the lookout spring 2016

8/18/2019 The Lookout Spring 2016

1/8

Director’s Log

2SeafarerHealth Study

3Bay AreaUpdate

4SimulatorDedication

5

SamanthaCowl

6Why IGive

7UpcomingEvents

8

In this issue

Founded in 1834, the

Institute is a voluntary,ecumenical agency

afliated with the

Episcopal Church that

provides pastoral care,

maritime education, and

legal and advocacy

services for mariners.

The Seamen’s Church Institute seamenschurch.org

HSPRING 2016 VOLUME 108/NUMBER 1

Degrees of SeparationHave you ever heard of the gameSix Degrees of Kevin Bacon? Maybeyou’ve played it at aparty or while ona long roadtrip. Playersattempt tolink variousHollywoodlm stars withthe prolic actor Kevin Bacon. Fansclaim that one can tie the ubiquitousBacon to anyone who has ever appearedon the silver screen. The game builds upon theidea that a network of personal acquaintancescan connect any two individuals in the world.

What if we tried to nd connections in ourlives to maritime commerce? Well, in mostcases, we wouldn’t have to look very hard. Nomatter how far away from the sea or a navigablewaterway we live, no twenty-rst centuryhuman being lives outside the inuence ofwaterborne transportation.

Aunt Betty bought your new red sweater from

Ben, a salesclerk at Macy’s, who got it fromRobin, a local distributor who took receipt of ashipment traveling through the Port of New York,which was unloaded from a container ship byMac, a crane operator who took the containerfrom a vessel manned by First Ofcer Raul.

Even if we don’t know a mariner on a rst-name basis, someone we know—or someonethat someone knows—probably does. One wayor another, everyone shares a connection to aperson working in maritime commerce. “Thoughthe mountains divide, and the oceans are wide,”goes the song, “It’s a small world after all!”

Over the decades, as the distances that goods travel from factory to store shelf have grown,so have the networks that make global commerce possible. Expanded networks mean moreconnections, so mariners—whether docked at our shores or around the world—are linkedmore and more with land-dwellers like you and me.

When someone wonders, “What does maritime commerce have to do with me?”, folks in-the-know have a clear answer. Because of the connections in our world, all earth’s citizens are onfriendly terms with someone working on the water. Everyone shares a connection with themen and women delivering the goods we use every day. Nobody is a stranger. Knowing howclosely we are all linked, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI)—with your help—works hardto make sure all our friends, both close and faraway, get the help and support they need.

How Many Steps?Going by the Small World theory,

everyone should be able to connecthim- or herself to a mariner in fewer than six steps. But you can claiman even closer connection. Thosesupporting our work—people likeyou—don’t trace their associations

through a series of distantly relatedacquaintances; instead, they

recognize mariners as people withwhom they share direct link.

Use the envelope enclosed in this newsletter or go online

to make a donation thatshores up our connections to

the maritime world.

http://www.seamenschurch.org/https://donate.seamenschurch.org/givehttps://donate.seamenschurch.org/givehttp://www.seamenschurch.org/


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2 • The Seamen’s Church Institute The Lookout Spring 2016

© Spring 2016 Volume 108/Number 1

Published byThe Seamen’s Church Institute

seamenschurch.org

212-349-9090 fax: [email protected]

Richard T. du MoulinChairman, Board of Trustees

The Rev. David M. RiderPresident and Executive Director

Editor, Oliver Brewer-LennonDesign & Production, Bliss Design

The Lookout is printed on recycled paper.

SCI SUSTAININGSPONSORS

Shipping lanes connectso many places around the globe. Every daymariners move tons ofcargo across thousandsof miles. If you want toget a glimpse of just

how far and wide theseconnections run, visitwww.marinetrafc.com for a live map of vesselsaround the world.

Executive Director’s LogDear Friends,

You might notice a theme here. In this newsletter, we’ve focused on the links that allpeople have with the maritime world. Whether through one person or six, you and I share aconnection to someone working on the water.

Through these connections, everything we do and say has an effect on someone else.Our actions can uplift, improve and comfort. Our absence—or lack of action—can havethe opposite outcomes. We shouldn’t underestimate our ability to inuence change inthis world.

