We got a nice writeup in the New Bedford Standard Times.
Just go to: http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080720/NEWS/807200369
Don't forget to click on the audio slide show link.

JULY 2008

Dear Friend of Ernestina,

It is with great pleasure that I inform you that since last July, much progress has been made regarding Ernestina, a National Historic Landmark, official vessel of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and part of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.

Into the yard
The ship entered the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard in Maine last month to begin the rehabilitation of the front of the vessel. The work will include the stem, foredeck, and planking above the waterline alongside the foredeck. We will also make temporary repairs to the main deck to halt the leaking. The work is expected to be completed this fall and will follow the standards set forth in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standard’s for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects and the U.S. Coast Guard. Harold Burnham, an 11th generation Essex Master Shipwright, will serve as my liaison with the shipyard.

I have just published my Spring 2008 Newsletter featuring a photo-impression artwork of the ERNESTINA during The Great Gloucester Schooner Race.

http://www.frederickleblanc.com/news_spring08.pdf

Dear shipmates,

As many of you may be aware, Ernestina/ex-Effie M. Morrissey has not set her sails since 2004. I began my tenure as Executive Director last July and have been very impressed with the level of support and encouragement to see to it that this venerable historic vessel will sail once again. Our volunteers (hundreds of them) continue to play an invaluable role and we are certainly grateful to them for their enthusiastic and unwavering support. We are also fortunate to have an enthusiastic and talented Schooner Ernestina Commission that is providing solid direction and leadership.

Greetings,

The next Commission meeting will take place on Friday, March 14 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at the National Park Visitors Center in New Bedford.

For those of you who may not know, Chair Paul Fonteyn is leaving UMASS to assume the Presidency of Green Mountain College in Vermont. He will not be able to make this meeting (netiher can I due to Navy commitment) but should be there for the April meeting.

Cheers.

Thanks to EVERYONE who worked to get Ernestina the matching funds from DCR's Office of Private and Public Partnerships, but there is still $250,000 to be matched. Yes, it will take some big contributors but the small ones count too. Let's show everyone what the Ernestina community can do to support the ship we all love.

Tax-deductible contributions can be made to: Schooner ERNESTINA Commission Trust, Box 2010, New Bedford, MA 02741-2010. For more information, please feel free to contact Paul at paul.brawley@state.ma.us or by calling 508-992-4900.

Donations to the Schooner ERNESTINA Commission Trust are charitable contributions that can be claimed in an income tax return, in accordance with the requirements of Title 26 of the United States Code, [i.e. Section 170 (c) (1) of the Internal Revenue Code].

By CHARIS ANDERSON
Standard-Times staff writer
February 27, 2008 6:00 AM
NEW BEDFORD — The schooner Ernestina has been awarded $270,000 in matching grants from the state's Office of Public Private Partnerships, Sen. Mark C.W. Montigny announced Tuesday.

The state funds can be used to match federal grants, including a $500,000 grant from the Save America's Treasures program that the Ernestina won in December.

"To me, every time we chip away like this, it's great news," said Sen. Montigny, D-New Bedford. "But you wake up tomorrow, and the job is still there to continue."

The state funding is a critical step forward, according to Paul Brawley, the Ernestina's executive director, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Hull repairs cost about $2 million; Mr. Brawley is hoping for private donations to put them over the top.

February 2008 AHA night in New Bedford http://www.ahanewbedford.org/
will feature a birthday cake for Ernestina at 6:45 at the New Bedford Whaling National Park Visitors' Center then
Join Captain Tom Grace, who has a 24 year affiliation with Schooner Ernestina , as he dispels the top 20 myths associated with the schooner at 7pm. Also this evening view artwork by the participants of AHOY! (ArtHistoryOceansYouth), an Invest-In-Kids/A.C.C.E.S.S. Art Corp, an international-sponsored after school program. Program facilitators will be on hand to discuss the students' work and program themes of the history and importance of Schooner Ernestina and the many maritime activities along New Bedford's working waterfront. From 5-7pm.

Commission meeting location and time to be announced

The Ernestina Commission is meeting at the NPS Visitors' Center at 1 pm on Friday, February 8, 2008.