WWW .CLEARWATER .ORG HUDSON RIVER SLOOP CLEARWATER, INC. 724 Wolcott Avenue, Beacon, NY 12508 P: (845) 265-8080 F: (845) 831-2821 [email protected] / www.Clearwater.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Anne Todd Osborn, President Ross Gould, Esq., Vice President Scott Berwick, Treasurer Roberta Goldberg, Secretary AT -LARGE BOARD MEMBERS Stephen Filler, Esq., William Flank, Robin Schlaff, Esq. DIRECTORS William E. Cox; Francis Marie Cruz Jim Hanson; David H. Lebson; Dean C. Lentz; Michael Patti; Stephen Smith; Ezra Swerdlow Upcoming Board of Directors Meetings: OUR TEAM All board meetings are open to members to attend. Amy Bonder, Office Manager The meetings are held in the conference room at the Erin Buttner, Administrative Assistant Clearwater office, 724 Wolcott Avenue, Beacon, NY, unless Julia Church, Communications Manager otherwise indicated. Debbie Cohen, Database Manager Hal Cohen, IT Director u Tuesday, May 27, 2014; 6:30 - 9:30pm – Beacon Dave Conover, Education Director Roger D’Aquino, Financial Director u Tuesday, July 29, 2014; 6:30 - 9:30pm – Beacon Jacinta Early, Onboard Educator Manna Jo Greene, Environmental Action Director u Saturday, September 20, 2014; 10:00am (Annual Meeting) Kelley Howard, Sail Program Manager Steve Lurie, Festival Director Ann Mellor, Development Associate Maija Niemistö, Educator Maura Niemistö, Onboard Educator Linda Richards, Events Coordinator/Power of Song on the cover Isaac Santner, Onboard Educator Eli Schloss, Tideline Program Director Will Solomon, Assistant Festival Director Nicolas Whitaker, Onboard Educator CREW Nick Rogers, Senior Captain Annika Savio, Captain Aleythea Dolstad, First Mate Carlos Duran, Second Mate Tom Macom, Engineer Rory Kane, Bo’sun Jasper Daniels, Cook Kim Chappell, Deckhand Clearwater would like to acknowledge Captain John Eginton and his crew of the schooner Mystic Whaler for their terrific support during the spring sailing season. SPRING 2014 VOL. XLV, NO. 1 CLEARWATER NAVIGATOR is published by Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. To subscribe, please become a Clearwater member by visiting www.Clearwater.org. Pete Seeger, Clearwater founder, who passed away last January, All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be published without permission. performs at the Great Hudson River Revival during the Closing Ceremony in 2007. Photo by Augusto Menezes. Editor: Julia Church Editorial Support: Ethan Weber Designer: Rebecca Zilinski CLEARWATER NAVIGATOR INSPIRATION WWW .CLEARWATER .ORG WWW .CLEARWATER .ORG From the Helm Anne Todd Osborn, Board President Pete Seeger belonged to the world. With his friends and family Activism and maintaining a sailing educational gathered around to sing him good bye, Pete left this world on January platform are expensive endeavors. The realities of increased costs 27. Folksinger, songwriter, banjoist, storyteller, social activist, peaceful of formal advocacy, vessel upkeep, marine and liability insurance, and protestor, environmental champion, he had the creativity and vision compensating a larger staff than the original staff of 1969, demand that to know that by connecting people to each other and to the river, every member’s annual gift at least keep pace with inflation. they would realize its great importance and work to preserve and In January, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater was awarded a 75% celebrate it. matching grant from New York in the amount of $497,303 to support We have much to thank Pete for, including his vision to build a a three-year plan for restoration and repairs to the sloop. The funding boat to save a river. We are very fortunate to have had him living facilitates a United States Coast Guard mandated restoration of and working in the Hudson Valley, and for so long, championing the our replica vessel. Restoration will ensure continued environmental many causes dear to him. Now it is up to all of us to make sure Pete’s education for thousands of children and adults, as well as help to spur legacy of inclusion and caring and speaking up for the river continues. tourism in the Hudson Valley. This final stage of the restoration work For over 45 years, Clearwater has been primarily an will take place from 2014-2016. Clearwater will need to raise over environmental organization surviving on the spirit of informed $663,000 to earn the $497,303 match for this grant. volunteerism and on the financial support of many small but loyal Clearwater is a grassroots organization built by individuals donors. We differ from our sister Hudson River non-profits in donating their time, energy and skills to preserve and protect the our maritime and musical approach to activism, celebration, and Hudson River and its communities. Volunteers are the life-blood education. And we own and maintain a 106’ wooden sloop that and legacy