As we embark on another year ofservice in the maritime industry,I ask you to consider what youcan do to help those with whomwe share a maritime connection.SCI relies on nancialcontributions—both dollarsgiven today and dollars pledgedfor tomorrow—to support and

protect our comrades at sea andon the rivers.

This year, SCI plans to visit onboard over 17,000, transportover 16,000, train over 3,000and give legal counsel to over50 professional mariners. Showyour connection to others withwhom you share this planet. Joinwith SCI to strengthen our bondto mariners.

Yours faithfully,

The Rev. David M. RiderPresident & Executive Director

http://www.seamenschurch.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.marinetraffic.com/http://www.marinetraffic.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.seamenschurch.org/


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seamenschurch.org The Lookout Spring 2016 • 3

El Faro Relief Fund UpdateTo date, SCI has collected $586,081 donated to the El FaroRelief Fund from 690 gifts, with contributions continuing totrickle in. Daily, SCI receives and reviews grant applicationsfrom families and others affected by the tragedy. So far, wehave approved 44 grants, distributing $207,642. Several newapplications remain in the review process.

Seafarer Health Study at SCIby Rafael Y. Lefkowitz, MD MPH

Dr. Rafael Y. Lefkowitz from Yale School of Medicine’s Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program leads a study on seafarerhealth, gathering data in collaboration with SCI’s Port Newark International Seafarers’ Center. SCI anticipates these efforts will yieldnew insights, increase seafarer wellness and help support the industry as a whole.

My research is in seafarer health. Oneof the things I’m trying to determineis why some seafarers get sick orinjured at sea and others do not. Mystudy explores risk factors for injuriesand illness in seafarers—somethingthat has to this point not beenwell documented.

A major part of my work involvesgoing on board ships and exploringthe seafarer experience rsthand. Inthis regard, I am grateful to partnerwith SCI, gaining from their uniqueaccess to ships and seafarers, whichhas otherwise been a tremendoushindrance to research in this area.

I have boarded over 10 ships withSCI’s port chaplains and been ableto conduct surveys and interviewswith over 100 seafarers over the pastseveral months. I think this will helpme understand and transmit vitalinformation about the seafarer workexperience, which may be relatedto health problems at sea that canbe prevented.

Currently, my research is in its earlystages, but my preliminary work onseafarer telemedicine data has beenrecently published in two studies in themedical literature. Due in large part toSCI’s commitment to providing unique

access to seafarers, I was able to secureadditional funding from The NationalInstitute for Occupational Safety andHealth (NIOSH) in the United States,and Sailors’ Society in the UK. Yale’sOccupational and EnvironmentalMedicine Program, where I work as afaculty member, is developing into acenter for global seafarer health, and Ienvision continued collaboration withSCI as being essential to our mission.

Follow Dr. Lefkowitz (@atSeaDoctor)on Twitter as he reaches out todeliver health messages to the seafarercommunity. You may also email himat [email protected].

Watch Dr. Lefkowitzexplain how he hopes visitsaboard vessels help him

gain more understandingof the workplace-relatedchallenges seafarers

face—and how to helpthem. http://smschur.ch/ rafael-lefkowitz

The Theory ExplainedSix Degrees of Separation isn’t just a parlor

game. Lots of scientists, philosophers

and psychologists have researched this

phenomenon. For a quick rundown of

the theory, watch “The Six Degrees ofSeparation Theory Explained,” part of

YouTuber Matthew Santoro’s Facts in Five

series. http://smschur.ch/six-degs

http://www.seamenschurch.org/mailto:[email protected]://smschur.ch/six-degshttp://smschur.ch/six-degsmailto:[email protected]://www.seamenschurch.org/


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An Interactive Historical Timeline of SCIby Johnathan Thayer, Senior Archivist

SCI’S PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION DOCUMENTS A REMARKABLEspan of the Institute’s history. It records its earliest origins as a missionary society(whose Board of Managers gathered to meet in a small alcove of Trinity Churchback in 1834) through to the years when the Institute held church servicesaboard the Floating Chapel and missionary outposts dotted the margins of LowerManhattan’s “sailortown.” Resonant historic photographs call to mind, too, SCI’s

“sailors’ hotel” at 25 South Street, dedicated on the same morning the worldlearned the fate of the RMS Titanic.

