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The year 2003 was an extremely demanding one. It started with a fundraising challenge to overcome a budget shortfall of $50,000 that exceeded expectations thanks to many generous donors, continued with shipyard work that went down to the keel in the forward sections and finished with continuing fiscal challenges that extend into 2004.

 Extensive work took place on the hull in the forward section and the rig as it was entirely pulled, inspected, renewed and replaced by late April. Click links below to follow along on the work.

March 20
March 29
March 31

April 14
April 18
April 23
April 29

 

 

The 2003 American Sail Training Association (ASTA) Atlantic Regional Meeting took place on Saturday, March 29, 2003 from 9 AM to 5 PM.  Hosted by the Schooner Ernestina Commission, the meeting was held in New Bedford in the ‘Green Room’ on second floor above the Ernestina offices at 89 North Water Street (corner of Elm and Water Streets across from the Standard-Times) with representatives from sail training organizations and maritime museums from throughout New England gathering for an annual meeting.

The meeting began with a greeting by ASTA executive director and Mattapoisett resident, Peter Mello and a report on the 2004 Tall Ships Challenge Race Series by ASTA race director, Steve Baker. Tall Ships will gather along the Eastern Seaboard to visit ports throughout the summer next year. The last time the ships came through was during Tall Ships 2000.

Next on the agenda was an interactive discussion on the development of a New England Maritime Initiative for building capacity of ships, museums, waterfronts and ports through a collaborative effort.

After lunch participants shared information about their ships, museums and programs during an interactive sharing session.

After an afternoon break, Mike Van Leesten and Tim Love representing the United Nations International Children’s Conference discussed an international event for 2004 that will bring children from around the world together for an environmental and educational event in New London, CT. Many ships, including New Bedford’s Schooner Ernestina, will offer dockside programs and underway experiences.

The regional meeting adjourned at 5 PM.

As a special incentive for participants, each received a pass for a lecture and slide presentation by Thad Koza, tall ship photographer, entitled Tall Ships: The Fleet for the 21st Century followed by a reception to benefit the Schooner Ernestina from 7 to 9 PM hosted by ASTA and the Schooner Ernestina Commission in partnership with the New Bedford Whaling Museum in the Whaling Museum Theatre and Jacobs Family Gallery.


During a ceremony in the Great Room of the Massachusetts State House, schools and organizations from across the Commonwealth, including the Ernestina, were recognized by Secretary Ellen Roy Herzfelder for their programs and efforts for environmental education and for using the Environment as an Integrating Context (EIC) for learning.

The Awards are a program of the Secretary's Advisory Group on Environmental Education (SAGEE) with coordination and support from the Office of Environmental Education in the Secretary's office.

For more details on the award winners please take a look at the press release.


The New Bedford Harbor Sea Chantey Chorus has been selected by MCC as a Gold Star Project as a result of its unique blend of arts and community. In a ceremony at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on  April 12, Ernestina Executive Director Gregg Swanzey received the award on behalf of the Chorus from MCC Executive Director Mary Kelley and Communities Department Manager Daniel Kertzner.

Gold Star projects "simply stand out as great examples of how artists and non-profit organizations can use arts and cultural programming to build stronger, more cohesive communities."

We welcome the opportunity to help coordinate legislative visits and work closely with the Massachusetts Advocates for the Arts, Sciences and Humanities (MAASH).


AMBASSADOR DELIVERS DONATION TO ERNESTINA FROM FRIENDS of the REPUBLIC OF CABO VERDE (FORCV)

Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves speaks to a large gathering in the theater of the New Bedford Whaling Museum on Friday, October 3, 2003.

Schooner Ernestina received a generous donation of $500 from the Friends of the Republic of Cabo Verde. The donation was part of the proceeds from a golf tournament held in Washington, DC several weeks ago. Making the presentation was Ambassador Jose Brito who has been a very active and effective ambassador. We were pleased to see him again!

We would like to thank Mr. Stephen Perry, president and Eileen Harris of FORCV  for thinking of Ernestina and organizing the fundraiser.

We were honored many times over as the presentation of the check came before a crowd gathered in the New Bedford Whaling Museum theater to hear Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves speak during his first visit to the U.S. Ambassador Jose Brito presented the check and introduced the Prime Minister.

As a token of our appreciation for the gifting of the Ernestina from the Republic of Cape Verde to the people of America in 1982, Director Gregg Swanzey and Schooner Ernestina Commissioners Carol Pimentel and Bruce Rose presented the Prime Minister with a signed numbered photograph by well known Tall Ship photographer, Thad Koza.

Our hope is for continually strengthened connections between Ernestina and the Cape Verdean community and joint programs with the Republic of Cape Verde in the future. It was a pleasure to meet the Prime Minister and hear him describe his inspiring vision for Cape Verde and Cape Verdean-American relations.

Director Gregg Swanzey and Schooner Ernestina Commissioners Dr. Bruce Rose and Carol Pimentel receive a $500 donation  from the Friends of the Republic of Cabo Verde presented by Ambassador Jose Brito. Many thanks to Stephen Perry, president of FORCV, supporters and the Caboverdiano community!

A signed numbered photograph of Schooner Ernestina  is presented to Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves during his visit to New Bedford.

 

Captains of Ernestina (l to r) Willi Bank, Amanda Madeira,
Sophie Morse, Doug Nemeth and Gregg Swanzey.

 

Management Team
Willi Bank, Captain/ Marine Superintendent
Amanda Madeira, Captain/ Operations Director
Annie McDowell, Accountant
Rhonda Moniz, Ship-Board Program Coordinator
Sophie Morse, Captain
Kristen Sharpless, Ship-Board Program Coordinator
Gretchen Stuppy, Ship-Board Program Coordinator
Gregg Swanzey, Executive Director
Laurie Weitzen, Human Resource Coordinator/Steward
Polly Zajac, Shore-Based Program Coordinator

Shipboard Program Staff
Jay Amster, AB
Ken Cabral, Relief Steward
Ben Carlson, Engineer
Adam Clark, Deckhand
Traudi Coli, Anthropologist
Pierre Cornell, Steward
Chris Deely, Deckhand
Erin Deering, Steward
Jed Deering, Chief Mate
Martina Deering, Relief Steward
Lizzy Grubin, AB
Rob Hancock, AB
Heidi Herendeen, Mate
Kate Huber, Steward
Steve Kirk, Relief Mate/Ship-Based Program Coordinator
Anne Kittler, Deckhand
Alison LaFerriere, Deckhand
Amanda Lake, Chief Mate
Kathryn Lindsey, Deckhand
Liz Maloney, Chief Mate
Gwen Matuszek, AB
Patrick Merrill, Relief Ship-Based Program Coordinator
Alan Morse, Deckhand
Doug Nemeth, Relief Captain
Indu Soini, Deckhand
Fred Sterner, Chief Mate
Steve Swift, Engineer

Apprentices & Interns
Paul Berger, Ship-Board Apprentice
Katie Deprato, Ship-Board Intern
Sam Dreeben, Ship-Board Apprentice
Sara Marcks, Ship-Board Apprentice
Ben Spivak, Ship-Board Apprentice

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