|
2007 will mark the 4th year PortSide
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
|
