This crew has what it takes 

Hello, my name is Mary A. Whalen. I am a 75 year old ship, on the National Register of Historic Places and famous for my role in a Supreme Court case.

I am writing to ask that you support the band of intrepid and creative people from PortSide NewYork who have dedicated themselves to my restoration and to creating a vivid, new vision for NYC's waterfront.

As you think about your end of year donations, please support them and help bring change to NYC's waterfront!

I've seen a lot in my day, and this crew has what it takes.  They have weathered some real challenges and embody that new-fangled compliment for those who persevere: RESILIENT.   

Together, the PortSide crew and I create exciting waterfront programs, afloat and ashore: ship tours of yours truly, educational programs for professors, school kids and the general public.  TankerOpera and other H2O Arts, the kayakers' BoatBox, and smart policy recommendations.  We are excited about our growing youth programs. The crew also promotes Red Hook, and they were balls of fire working on Red Hook's Sandy recovery.

The PortSide crew really had their wits about them with Sandy.  Their preparation kept me from the sad fate of my friend, the tanker John B Caddell who went up on the rocks and will be cut up for scrap.   My crew then went ashore and helped some folks who Sandy really crushed.

PortSide created some great ideas out of that Sandy mess, plans for working with maritime partners to train folks ashore to prepare for floods, and proposals to take to City Hall about storm awareness, vehicle evacuation plans and more.   

Their Sandy work earned them awards from the White House and the New York State Senate.  PortSide itself has Sandy damages, $134,000 worth, so please step up and donate!

So donate via PayPal, or send checks to P.O. Box 195, Red Hook Station, Brooklyn, NY 11231, made out to "PortSide NewYork, Inc."

For more inspiration, they've got a slew of thank-you gifts for donors. Check 'em out! 

This city has one helluva waterfront, but it isn't making the most of it -- or of the fabulous ships around here -- not the way it used to.  Look to PortSide for some great ideas and great programs on how to solve that. Do pitch in to make it happen!

And have a great holiday season!   

Yours truly,

Mary A. Whalen
Home of PortSide NewYork
and ship cat Chiclet