Dear Friend of the SS United States:
While the Academy Awards may be but a memory, the accolades to the SS United States continue to multiply! We are very pleased to bring you this latest update on the activities of the SS United States Conservancy including news of the new SS United States Library aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's forthcoming Pride of Hawaii.
The Conservancy is proud and delighted to announce its involvement in the creation of a new SS United States Library at sea. Under the leadership of Vice President Greg Norris, the Conservancy has been instrumental in the development of the new SS United States Library aboard NCL's third U.S.-flagged ship. In collaboration with NCL's interior design team, and through its generous donations of original photographs, period advertising materials and other items from its Archive Project, the Conservancy has helped to create a public space that will serve to educate and excite passengers about the majesty o fthe SS United States and its storied legacy as the flagship of the U.S. merchant marine. The success of NCL America, NCL's U.S.-flagged fleet, is vital to the progress of NCL's rehabilitation plans for the SS United States. Once the Pride of Hawaii joins the Pride of Aloha and the Pride of America in service, the next NCL America ship in line for development – pending ongoing feasibility studies - is none other than the Big U! While we await the return of the SS United States to active sea service, the new SS United States Library will be an excellent way to raise awareness of the ship among a wide audience. To view NCL's recent press release about the SS United States Library, see http://www.ncl.com/news/pr/pr030806.htm For a preliminary peek at a conceptual rendering of the SS United States Library, visit http://164.109.173.139/hawaii.htm#
CONSERVANCY MEETING AND CELEBRATION IN PHILADELPHIA, MAY 13
Please join us for our upcoming spring meeting and second gala SS United States passenger & crew reunion and celebration on Saturday, May 13th at the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia (www.phillyseaport.org). Come and mingle with fellow SS United States supporters as we celebrate the Big U through discussions with crew and passengers. We'll host a number of presentations exploring exciting facets of the ship's history, screen SS United States film highlights, discuss future plans for the ship and strategize about historic preservation issues. We'll also present a special tribute to the late Mike Alexander, one of the Big U's most ardent supporters. Further information will be available on our website soon and a meeting update and registration materials will be sent out shortly. Please remember to keep us informed if you move or change email addresses by contacting us at: info@ssunitedstatesconservancy.org
SS UNITED STATES DOCUMENTARY
The Conservancy is pleased to report that it continues to work with Food Chain Films (based in California) on the production of a documentary which will present the story of The Big U, past and present. Tentatively titled "SS United States: Lady In Waiting," it is envisioned that this film will be the first of two television specials, the second focusing on the ship's rebirth. So far an agreement has been struck for the distribution of this film through Public Television with WTTW as our presenting station, which intends to make the film available to Public Television affiliates for national distribution. This agreement with WTTW provides a fresh and effective context in which to perform media outreach on the ship at the local and national levels through "letters to the editor" and other initiatives. (If you're interested in helping in this effort, please contact us and we will provide you with detailed information on how you can help get the word out.)
BIG U IN THE NEWS
The Virginian-Pilot ran a nice piece about the SS United States by historian Dan Roberts on March 5. To see the article, go to http://tinyurl.com/kwrn2. Frommer's Travel News has also mentioned the new Pride of Hawaii and the Conservancy's role in the SS United States Library creation:http://tinyurl.com/pgwn8
MEMBERSHIP, FUNDRAISING AND OUTREACH
Celebrating our 1-year anniversary, the Conservancy's initial membership and fundraising drive was a smash success with many new members joining the cause and donating at very generous levels. Many donors contributed at a level which entitled them to premium gifst from our online store of exciting SS United States merchandise. We encourage you to check out our offerings if you haven't already done so, by visiting: http://www.cafepress.com/ssusconservancy
Once again, the U.S. Power Squadrons has invited the SS United States Conservancy to speak on the SS United States. The Conservancy's Philadelphia Director of Outreach, Jeff Henry, will address a local chapter of this boating enthusiast organization on March 21 in Morrisville, PA. Our organization remains committed to raising awareness for the SS United States and to preserving her history, legacy, and architectural integrity. We very much appreciate your continued support for our efforts. We are an all-volunteer organization and are working hard to "keep the faith" for our beloved ship by working with fellow enthusiasts around the world. We welcome your feedback and suggestions for other activities and initiatives. To contact us, please click on the "contact" lifering below. We look forward to welcoming many of you in Philadelphia on May 13!
Board of Directors
SS United States Conservancy
