Traverse Area Community Sailing is an organization dedicated to providing sailing education and opportunities for all.
Mixing kids with water since 1994
AWARDS
Robert Allor Memorial Award
For Outstanding Contributions to the Advancement of Sailing in the Grand Traverse Region
Bob Allor spent his early years in Grosse Pointe, MI on Lake St. Clair so he was no stranger to boating. Following military service in the South Pacific in WW II, Bob came to Traverse City in 1946 to work with Dr. Jack Beall as his optician at the Grand Traverse Ophthalmology Clinic. In the late fifties, when sailboats were a rare sight on Grand Traverse Bay, a number of local boaters organized the Grand Traverse Yacht Club. Bob was a charter member of that organization. About this time a number of the club members organized a program to teach sailing to youths in the area. They originally built Optimist prams in Bob Bramer's garage and held classes for several years. A few of those original boats are still a part of the current fleet of 30 Optis. Many of today's sailors in our area were introduced to sailing through this program.
Sailing is very popular in this area now, at least in part, because of the work of those early volunteers and Robert Allor was a big part of that program. When the boating season ended, Bob did not quit sailing. He was also an ice boating enthusiast. He built and sailed DN (Detroit News) Class Ice Boats with a number of other locals.
Because of Bob Allor's early work with young people and sailing, his friends at Grand Traverse Ophthalmology Clinic made a contribution to T.A.C.S. to further the promotion of sailing in the Grand Traverse region. Thus began the tradition of recognizing outstanding contributions to Community Sailing in the Grand Traverse Region.
Bob passed away in November 1995 and he will be missed my many, many good friends
Bob Allor
TACS ALLOR AWARD RECIPIENTS
1996
Mike Wills
1997
Jim Menzies
1998
Bill Allgaier
1999
Rob Lovell
2000
Kathy Allchin
2001
Glen Rauth
2002
Ed Reynolds
2003
Allison Arnold
2004
Larry Vincler
2005
Larry Wineger
2006
Bob Cornwell
2007
Eric Lind
2008
Jim Sorbie
2009
Gordon & Jean Cornwell
2010
Barb Hutchens
2011
Sally Rivard
2012
Pat Menzies
2013
Liz Zimmerman
2014
GTYC/TACS Chubb Nationals Comm.
2015
Russ Spranger
2016
Dave Gerber
2017
Jim Menzies
2018
Ed Reynolds
2019
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2020
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2021
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2022
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2023
Mike Wills
USSailing awards Bob Cornwell and Mike Wills the Outstanding Leadership Award for 2008.
Please join us in congratulating Bob & Mike for their award recognizing their dedication to and leadership for Traverse Area Community Sailing!! Many people have contributed to the progress illustrated in the pictures to the left, but none more so than Mike and Bob. The following is the text of the award from USSailing's Community Sailing Council:
"In March of 1993, Mike Wills, at the time a marina operator and boat dealer, organized a Sailing Summit to discuss the evident decline in local sailing, which gave birth to Traverse Area Community Sailing. Mike has been Treasurer of TACS since inception and was instrumental in securing permission from the City to operate on city park land on a small inland lake within the City limits and Mike donated a converted bus-to-motor-home as the program’s initial base of operations. In 1997, Mike requested and received permission from the City Commission to erect a permanent building on the site. Conceptual plans were drawn and TACS began raising money for the project. Bob Cornwell, a local architect and board member, volunteered his time and talents to complete the working drawings. Together, Bob and Mike managed the construction process and the Gordon and Jean Cornwell Sailing Center was completed in October of 2008, with the building named for the support provided by Bob’s parents. Since 1994, TACS has provided sailing instruction and activities for over 4,000 area youth and adults in various programs. The building now houses the TACS fleet of more than 70 boats and will facilitate the development and expansion of programs to a wider audience, including those with disabilities."
USSailing awards Ian McGurn the Excellence in Instruction Award for 2007.
Please join us in congratulating our Lead Instructor, Ian McGurn for his award recognizing his dedication to and leadership for Traverse Area Community Sailing!! Ian , as a professional educator, develop the educational material used in all of TACS programs. In addition his training an dmentoring of our instructor staff has brought the highest level of instruction to our students.
Congratulations Ian!
Bob Cornwell
Mike Wills