Today, things look a bit different, but the Institute has kept up with the changingculture and geography of maritime commerce. An interactive historical timeline,developed on cloud-based presentation software Prezi, takes online adventurersthrough an account of SCI’s history using its trove of photographs. Follow thelink below to explore the legacy of the United States’ largest East Coast seaportseen through the historical evolution of SCI, from a tiny waterfront ministry toits current role as North America’s largest mariner’s service agency.

http://smschur.ch/sci-timeline

s


SCI Ceases Management of Bay Area Seafarers’ CenterSince 2009, SCI has supervised and administered a smallseafarers’ center in the Port of Oakland, coordinatingship visits, supplying and maintaining seafarer transportand assuming costs for building maintenance, insuranceand repair. In 2016, SCI relinquishes management of thisCenter, which houses an ecumenical partnership of ministryto seafarers in the Bay Area of San Francisco, CA. Day-

to-day ship visiting continues with ecumenical partners,representing three denominational seafarers’ ministries.SCI will collaborate with these and other seafarer welfareagencies to ensure seafarers nd support no matter wheretheir journeys take them.

The Institute’s leadership did not take a decision to departfrom Bay Area center management lightly. SCI carefullyweighed many options. A nal decision was guided by theInstitute’s most recent Strategic Plan for the organization.

SCI’s Strategic Plan outlines a vision to diversify the role ofthe Institute’s Port Newark facility, honing its resources toestablish it as the Institute’s agship seafarers’ facility. From

Port Newark, SCI aims to leverage its service and experience

with individual seafarers in order to benet mariners aroundthe world. Initiatives include research and development,multidisciplinary port-based training and a Port Newark-based seafarer public health initiative.

In spite of the maritime industry’s rapid transformation,SCI remains in a highly advantageous position to moveforward in achievement and impact over the coming yearsand beyond. Releasing management of the Oakland-basedInternational Maritime Center allows SCI to focus strengthand resources on the issues affecting mariners throughinnovative practices in maritime ministry, advocacy andeducation, seeking opportunities to bring them to scalearound the globe.

SCI is uniquely positioned as a global leader in maritimeministry, impacting day-to-day operations of many U.S.-based port ministries through its Center for Seafarers’ Rights.The Institute will continue to leverage this voice to ensurethe network of maritime ministries throughout the UnitedStates can board ships, meet mariners and serve their needs.


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Planned GivingFor over 180 years, SCI has built a lasting legacy ofservice to the maritime community. The Institute’scommitment to hospitality, education and advocacy hassustained the quality of life for many generations of mariners.

SCI continues to fulll this mission for millions of menand women in today’s maritime workforce in

the United States and throughoutthe world. You can

help sustain SCI’slasting commitment to

mariners through a legacy gift.

SCI has set up an entirely new section of its websitefocused on planned giving, outlining many of thepossibilities for making an enduring impact on the livesof mariners. Visit seamenschurch.org/planned-giving anddiscover the ways you can become part of the Institute’sheritage to mariners.

Online ConnectionsIn this modern age, computer networks linkpeople together like never before in history.According to a 2010 study, “ On average,about 50% of people on Twitter are only foursteps away from each other, while nearlyeveryone is ve steps away. ”1 The onlinerelationships we have with other people showhow connected our world is!

Make sure you stay informed with what’sgoing on. Like SCI on Facebook and followthe Institute’s work on Twitter.

1 Twitter Friendship Data. Sysomos, Apr. 2010. Web.

Mark YourCalendarsSimulator Dedication

& Open HouseOn May 24, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) opens up the hatch onto a new era

of training in Houston, TX. Be one of the rst to see the new technology in action.

Crews are working at SCI’s Center in Houston, TX to get ready for the Institute’s OpenHouse & Dedication ceremony on Tuesday, May 24, 2016 from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm. At this

event, folks from the blue- and brown-water industry will get a sneak-peak at the newgeneration of simulators installed in SCI’s renovated state-of-the-art training center.

