Tuesday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 17 found a dozen men swinging hammers to construct a new deck for the Pentwater Jr. Sailing Program to store their sailboats at the Village Boat Launch.
Sailing Program officer Joe Primozich explains why the new deck was needed. “The old deck was broken into two pieces, and the seawall in front of it was also deteriorating. The wooden seawall was allowing water to get behind it, eroding the beach in front of the deck and eroding the beach of the next-door neighbor. The deck was built on concrete and sandbags, a poor foundation. Erosion made for a steep incline for kayakers and Jr. Sailing Program participants to put their boats in the water.”
Primozich, also president of the Pentwater Lake Improvement Board (PLIB), had a vision for improving the shoreline and providing a better structure for the sailing program. He appealed to the Pentwater Village Council and several community organizations for help to realize his vision. Help came from various sources.
As an in-kind contribution, the village used their Department of Public Works (DPW) staff and equipment to remove the old deck structure and the main part of the wooden seawall. The beach was regraded for a more gradual incline to the water. Although the PLIB covered most of the cost, the Pentwater Service Club donated $3,000 and the Pentwater Junior Women’s Club contributed $4,000.
But the Service Club donated more than their financial gift. They provided the labor to build the new deck, which was a great cost savings for the project. Primozich worked with Darryl Massa of the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center (PALC) to design a new deck of commercial quality.
Primozich reported, “Once the plan was approved by the county building inspector, John Faas rallied support from Service Club members to provide a construction crew who worked under the direction of Jim Crum. In two days…the deck and ramp leading up to it were completed. The following Wednesday, June 24, the Jr. Sailing Program boats were stacked on their new home.”
Paul and Pam Slotsema, co-directors of the program, are grateful to the many persons and groups who cooperated to see the plan become a reality.
The Pentwater Service Club may suspend its weekly meetings for the summer months, but their service to the community is steady all year long. They produce and sell caramel popcorn all year and donate the proceeds to community needs. They provide labor for a variety of community projects all year (see Echo May 22 issue). They provide food at the three annual craft fairs on the Village Green and donate the proceeds back to the community. They participate in the Highway Cleanup Program three times a year. Their membership is a very busy group whose value in contributions to the Pentwater community cannot be overestimated. Club officers recently elected for the 2026-2027 year are Bob French, president; Steve Thomas, vice president; John Faas, treasurer; Claude Peyrot, assistant treasurer; Carol Feltes, secretary; and Barb Siok, assistant secretary.
