Sail Chicago has been an all volunteer organization since the beginning. It is very similar to a co-op where the members are the owners and share in the roles and responsibilities of the organization. Here at Sail Chicago our members exercise their “owner’s responsibility” via an annual service requirement. 

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Members are expected to volunteer for jobs that support Sail Chicago each year. This is referred to as the

“Member Service Requirement.” Members may choose to instead pay a $400 Opt-out fee, which is due at the

beginning of the sailing season.

1. All new (first time) members are exempt from Member Service Requirements during their first summer of

membership only.

2. In each subsequent year, returning members must sign up for a volunteer job that will fulfill their annual

Member Service Requirement. For jobs that are completed during the sailing season (e.g., instructor, MCO or

Tiller Time Skipper, social committee, etc.), or are year-round (bookkeeper, IT, newsletter editors), the

member must sign up by the beginning of the sailing season. For jobs that are completed in the off-season,

members must sign up and complete the job during the preceding off-season.

3. If a member does not complete their Member Service Requirement during a season, they will be required to

pay the Opt-Out Fee at the beginning of the next season in order to remain a member in good standing. The

Opt-Out Fee reimburses Sail Chicago for the member not completing the Member Service Requirement for the

previous year. It does not satisfy the current/next year's Member Service Requirement.

Example: Member joins Sail Chicago for the 2013 season. No service time is required their first year. In 2014, they

commit to volunteering on a boat team by the beginning of the sailing season, and then do actually participate

as a boat team member, which satisfies their Member Service Requirement for 2014. In 2015, they sign up for

a boat team but never actually participate, so they have not met their Member Service Requirement. They

must pay the $400 Opt-Out Fee by the beginning of the 2016 season to cover the 2015 season. In 2016, they

must either sign up for a volunteer job by the beginning of the sailing season or pay an Opt-Out Fee to cover

2016.

Example: Member joins Sail Chicago for the 2016 season. No service time s required their first year. They join the

maintenance team in November 2016 and complete their service time working on the boats during the off-

season, which counts for the 2017 sailing season. They do not do maintenance work in the following off-season, and they will be unable to do a volunteer job in the 2018 sailing season, so they pay the Opt-Out Fee

by the beginning of the 2018 season.