We would love to have you and other SCI supporters attend this momentous event. Pleasesay you’ll join us. To RSVP, contact Merav Adia Davis, Development & Special Events

Associate, by email ([email protected] ) or telephone +1 212-349-9090 ext. 246.

http://www.seamenschurch.org/http://seamenschurch.org/planned-givinghttps://www.facebook.com/seamenschurchhttps://twitter.com/seamenschurchhttps://twitter.com/seamenschurchhttps://www.facebook.com/seamenschurchhttp://seamenschurch.org/planned-givinghttp://www.seamenschurch.org/


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C


Te S manta Co l

Christmas at Sea ’s newest knitting pattern, in partnershipwith Micro Yarn MillTM North Light Fibers, celebrates the life

of former SCI Trustee Samantha C. Smith, who passed awayin 2014 at the age of 44.

SCI Trustee Samantha C. Smith ardently supported thework of the Institute—and Christmas at Sea in particular.Although not a knitter herself, she loved the beauty ofthe nished garments and remarked on the impressivededication of all the Institute’s stitchers. Samantha knewa thing or two about dedication.

Samantha enjoyed telling people about SCI and whatthe organization’s services mean to mariners. In 2014, shechaired SCI’s Christmas at Sea Gala in New York; and theyear before, she helped co-host SCI’s Pilot Boat Harbor

Cruise. Because Samantha took the time to understandminute details, she served as one of the Institute’sgreatest ambassadors. “More people need to know aboutthis,” she would often say, and she would make surepeople did.

When Samantha passed away in December 2014, she lefta void among leadership. Samantha brought many to thecause and helped raise awareness of the important workof mariners. SCI wanted to pay a tting tribute to itsdynamic cheerleader.

A Tailor-Made Cowl for Mariners

Designed by knitwear designer Deborah Newton, theSamantha Cowl incorporates three traditional ganseyelements. It ts close to the neck, allowing freedom of

movement, and because it has no loose ends,wearers have nothing to tuck into their coats.Knit in merino wool, it naturally wicks awaymoisture, while remaining breathable, so itdoesn’t become stiing when enjoying outdoorwinter activities.

Contributors can obtain kits(a project ditty bag containing

1 skein of Ocean Avenueyarn and the pattern) through Christmas at Sea for a suggesteddonation of $75. Knitters canobtain pattern for a suggesteddonation of $25. [email protected] formore information.

Above: Samantha C. Smith, formerBoard member and ardent supporterof SCI. Right: The Samantha Cowl,a cowl pattern inspired by seafarersand Block Island from SCI, NorthLight Fibers and knitwear designerDeborah Newton


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all hands on deck / awl handz awn dek / • phrase anorder, on board ship, for all seamen of allwatches to muster on deck immediately;normally shortened to “All hands”

(Source: Wiktionary)

Mariners use their hands to do a lot on boarda ship. They tie lines, operate machinery,swab decks, ll out forms and many othertasks that make a ship sail. When you’vegot loads to do, you need all the hands youcan get.

“All hands” denotes a time when everybodyworks as one. It doesn’t take an emergencyto call folks together; it just means everyoneneeds to pitch in. So, regardless of rank orwhether a mariner is on duty or not, eachmobilizes for a team effort, for the good ofthe entire crew and ship.

Our world could do with more of this kindof spirit. Wouldn’t it be great if when peopleneeded help, all they had to do was ask formore hands?

Maritime commerce has really made a markon our world—even the language we useevery day. In fact, most of us use nautical

phrases without realizing it.It’s worth thinking about the foundations ofthings. Some hidden perspectives lie rightunder noses, waiting to be discovered.

Uncover the link between land and sea.Learn more about how the Seamen’s ChurchInstitute (SCI) is helping to strengthen theconnections that tie our world together.


Why I GiveMeet Richard T. du Moulin, Chairman of SCI’s Board ofTrustees. Rich shares with readers his decision to includeSCI in his estate plans, joining hundreds of others in SCI’sRoper Legacy Society.

