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Show , tv l. Hm c c & t: CaptGMaMxi - -I- t' 95 t; rvmi t Thtee quarters of die labor uni all volunteer; says McMullen, adding that worked came nor only fiom Maryland, but from Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and beyond. "We had one guy come from Virginia and even a guy who flew in from Ohio co wxk with us." Indeed, volunteers gave about 75,000 hours, and mote than 4,000 schoolchildren participated in raising die ships ribs, organizers estimate. (Ribs are the timbers that branch out from a ship's Iced to support its hull planking.) Lorraine Whitehair of Chestertown volunteered fiom the beginning, at the urging of her granddaughter. My granddaughter, Aly, lives in Westminster (a neighboring town), and when she (bund out they were looking for volunteers on this project, she volunteered us both,1' Whitehair says with a laugh. It's been very rewarding. I am spending so mueh time with my granddaughter on a project that many people will benefit from." Her gnnddaqgbter; Aly Conran, now 11, has ipent two weekends a month for three years working on the ship doing everything fiom hammering and sanding to painring "T Kiiggnrl my gfMvlmnrfvT fwwy tiny I etllod to her about working on the Sultana. Finally; she gave in, Aly wys. 1 wanted to meet new people, have fon, and to team things about the bay, sailing shipa, and how to work with other people. I wanted to tell people that I helped build a ship. How many kids can say that? !'- - sd rjf Tin tMi town tuvutd out y lit iwiivitr wtitn hi tiip wit hobtid Intt tilt Chwtir " J " asfe-.-K- fe' MvtR Even before Sultana's first rib was in place, mission than for schoolchildren more 3,000 by hasting hands-o- n instruction at every stage of the die ship began to fulfill its educational building process. ant nuuuta In Mardi 2001, Sidtanageady was hoisted and lowered into the Chester River to begin her life as a floating classroom for Colonial and ; maritime history, environmental science, and sailing. The seaworthy ship welcomes folks young and old for teacher seminars, one-da- y programs, dnrlcside programs, and even overnight adventures for up to five days. Most of the volunteers who helped build Sultana now donate their time as crew and nifo Tin Suita m li dMWPOfit for helpers under die direction of full-tipaid about how nice it would be if we had our own ship, and crew members Cape. Gioia Bliz, an experienced sailor; and Chris Cefino, director of education. now thanks to Sultana, its a reality. Suita also takes part in Chestertown 's longtime With the ship finished, Aly stands abpardthe deck of smaller tradition of version own of its Sultana, watching the gentle roll of the rivci rise and fill the Boston Tea Party, in which Colonists dumped against the hull The probability that, as the youngest fiom Boston Harbor in into dine ships tea protest member of the acw, the time may come when she may be the only living penon left to recount firsthand how of unfair taxation. A handful of Chestertown residents likewise the ship came to be, is not lost on young Aly. boarded die ship Gedda in 1774 and dumped its tea Being part of this project 1ms been so exciting," into Chester River the tb protest Britains says Aly thoughtfully "It will be something really cool cargo for me to tell my grandchildren. Boston of the of Port following the Boston closing modem Chestertowns lea Party. day tea party, which attracts thousands fiom across the country, write frequently for American Tracy LeMergcr-Leonarnow features its own tall ship, much to the relief of Profile. Karen Smith and other tea potty organizers. "Do you know how hard it is to find a call ship that For more information about the Sufaxical (410) can come to Chestertown on Memorial Day weekend for the role of the Gedda year after year? Smith asks. logontovvwwjdjoonersuftonaciom. talked committee not easy. Hie tea party always i di 8l0-2968,- or , Its American Profile Page 7 |