Blessing of the Fleet 2018

Commodore Rich Bremer began the Newburgh Yacht Club Blessing of the Fleet with our traditional flag ceremony.

See highlights of the ceremony by watching the slide show video above.

Our club history says this marks the official start of our boating season.    This has been ongoing since the beginning or our club in the 1880’s.

Thank you to Bev Mennerich, for leading us in a patriotic song, God Bless America.   We printed out the words and passed them out the to the group,   The song sounded very good as it was sung  beginning the program.

Commodore Bremer then introduced the club officers and directors.

The Boat Parade was next.

Master of Ceremonies Art Livesey  invited those attending to come to the shore line to applaud our members boats as they cruised by and were announced.

Cathy Nugent filled in for Deacon Peter Haight of St. Andrews Church who was ill and could not attend.  The Deacon had been a fixture at our ceremonies for many years, we missed him at our event and took time to wish him a good recovery and keep him in our thoughts.

Cathy did an excellent job with all all of the duties usually handled by the Deacon.  When she learned the Deacon wouldn’t be able to attend she called on a friend at the Storm King Power Squadron.     The friend gave her appropriate prayers from the National Power Squadron Handbook.

For the Blessing Ceremony, Cathy read in part: Please bless the members and families of the Newburgh Yacht Club as we begin a new boating season.  Please send us your Protection, Guidance and Safety to all here as we enjoy the beauty of the Hudson and beyond.   With Your additional Blessings of Fair Winds and Following Seas, we humbly Thank You.

To begin the Remembrance portion of our Program Cathy read:  We remember before You this day all our deceased ( departed) members and friends.  We are grateful for their lives and their witness of love and fellowship among us.    We thank you for their memory and pray they may rest in eternal peace.

As each name of those we were remembering was read,  a bell was tolled and a family member or friend threw a flower into the Hudson as a memorial.

John Ponessa	Boating & Life Member and Past Purser
Ann Steinberg	Wife of John Steinberg
David Bennett	Father of Jill Bennett
James "Teddy" Pine	Brother of Brian Pine
Paul Vervlied	Longtime NYC Boating Member
Justine Kobelt	Mother of Cindy Chesser
Carol Stevens	Sister to Bob Chesser
Rita Chesser	Mother of Bill Chesser
Elizabeth "Betty" Reilly	Mother of Jim Robbins
Barbara Lawrence	Sister to Bill Laddick
Patricia Youngs	Mother of Kelly Youngs-Schmitt
Bob Frederick	Father of Capt. Bob Frederick
Patty Trotta	Wife of Don Trotta
Madeleine Palmisano	Mother of Jason Marcano
Ted Baker	Friend of Art Livesey. Ted was frequent visitor at the NYC
Uncle Vito	Uncle to Mike Paquette
Angel Juliano	Grandson of Frank Froehlich
Sandy Mennerich	Sister-in-Law of Ken Memerich
Lourdes Rodrigues	Cousin to Felix Vargas
Tim Brohan	Son of Harry and Joan Dobson

The program ended with Mimosas and Juice on our Patio followed by a delicious breakfast brunch.

Thank you Immediate Past Commodore Greg Dombroski and all the people who helped put on this event.

Thank you to Jim Nugent for tolling the bell during the remembrance service.

Thank you to Carsen Brenner, my granddaughter,  for taking the pictures for the this post.

Thank You to Brian and Diane Pine for donating the flowers for the flag pole area and clubhouse.