Nemodeer says:
please support Operation Christmas Cheer 
(we give newspapers & cookies to tugs & barges Christmas Day)
donate

 

 

 

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  Operation Christmas Cheer


2007 will mark the 4th year PortSi
de runs Operation Christmas Cheer.  We show up in a 26' powerboat wearing silly Christmas hats, make a ruckus, and hand over a plate of cookies and newspapers (papers are hard to get when you work on the water).  Tugs and barges work 24/7 and often work long hitches (two weeks on, two weeks off is typical). They frequently work national holidays and keenly miss their families on those days. They also feel the burden of working in obscurity, bringing you the stuff you use.  The simple gesture of being remembered on Christmas means a lot to them.  Just $600 covers the cost of a paper plate of Christmas cookies and a bundle of newspapers (New York Times, Daily News, and The Post) for 40 tugs and barges, plus boat fuel and sandwiches for the elves.  
Please donate.

2006 Christmas Cheer
2005 Christmas Cheer
2004 Christmas Cheer

2006:

Video Arriving in Mariner's Harbor, SI Video KSEA tug receiving Christmas Cheer
   

 

Santa's workshop aboard the Mary Whalen


Margaret Palca's bakery, our lead donor this year, provided the prettiest cookies, in quantity too!


 

 

 

 

 


the 2006 crew

A summary of Operation Christmas Cheer Delivery Techniques: 1) the wave

2) the hook

3) the box, deployed for rafting parties

4) the personal hand-off, when your stuck at May's

Nemodeer struggles with new cellphone

doubts about Nemodeer headgear at Moran


Polite tankerman at K-SEA has his bucket labeled "Thank you" in advance

 

Engineer with typical headgrowth

elves on the way home...

In the end, our usual boat needed more than a starter. We need a new flywheel and couldn't get the engine ripped apart in time, so we went out in a blue, retired police boat "The Barrett Girls" thanks to John Barret of Harbor Marine Service who was willing to spend his holiday with us.

Some crew had never seen before, but a tankerman on the Jet Trader II was totally ready. He hailed us on the radio when we didn't spot him behind some large Clean Water barges, and he had the bucket that he lowered down for his goodies pre-decorated with a big label "Thanks for the Christmas Cookies!"

And thanks to tugs that phoned back and emailed. Here are two emails from tugs with some cellphone photos:

"We were just visited by a magical blue boat with Christmas Elves bearing gifts. I have to say, in my sixteen years of working here in the harbor, this is a first. And a pleasant one at that. Please pass along to the Elves that they made this Grinche's Christmas bright.  Thank you and God Bless. Dale."

 

 

 

 

"What a nice surprise to see you pull into the Moran basin today. The crew of the JENNIFER TURECAMO   and everyone else here at Moran thanks you for your kindness and cheer. We wish you all a very happy New Year. Robert Rustchak"

Thanks to the supporters of Operation Christmas Cheer this year: Margaret Palca Bakery for astounding amounts of astoundingly beautiful cookies, Winn's Discount, Court Pastry, Bucky McAllister once again!, thanks to Charlie and the guys from 9th Street Self Storage for the huge wreath; and to Robert Simonson, thanks for baking several dozen cookies at home.

2006 Crew:  Nemodeer Carolina Salguero, Elves: Gary Baum, Amy Sisti, Patti Kelly, Jamie Keenan, Erica Reynolds, Captain John Barret, Mate George Uihlein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hook%2C_Brooklyn