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SS United States Conservancy
In this issue:
-SS United States Conservancy Moves Forward in Re-purposing Ship
-Sad News: The Passing of Gerard Petroni
-Conservancy 2010 Calendar - New Reduced Price
-Successful Fundraising and Membership Drive Underway
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 The SS United States courtesy of Robert Hope and
The Conservancy Legacy Project
Dear SS United States Conservancy Members and Supporters:
Happy 2010 to members and supporters of the SS United States
Conservancy! We feel strongly that this will be a decisive year for
the Big U. We are gaining momentum in the long and complex process of
re-purposing the ship as a stationary attraction, with Philadelphia or
New York emerging as the most promising destinations.
While there have been great signs of progress, we are still very
concerned about the fate of our great national flagship. Recent
conversations with the ship's current owner, Norwegian Cruise Line
(NCL)
indicate a clear interest in their part in working with the Conservancy
and supporting the re-purposing of the vessel. However, the
Conservancy must continue to work on raising funds and galvanizing public and political support for the effort. Encouraging
discussions with officials in both New
York and Philadelphia offer us cause for cautious optimism.
Please stay tuned for further developments. Also, please continue
to spread the word about the ship and don't hesitate to contact us with your
suggestions of new leads and opportunities.
With our best wishes, The SS United States Conservancy's Board of Directors
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Presentation at Manhattan's Community Board 4
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Will Big U Return to a New York City Pier?
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Conservancy Real Estate Consultant Michael Kramer
discusses potential siting of SS United States in New York
Members of the SS United States Conservancy met with the Waterfront
and Parks Committee of Community Board 4 in Manhattan on January 14th. Conservancy Executive Director Dan McSweeney and Board
Member Charlie Anderson were joined by the organization's real estate
consultant, Michael Kramer, to introduce the idea of returning the SS
United States to the Hudson as a re-purposed stationary attraction.
"We made a very broad, preliminary presentation," said McSweeney.
"More than anything, we wanted to understand the views of the committee
and we were glad to hear a lot of support and valuable observations from
the members in attendance."
The Conservancy is investigating a variety of potential locations
for a re-purposed ship, including sites in Philadelphia. Recent
conversations with the vessel's current owner indicate a clear desire
by NCL to investigate ways of working with the Conservancy.
"We have a long way to go," said Anderson, son of the the ship's
longest-serving master, Commodore John Anderson. "But we're taking the steps
necessary to do this the right way. Wherever we end up bringing the
ship will involve a long and complex planning process."
Coverage of the meeting has appeared in the New York Times, DNAinfo.com, the Long Beach District Weekly, and the South Florida Business Journal.
"We're hitting our stride," said McSweeney. "Stand by for more news in the coming weeks."
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SS United States Officer Gerard Petroni Passes On
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Photo courtesy of Erik Petroni
Radar Officer and Assistant Navigator on Big U
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We are very sad to report the passing of Captain Gerard Petroni, who served as radar officer and assistant navigator on
the Big U in 1955 and 1966-7. He was 74 years old. Viewers of SS United States: Lady in Waiting will recall Captain Petroni's engaging interview in the film.
He and his wife Reidunn also joined us for our first-ever SS United States reunion in Nags Head, North Carolina in 2004. In an interview with the Conservancy, Captain Petroni said of the SS United States: "There
is no other ship in the world that was ever built like her... she was
an absolutely astounding ship in every way. She was a product of
American ingenuity and American decisiveness and cooperation and just
plain genuine American hard work." And we would add that the ship was
"absolutely astounding" because of the hard work and dedication of officers and crew members
like Gerard Petroni. We send our heartfelt condolences to
Captain Petroni's family, especially his wife Reidunn and his children
Erik, Paul, Sonya and Karina.
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2010 SS United States Calendars Now on Sale!
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| Our gorgeous 2010 Artists' Visions of the SS United States calendar is still available at a reduced price of only $21.99. To order yours, please CLICK HERE!
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Conservancy Fundraising Campaign Underway
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| Thanks to our new supporters!
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We are delighted with the initial response to our year-end fundraising drive and membership appeal and thank the 150 donors who have generously provided support to date. A full update on campaign results will be provided in our next edition. We are so grateful to all our
supporters for their generous assistance. As 2010 kicks off, we will launch
Phase II of our campaign in conjunction with our "Save Our Ship" effort. We will be reaching
out to prominent Americans to form a Committee of Champions, expand our
national media and grassroots outreach,
target corporate partners and donors, and continue to work with New York and Philadelphia officials to hone
in on the most suitable berth for the Big U.
There is much work to be done, but we are energized and optimistic. We greatly appreciate your ongoing support and will keep you closely informed as the pace of our work accelerates in the coming months.
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For the latest news about the SS United States, please
visit our Save Our Ship blog
Please visit our bookstore on Blurb.com.
Please support our efforts to save the SS United States by
visiting our store.
SS United States Conservancy
P.O. Box 32115
Washington, DC 20007
(888)-488-7787
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