of this great effort. However, we also need you to help us serves as the icon of environmental education and activism in the raise the funds for our programs and our sloop. Won’t you please Hudson River Valley, representing the important work that we do. The consider making a donation in honor of our old wooden boat and the sloop Clearwater is a fine example of a beautiful replica vessel, and a visionaries that built her to help keep kids sailing into the future? National Historic Landmark. All Clearwater members are part owners There will be unforeseen detours ahead from weather, regulatory of the sloop. surprises, life events, and windfalls. We have a history of meeting these Pete and Toshi wanted children and their families from all of our with grace and creativity. Let’s all pick up the rope and HEAVE, haul, river cities to come on down to the river and sail on the Clearwater. HEAVE haul. From members of the sailing club at the US Military Academy at West Love, peace, and fair winds to us all! Point to passers-by at a Pumpkin Sail, the Seegers welcomed everyone like family. Photo by Econosmith.com Photo by CLEARWATER NAVIGATOR INSPIRATION WWW .CLEARWATER .ORG WWW .CLEARWATER .ORG Clearwater Was My Grandparents’ Fourth Child By Kitama Cahill-Jackson It was 1969 and my mother, Tinya, Pete and Toshi Seeger’s youngest, Grandma grew up half-Japanese, half-white was about to go off to boarding school. “Last child out of the at a time when most Japanese Americans were in house...” my grandparents thought to themselves. Then, unexpectedly, concentration camps. Grandpa was sent away to boarding school at my grandparents had a fourth child; she was 69 tons, 106 feet long, age four. They met at ages 16 and 19, respectively, and became fast 108 feet tall and really high maintenance! friends and set out to make the world their community. However, My grandparents got a whole community together to provide that didn’t happen overnight. They were hated in their hometown for her. “Finally, Clearwater found her career,” my grandpa used to say, for their liberal views. They spent much of their time on the road, “taking school children out on the river.” Then, the sloop Clearwater and when they started Clearwater in 1966, Grandpa described how was on her own! My grandparents were still involved, but more he had treated his hometown like a hotel. like the parents of a grown child. They’d offer advice and guidance Clearwater gave my grandparents’ a community. Clearwater when necessary, and provide a little cash when in a tight spot. They gave them a second family and new friends. Grandma was suddenly would celebrate her accomplishments and inspire her to get involved a “Grandma” to a whole community of young people. Grandpa was in new issues and events up and down the river. It really was a the friend, father, and mentor that so many people wanted. They had relationship like none other. a place, they had a purpose, and they had a group of people who However, while my grandparents’ did a lot for Clearwater; saw them as Pete and Toshi – Grandma and Grandpa – rather than Clearwater did a lot for them as well. a celebrity and his wife. People saw them as individuals and as their friends, neighbors, and colleagues. They saw Grandma as the one who made great chili, always knew the right thing to say, and also the one who could whip up a festival out of a two-by-four, some beans and a pile of eager volunteers. They saw Grandpa as the one who was in charge of the multrum, helped build the Woody Guthrie, and sang with anyone and everyone. As my grandparents got older, their love for Clearwater only grew. Pictures of the sloop adorned their home. From the house overlooking the Hudson, we could watch the Clearwater fish and set sail. From two miles away, Grandpa would sing a sea chantey as the sail went up and tell a story from a kid’s perspective of their amazement when they first see the Clearwater. My grandparents’ were so proud when each of their children and grandchildren developed a love of Clearwater in their own way. As board members, musicians, volunteers, and crewmembers, we have all been involved. Clearwater is a part of our family. For me, Clearwater is the closest thing I have to my grandparents. Clearwater is the place that is keeping my grandparents’ energy, music, and passion alive. Although my grandparents are gone, there’s a dedicated board, staff, crew and membership that is going to keep Clearwater sailing. Clearwater has directly and indirectly touched millions – through its programs, its preservation of the Hudson River, and its festivals. Thank you for keeping my grandparents’ spirit alive. CLEARWATER NAVIGATOR INSPIRATION WWW .CLEARWATER .ORG WWW .CLEARWATER .ORG FROM THE SLOOP We Still Have a Job to Do By Captain Nicholas Rogers Like you, we’ve been thinking a lot about Toshi and Pete these days.