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( I "Our responsibility is taking a look at all the toxic sites leaching materials into the bay, including Meyers Pier. I enjoy it because it involves chemistry and the Bay of Quinte. But the lack of progress in cleaning up the toxic sites is frustrating." Bird has been a member of the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club for more than 30 years, including past commodore. Last year, the club made him a life member and awarded him the Knight trophy for his contribution to sailing. He started the learn-to-sail in keelboats program for adults in 1999 and helps run the club's Laser Gold Cup Regatta and the Ontario Championships for high school sailing. Bird is also know as "the crazy guy out there in sub-zero temperatures piloting a boat across the frozen Bay of Quinte." That's because he owns three ice boats, including an old-fashioned stern- steering ice boat that holds three or four people. "As kids, we listened to all the great stories from the 1920s and "30s from such people as Maurice Callaghan, Clifford Champaign and Matt and Frank Weir," he recalled. He started building his own race boats in the 1950s and has sailed them ever since. "We fell in and broke a few ribs but nothing too serious," he said of his ice boating career. His love of sailing is as strong as ever. Besides participating in the local Wednesday races, Bird is on the race For love of the bay _ STORY BY HENRY BURY-- committee boat for CORK (Canadian Olympic Racing Kingston) and helps run the J-24 North American championships. He's now busy setting up the Ontario Sailing Association booth for the Quinte Mall boat show that gets under way Feb. 19. Bird said he enjoys volunteering and recommends it to others. "Don't be afraid of asking someone to volunteer. The worst thing they can say is 'no' and that won't hurt anyone."