Alice Patten Honored With Lifetime OWSA Membership Award
Published 10:26am on 10 Oct 2024
Over the past 30 years OWSA has grown into an organization with ~250 members, teaching women to sail and providing opportunities to build their sailing skills and network to get more time on the water. As an all volunteer organization this is only possible when members continually and fully participate. Alice Patten has not watched OWSA grow over the past 28 years, but has propelled our growth through her dedication and leadership. As such, Alice Patten was awarded a Lifetime OWSA membership.
Alice joined OWSA in 1996 after buying her Santana 22, Picaroon, which she later donated to OWSA and is part of our current BOAST program. She was an early volunteer as chair of Cruising/WNS in 1997 and 1998. She quickly moved to a board position, serving as Vice-Commodore, Commodore and Rear Commodore in 1998, 1999 and 2000. She stepped back into a Flag Officer position as Rear Commodore in 2022 to fill in for another member.
From 2004 to 2010 Alice served in various Director and Chair positions, including Newsletter, Communications and Race Captain.
Alice was the first Chair of OWSAs Sail for the Cure event. Alice did not intend to chair the event; however, the planned chairperson opted to pursue her writing career back east. Alice met with the committee, Well, what will the event look like? Lets serve coffee and donuts in the morning when people check in, then send them to boats for an on-the-water game of some kind, then bring them back to socialize and eat. Everyone thought that was great, but when I asked who would like to be the chair they all pointed at me. And then it just flowed. With a leader in place, volunteers stepped up to create a database, run the on-the-water part, bake and provide the food, create posters/brochures. And it all came together. It was magical! The whole Portland sailing community got involved and loved it. Some years the committee probably had 20 people on it. To me (and many others) the community building part was the most important thing about it.
Over the past 28 years Alice has volunteered to increase the number of women who sail on boats by providing education and experience in the art and science of sailing by training women; LifeSling trainer, Single Handling, Cool Maneuvers mentor, Sailing Basics, Spinnaker, Race Clinic, WNS Skipper and BOAT/BOAST mentor.
Most recently Alice was co-chair of the 30th anniversary committee, organizing the grand celebration of OWSAs history.
