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Full Speed Ahead Booster Campaign a Success!
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On behalf of the ship, and her rich history, we would like to thank those of you who made our History: Full Speed Ahead Booster t-shirt campaign such a success!
Just like the record-breaking ship herself, you helped us easily sail past our goal.
You bought a total of 303 shirts (exceeding our goal by more than 50 percent) and donated an additional $2,430. All in all, you raised an amazing $6,835! Better news still is that as part of the $50,000 Challenge Grant pledged by one of our generous donors, that amount will be matched dollar-for-dollar, bringing the total funds raised to $13,671!
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Stories from Our Supporters
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We feel so privileged that many of you chose to share the stories that led you to participate in our highly successful Full Speed Ahead Booster Campaign.
For Jonathan Ely, it was a family connection that inspired his participation -- during his time as first officer on the ship, his father met his mother, who was the ship's nurse! For Timothy C. Lackey, it was his belief in the importance of saving "the only remaining classic cruise liner," a belief that has been reinvigorated by Crystal Cruises's commitment to refurbish the ship as a functioning liner again. For Rhoda McCoy Truitt, it was the cherished menu her mother saved from the trip the two of them made in 1956, and her hope "to travel again someday on this American treasure." We hope you enjoy these glimpses into the many reasons behind the incredible outpouring of support elicited by the campaign, we know we did!
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Show Us What #SSUSFullAhead Means to You!
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Mike Strasbaugh, the Conservancy's Southeastern Chapter Chair, shared this photo (taken when he visited the ship for the first time on October 30, 2015) on our Facebook page, along with the following message:
"I was blown away by her sheer size and graceful lines.
This photo is my personal favorite because it not only shows the 'Big U' in her current state, with paint peeling and rust streaking down the sides of her hull, but it also shows that she's ready to pop those lines that have tied her to the shore for so long and go back out to sea once more as a symbol of America."
We couldn't agree more, Mike!
What does #SSUSFullAhead
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We're working to ensure the legacy of the SS United States endures and inspires.
Please join us!
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This photo of the SS United States' private dining room captures the stunning Charles Lin Tissot panels as they appeared in their heyday. (Photo courtesy of the Carl Weber collection.)
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SS United States Update and
Exciting Addition to our Curatorial Collection
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In recent weeks, Crystal Cruises' SS United States feasibility study has continued to advance. Our next e-update will provide a more detailed report on progress and plans. General information about the option agreement announced last month between the Conservancy and Crystal Cruises can be found HERE
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The Conservancy has also been moving forward "full speed ahead" with its curatorial and historic preservation programs. We are delighted to share that we've acquired an important panel designed by artist Charles Lin Tissot that originally hung in the SS United States' private dining room -- the most exclusive dining area aboard the Big U. The panel, known as the "Snowflake Crystal Montage," features crystal sculptures mounted on highly polished aluminum sheets.
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Tissot panel acquired by the Conservancy
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A close up of the artist's signature, also visible in the bottom right corner of the image above.
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The acquisition of the panel was made possible by generous donations from Conservancy supporters Mario Alvarez-Garcillan, Frank Books, and Carl Wesch. Conservancy board members Charles Anderson, Bob Forbes, Susan Gibbs, and Mark Perry also contributed generously. We are deeply grateful to Carl Wesch for bringing the panel to our attention and for galvanizing the efforts that culminated in the acquisition. Keith Harper, of Gibbs & Cox, provided additional support.
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This photo of passengers seated in front of the panel gives a sense of the panel's size and presence.
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Acquiring this extraordinary Tissot panel is a significant achievement for the Conservancy and advances our ongoing mission of building our permanent collection of SS United States' art, artifacts and archives. Please stay tuned for more exciting announcements to come!
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"The Most Famous Ship That Didn't Sink"
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On April 6th, Executive Director Susan Gibbs will deliver a lecture on the origins, history, and future course of the SS United States and the vision of her grandfather, the vessel's designer, William Francis Gibbs. The lecture, presented by the Department of History and the Liberal Studies program at Villanova University, will be held at 4:30 p.m. in the Connelly Center Cinema.
Conservancy members in the area are cordially invited to attend! For those interested, more specifics about the event, including directions to the Connelly Center, can be found on the Events page of our website. |
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SOS: Seeking Web Professionals
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The SS United States would not be afloat today without the joint efforts of our advisers, volunteers, and members. We are so grateful for the contributions of so many! To advance our digital curatorial and outreach efforts, we currently seek support from creative professionals in web development, software development, and/or web engineering, including programmers, designers, project managers, and team directors.
The Conservancy is assembling a small advisory team to plan and create an enhanced digital infrastructure for its ongoing mission to provide public access to its growing SS United States digital collection, which will evolve to encompass our visual and oral histories, passenger lists, and artifact databases using innovative web interfaces including 3D ship models for content navigation and eCommerce. We are also exploring how to further enhance our flagship website,
If you are passionate about the SS United States, interested in this project, and experienced in a related field, please send your contact information and a bit of background information to info@ssusc.org with the subject line "Interactive SSUS Project." Thank you so much, and we look forward to hearing from you! |
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Help spread awareness of America's Flagship.
Thanks to your support, we have over 16,200 "likes" on our Facebook page! Remember to follow us on all of our social media platforms and encourage your friends, colleagues, and family members to join you!
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SS United States Conservancy
P.O. Box 32115
Washington, DC 20007
(888) 488-7787
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