Page 44 - July2019 FOP Magazine

Sailing away at the Gold Star Regatta
An unexpected ray of sunshine came on a cold and rainy Sat- urday before Father’s Day when the 2019 Gold Star Regatta sailed. Chicago Police Officer Marlon Harvey, the event organizer, wondered whether one of the Gold Star families would want to ride on one of the boats in the regatta. Boyd Rice, captain of the 40-foot sailboat Spanker, offered space for five passengers to join
his five-person crew.
Members of Eduardo Marmolejo’s family were on hand to hon-
or their beloved “Lalo,” who was lost in that tragic train accident on Dec. 17. Lalo’s father, Manuel, heard the offer of setting sail and expressed his reluctance with a response a little bit stronger than “Heck no.”
Luis Marmolejo convinced his father to at least step on board. About a half hour later, Manuel was rising on Lake Michigan, driving the boat and beaming with the rest of his family. Here was the feeling Harvey, who recently retired after 33 years, hoped the regatta that the Chicago Police Sailing Club (CPSC) he heads cre- ated, would generate.
“The whole Marmolejo family was apprehensive about going sailing,” said Harvey, the founder of the Chicago Police Sailing Club. “When they got back, the entire family was smiling ear to ear. I can’t remember how many times they thanked us for the opportunity. They were a little shocked. And they were happy.”
Happy as a Pharrell song, and that was the objective. Maybe it
Manuel Marmolejo (left), father of fallen Chicago Police Officer Eduardo Marmole- jo, aboard Spanker during the Gold Star Regatta sponsored by the Chicago Police Sailing Club.
44 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JULY 2019
Chicago Police Chaplain Kimberly
helped that Spanker took first place in the Jib and Main Di- vision, one of the three cate- gories of competition. But the opportunity to get out on the lake and enjoy a view of the city and perspective on life they hadn’t seen too much of in six months facilitated the sunny disposition that over-
Lewis-Davis and her children aboard came the rain.
Defiance during the Gold Star Regatta. “I have great respect for any- body who wears the uniform,
and this just seemed like the right thing to do,” explained Boyd Rice, who captained Spanker, which he owns with Rollin Pierce. “After the race, when we put the boat away, the five of us on the crew felt like we had done something really meaningful.”
The day began with a morning prayer service conducted by Chicago Police Department Chaplain Kimberly Lewis-Davis. Officers from CPD boat M3 and firefighters from CFD boat #668 attended the service and provided escorts for the regatta, which was held out of the Columbia Yacht Club.
Lewis-Davis and her three children wound up riding on the boat Defiance during the regatta. Another Gold Star family was scheduled to ride with the 70-foot Defiance, which won the class of the biggest boats, but when that didn’t work out, the Lewis-Da- vis family had the pleasure.
The regatta also served as a fundraiser for the Brotherhood for the Fallen (BFTF). As a follow-up to the fundraiser, the CPSC is raffling off a four-night stay at a cabin at the Teton Springs Resort in Idaho. Dale Smirl, who heads the Defiance Racing Team, owns the cabin, and all proceeds from the raffle will benefit the BFTF. The winner will be announced at its golf outing on July 29. Tickets can be purchased from any BFTF member.