with the pandemic has not only influenced our daily habits, but perhaps it has also led to a new appreciation for what we need in order to maintain our health and wellbeing. At PBCB, weve always been passionate about how being out on the water promotes physical and mental healthwhen you participate in our programs, you get a healthy dose of recreation, education, and enrichment that nourishes those basic needs. So when the pandemic hit and we had to consider what that would mean for PBCBs summer season, we knew that being able to open would be very important for the community.In May, when reopening guidelines were released, we started to see a way forward and began the arduous task of modifying our operations to ensure a summer season that would be safe for everyone.At the same time, PBCB staff had been hearing a lot from the community.It was clear that people were desperate for healthy, outdoor recreation and that they wanted and needed what PBCB offerswholesome, outdoor activities that nourish the mind, body, and soul!With an approved operating plan in compliance with federal, state, and local guidelines, we opened on a limited basis in late June.As the season progressed, we were able to safely ramp up our offerings. By all accounts, we were able to navigate through the season safely and deliver on our mission to serve the community!However, all this came with unbudgeted financial costs that were well above the budget challenges we normally face operating as a nonprofit. To maintain new levels of sanitization and personal protection, PBCB had to purchase equipment and supplies. Infrastructure improvements, such as a parking lot welcome station, hand washing stations and signage, were purchased and installed. We had to increase shore staff to manage new safety procedures, waterfront staff to clean boats between uses, and instructional staff due to limitations on the number of people in a boat. In order to maintain social distancing, we also had to reduce our program capacity. All of this effort amounted to increased costs and lower revenue.From the start, we expected an additional burden on the organization, but with our were all in this together attitude, we decided to invest in this on behalf of our communityand were so glad we did! As this season winds down, our focus now is on planning for next season and increasing our fundraising efforts to ensure that PBCB can remain fiscally strong. PBCB is truly grateful for your supportand we need you now more than ever.Your contributions today will help sustain PBCB so we can continue to serve our community well into the future.Thank you for a great and successful season and we hope you all stay well!With gratitude and best wishes,Ted Baylis, President'