Like most people, I prefer not to focus on estate issues—especially my own! But my 2003 yacht race from HongKong to New York forced me to update my will andmake decisions. My wife and I agreed that simply leavingeverything to our kids was not necessarily in theirbest interest, and that certain other provisions wereappropriate. We both felt strongly that the Seamen’sChurch Institute deserved our support, so my updatedwill now includes a generous provision for SCI. Whenmaking this decision, I recalled a humorous, but perhapsmeaningful, line from an old movie: ‘Being of sound mindand sound body, I spent all my money before I died.’ Whilenot putting that into practice, I sure feel good that at least

I am allocating part of my money to a worthwhile andenduring institution.

If you have included SCI in your estate

plans, let us know. We would like to thank

you for your generous commitment to the

future and welcome you to SCI’s Roper

Legacy Society. To learn more, visit us onl

at http://seamenschurch.org/planned-giv

http://www.seamenschurch.org/http://www.seamenschurch.org/


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SCIThe Seamen’s Church Institute50 Broadway, Floor 26New York, NY 10004

seamenschurch.org

SCI CENTERS: Port Newark, Paducah, Houston

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT #99NEW HAVEN, CT

T H E S E A M E N ’ S C H U R C H I N S T I T U T E

Ways to Give to SCISupport the people who deliver the

goods that make our modern wayof life possible.

DonateRemember:Many companies match employeedonations to eligible nonprots.Ask your employer aboutincreasing the value of your giftto support mariners.

Donate online atdonate.seamenschurch.org .

Use the envelope in thisedition ofThe Lookout or mail

your check toThe Seamen’sChurch Institute,50 Broadway, Floor 26,New York, NY 10004.

Call212-349-9090 and makea contribution over the phonewith your credit card.

SponsorSCI provides prominent recognition to its underwriters. Become a corporatesponsor and link your company’sphilanthropy with North America’slargest and most comprehensivemariners’ service agency.

Volunteer

SCI offers many ways volunteerscan contribute to the work ofthe Institute. Call one of ourcenters or [email protected] .

CollectIn addition to handknit scarvesand hats, SCI’s Christmastime giftto mariners includes items foundat most ordinary supermarketsdonated by people like you. Tond out more, contactcas@

seamenschurch.org or visitour website.

Follow

Go tohttp://facebook.com /seamenschurch andclick “like.”Follow@seamenschurch on Twitter.

Check out our photosat http://www.ickr.com/ photos/seamenschurch .

And, watch videos from ourwork athttp://vimeo.com/ channels/scitv .

Remember SCI in your estate

plans. Email [email protected] for moreinformation.


The 39th Annual Silver Bell Awards DinnerThursday, June 9, 2016Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers, New York, NYThe Maritime Connection: Linking Each and Every One of Us

2016 HONOREES

Joseph H. Pyne, Chairman, Kirby CorporationSilver Bell Award

The Italian Navy and Coast GuardThe Hellenic Coast GuardLifesaving Award

Cocktail Hour 6:00 – 7:00 pmDinner 7:30 pm

For more information and to register,visithttp://seamenschurch.org/sba .

Pilot BoatHarbor CruiseSeptember 13, 2016New York, NY

Maritime Training

Benet LuncheonOctober 13, 2016Houston, TX

The 17th AnnualRiver BellAwards LuncheonDecember 8, 2016Paducah, KY

SCI MountainChallenge 2017September 28 –October 1, 2017

A test of endurance inspiredby mariners

Sign up to receiveinformation and get rstdibs on one of the covetedteam slots as they becomeavailable in 2017:http://smschur.ch/CHAL17
http://donate.seamenschurch.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://facebook.com/seamenschurchhttp://twitter.com/seamenschurchhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/seamenschurchhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/seamenschurchhttp://vimeo.com/channels/scitvhttp://vimeo.com/channels/scitvmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://vimeo.com/channels/scitvhttp://vimeo.com/channels/scitvhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/seamenschurchhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/seamenschurchhttp://twitter.com/seamenschurchhttp://facebook.com/seamenschurchmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://donate.seamenschurch.org/

the lookout spring 2016

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