Last month, Bonnie Shay received our Distinguished Service Award from the AAFSC Board of Directors. This award includes lifetime honorary membership with the Ann Arbor FSC. It was to be awarded to her at MOI in March but that did not happen, as we all know. Instead it was delivered to her at home along with flowers. Social distancing was maintained!! Which ever way it comes, it is well deserved!
Bonnie has been an integral part of the club for nearly 25 years — as long as the club has been at the Cube, as long as her daughter Becca first decided she wanted to be a skater and a member of the Hockettes. As a committed parent volunteer, Bonnie served as team manager for whatever level team Becca was skating on; she became ‘Costume Mom' for the Hockettes, an unofficial position she holds to this day for her design abilities with needle and thread and beads. She is a master of repair and alterations.
Bonnie is now completing approximately 18 years of work on the Board of Directors. Members can only serve two 3-year consecutive terms (6 years total) and Bonnie has done that three times. She also served as AAFSC President in 2002-03. She continues to serve tirelessly (for over 15 years) as the Club Human Resources chair, managing all the coaches' contracts, interviewing new candidates, and consulting when there are personnel issues.
Then there are those ‘special occasion' jobs. During years of Melody on Ice, you would find Bonnie acting as a chaperone. At Springtime Competition, Bonnie would take care of the volunteer room, often making the food at home and bringing it in, keeping us within our budget. Eventually she ‘moved upstairs' where she can still be found during Springtime, Regionals, or Adult Nationals in the Officials' Hospitality room making sure all our competition officials are well fed and happy. At the Porter Classic, you will find Bonnie at the Registration Desk, where she has been for over 15 years. Bonnie has also been chosen as one of our delegates to USFS Governing Council at least half a dozen times
As for daughter Becca...she graduated from Pioneer High School back in 2006 as a 2006 National Champion Junior Hockettes team member. She continued her synchronized skating while at University of Michigan on the Open Adult Hockettes team. She is now a medical doctor in the Denver, Colorado area.
Bonnie is still here, volunteering her time and efforts with the AAFSC. Her knowledge of the inner workings and history of the club, her dedication to the sport and to the well-being of the club, make her an invaluable asset. Congratulations Bonnie on your "Years of Dedicated Service" award. It's the least we could do. Thank you!