click to enlarge

Seaside Park Yacht Club
Sandpiper Race Winner

Debbie Wilson Stellar Memorial Trophy

This award has been dedicated to the memory of our dear friend and past Commodore Debbie Wilson Stellar, who lost a long, courageous battle to cancer this past March 2010. Debbie was a lifelong member of the Seaside Park Yacht Club, with a history of service, achievement, participation and contribution to sailing on the bay truly befitting of such an honor.

Debbie was the BBYRA Champion in Class "B" Sneakboxes in 1968. In the 1990's she skippered the A Cat Mary Ann to three Women's A Cat World Championships, with an all-SPYC crew each time. Debbie also made the ultimate commitment to her club, climbing the six year flag officer ladder starting in 1995, to become SPYC's first female Commodore, in our club's centennial year of 1999.

Most recently, in 2009, Debbie qualified on the bay, racing her beautiful new Sandpiper Shooting Stars, all the while courageously battling an insidious cancer. That she drew strength for that battle not only from family and friends, but from her love of sailing, the Seaside Park Yacht Club and Barnegat Bay was an inspiration to all of us.