Christmas at Sea’s (CAS) Impact is Far Reaching, Now More than Ever.
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And, this year, thanks to the generosity and talent of our dedicated corps of volunteers and supporters, we’ve increased the number of homemade gifts to mariners working the U.S. inland waterways by 21.5%.
On Monday, November 2, the last of the shipments, 650 knit and crochet separates, were picked up to travel west from Port Newark on route to Houma, LA for a packing event organized by Larke Leonard, Head of School, at Saint Matthew’s Episcopal School. She expressed to CAS that this is something she looks forward to every year.
Over 300 miles away, in La Porte, TX, Captain Amy Arrowood, Director of the Maritime Credit Program at San Jacinto Maritime Technology & Training Center, for the third year, rallied 30 students to pack 2,010 hats, scarves, cowls, vests and socks. If this packing event is similar to last year’s, the students will be able to accomplish this before lunch!
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The Church of the Holy Trinity in Vicksburg, MS, is host to an annual packing site, coordinated by Jan Cooper. Jan and the parishioners from Trinity packed 200 scarves and 150 helmets, along with candy, puzzle books, tissues, lotion, and lip balm. Jan told us it was a tight fit and requested larger boxes for next year.
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CAS operations from SCI’s Paducah, KY, location is orchestrated by Chaplain Kempton Baldridge concurrently with Chaplain Thomas Rhoades, who is headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA. Together they cover the Mississippi River, the Ohio River Basin, and the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway. A record-breaking 5,690 knit and crochet gifts were directed to Paducah and Baton Rouge.
Behind the scenes in Port Newark, staff and volunteers alike, help open and track dozens of packages arriving daily during CAS’s busy season. Chaplain Michelle McWilliams plays an instrumental role preparing the shipments for mariners working our inland waterways. Because Michelle is so well organized and detailed-oriented, she makes the job look easy.
CAS Manager Joanne Bartosik, elaborating on the impact of CAS reflects, “people are always surprised to learn CAS is a year-round program. We go from one Christmas to the next seamlessly, because of the volume of gifts and the ever-increasing demand for them. And this year, now, more than ever, we will have a broader reach and be able to express appreciation to an even greater number of mariners who make our modern way of life possible.”
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Pictured above: Chaplain Michelle McWilliams at Christmas at Sea's home base in Port Newark |
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Women's International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) Support for SCI
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The New England and Connecticut chapters of WISTA are holding their first annual charity 5K this year and SCI is one of two designated charities for the event!
"We would love to show our support to the seafarers during this difficult time by raising funds."
For more information about the event click here on WISTA's website. Online donations may be made here.
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“My wife Abigail made one New Year’s resolution for 2020 and that was to run at least one road race each month for the year. When COVID shut down her March, April and May races our family improvised and created races for her. Now with virtual races, we always look for ones supporting causes and organizations in which we believe—local hospitals, our children’s schools, and now, thanks to WISTA, SCI. So, on Thanksgiving morning Abigail and I will be out on a local 10K course supporting SCI by running WISTA’s virtual Turkey Trot! By the way, Abigail always wins.” — SCI President & Executive Director, the Rev. Mark Nestlehutt
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The new issue of The Lookout magazine features an engaging interview with Lois K. Zabrocky, President and Chief Executive Officer of International Seaways and 2020 CMA Shipping Conference Commodore, for the At the Helm column. Check out the digital version and podcast here.
Stay tuned for an exciting announcement about a companion piece to The Lookout coming soon!
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For Our Christmas at Sea Volunteers:
New Gift Tag Designs
Each knit or crocheted gift for mariners and seafarers is adorned with a gift tag that identifies the needleworker's first name and last initial. Many of our wonderful donors complete and affix the gift tag themselves, saving hours of time for our staff. Sometimes donors also include their city and state or a short note to the recipient.
We know from speaking with mariners that these little touches have a huge impact. Years after receiving a hat or scarf, mariners can often recall the name of the person who made it for them, and their place of origin.
Freshly designed sheets of nine SCI gift tags each are now available for download from SCI's website here. There are two designs - contemporary and traditional - that may be printed on 8.5x11 sheets of heavy cardstock paper on a home printer. One sided and two sided name tags and full instructions may be found on our Patterns & Publications webpage.
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Your Support Allows Us to Respond to Mariner Needs Without Hesitation. |
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Pictured above: Chaplain Kempton Baldridge delivering Christmas at Sea packages on boats near Paducah a few years ago. Following strict COVID protocols, our deliveries may look a little different, but the gifts and comfort our chaplains provide during this holiday season are more important now than ever. |
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Founded in 1834 and affiliated with the Episcopal Church, the Seamen’s Church Institute of New York & New Jersey (SCI) is the largest, most comprehensive mariners’ agency in North America. Annually, its chaplains visit more than 3,000 vessels in the Port of New York and New Jersey and along 2,200 miles of America’s inland waterways. Through its Christmas at Sea program, SCI delivers 16,500 knitted gifts hand-crafted by volunteers to mariners. SCI’s maritime education facilities provide navigational training to 2,700 mariners each year through simulator-based facilities located in Houston, TX and Paducah, KY. The Institute and its maritime attorneys are recognized as leading advocates for merchant mariners by the United States Government, including the Congress, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the United Nations, the International Maritime Organization, the International Labor organization and maritime trade associations.
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Engage in the Conversation |
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