2008 will mark the 5th year PortSide runs Operation Christmas Cheer. 

We show up in a small 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.

2007 Christmas Cheer
Our usual boat MV Geraldina belonging to Carolina Salguero, wasn't available, so we borrowed the curiously but ultimately aptly named vessel "What Boat."  Brooklyn News Channel 12 filmed the cheerful start of the day, the Brooklyn portion of the activities.  The trip became grist for a Farley Mowat tale after we crossed the harbor, stopping at tugs and barges at anchor in the Upper Bay.  Right after we delivered cookies at Moran's yard in Staten Island, part of the steering gear on the starboard engine failed.  A tug was pulling out of Reinauer's yard and Dispatch permitted an assist (thanks very much!), and Captain Tom Teague of the tug Janice Anne Reinauer picked up us right off Moran's dock and began to tow us back to Erie Basin.  The elves were thrilled to have an unexpected tug ride, but Nemodeer then got a jolt as we exited the Kills, when Carolina's ex called to say that he had repo'd her pickup truck, a $500 beater given to her the year before, from the pier while the Operation was underway.  Carolina's mother was along for her first experience in New York Harbor that day, and began to stress that all her fancy dress-for-dinner Christmas togs were now out on Long Island somewhere with the disappeared pickup.  The day righted itself, however, still on a maritime note, when Nemodeer, Carolina's mom and the What Boat helmsman (also a new recruit to this festive activity) adjourned to the Museum Barge where barge-sitter Gary and Amy Baum hosted a Christmas dinner for two dozen people.  What Boat sank at the dock a few days later since the owners had not checked in on her.   It was a special Christmas remembered by many for a host of reasons.  It has taken us until December to even feel we could write this up here; photos coming shortly. We offer our apologies to the rest of the tug fleet in the KVK that did not get cookies last year due to these developments.  2007 Elves were Gary Baum, Patty Kelly, Jamie Keenan, Peter Rothenberg, Will Van Dorp, Brian Luster, Carol Salguero (Nemodeer's mother), Carolina Salguero (Nemodeer) and helmsman George Bresler. Fotos by Brian Luster here.  For 2008, we are back on Geraldina.

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."

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