APALACHEE UPDATE

STATUS   DUES   DONATIONS  

Endowments Available below

February  2010

We are now 10 months into our endeavor to make the “APPLE” into our CG/Maritime museum and educational platform. Progress has been slow, but consistent, since we arrived in Cleveland, OH on 31 May. We are currently tied up in the Cuyahoga River for the winter. Moving the ship about 75 yards downstream and hooking up shore power will happen the week of 2 Nov.

The ship is sound! Shore power and heat will keep her comfortable over this winter and restoration work can continue. Interior restoration is progressing and will continue until spring, at which time we will “attack” the exterior paint work.

So far, here is our progress: 

CWO Bob Gesking, our Port Engineer, and his wife Helen, have completed the inventory of engineering parts. We have a wide array of engine and electrical parts on board; sufficient to keep us operational. Thanks Bob! From here, it’s down to clean up the engine & motor rooms, remove the old, dead batteries and remount the good ones, and winterize the ship.

Our Deck custodian,  Doug O’Dell, has nearly completed an inventory and disposal of the lazarette and forward hold areas and continues to organize local work parties on board to clean her up. The passenger space paneling and

CWO Sandy Schwaab has been up to Cleveland one week a month since June, coordinating issues on the ship. He has also been to Virginia visiting the Tamaroa to “steal” as much stuff as possible; we got some fire fighting equipment & battle lanterns. He’ll be going back to Virginia in early November to pick up some more gear from Tamaroa and CGC Escape to set us up with equipment. There is also a good possibility that he will be able to assemble a non-working Gyro system for the ship from a Virginia donor. Sandy and Doug were also involved in creating an advisory board of local entrepreneurs and businessmen to assist us in marketing, fund raising, and grants. The members are James Stary (ex-CG) Grants and Marketing; Kerry Watterson (ex-CG LT) UBS Financial Services; and Clark Fitzgibbons of Fitzgibbons Arnold Insurance Co. Their current projects are to investigate and secure a $50,000 loan for initial costs and grant equivalents, connect us with the Ohio Board of Historical, the Historic National Landmarks, and other creditable agencies. Sandy And Bob met with the CO of Marine Safety Unit Cleveland and several of her Marine Inspectors in October to plan our future status with the Coast Guard;  our plans for the museum, educational endeavors, and using the ship as an underway training platform. We will be having a general walk-thru inspection of the ship the week of 16 November to generate a proposed work list.  

We are working very hard to make this project come together. This organization, as with any non- profit tax deductible organization, relies on member support, even in these tough financial and uncertain times our country is experiencing at this time in our careers. Like me, most of you are retired, trying to make ends meet, and giving another dollar some where else is difficult to do. We have at least 500 members, but, so far, only 61 of them have paid their annual dues of $25.00 to help support this effort of restoration. Our end goal is a working CG  Tug museum and educational platform that will be a tribute to all you who have served and will serve in the future.

We want to create a platform that is self sustaining by you and those who come along in the future. But, I am concerned that with only 61 out of 500 supporting the organization, we will lose this wonderful ship to scrap if more members do not step up to the plate and contribute.

To make you a part of the ship for all generations we ask the following:  All members who have not paid their dues of $25.00 do so as soon as possible. 

If you want to really help us, we will have a plaque made up with your name under the following categories:  

                                Admirals-                                           $1000 donation
                                Captains-                                            $500 donation
                                Chiefs-                                               $100 donation
                                Seamen-                                              $50 donation

Donors Wall

Sandy and Shirley Schwaav - Ken Frische - Jim Flynn - Jesse Denton - Ed Anderson - Mike and Jan Black - Dave Cunningham - Bob Gesking - Aubrey F. Harrell - Ray Hartzel - Joe Keglovits - Earl Leyda - Shannon R. Loose - Betty Rollinson - Nick Rorro - John Wellington - Dave Addicott - Daniel L Armstrong - Sid Baughman - Tyrone M Bridges - Howard Byer - Jeffrey Caffero - James R Carter - Tom Cicala - James R. Collins - Carl H Davis - Gerald D Davis - Mike Del Monte - Delta Engineering - Douglas Doza - Dennis M Ducoff - Thomas Eser - Clark Fitzgibbons   - Thomas W Flynn - Mathew Giltner - Gordon Haight - Brian S Hall - Fritz Heipertz - Samual S Holms - George Ireland - Charles Kidd - Kay Loeb - McCorrison/Odendahl - R B Merrit - Mitchel Morer - M/M Mulliham - Clyde Norstrand - Stephen Patrizi - Albert Pavoni - Ron A Perry - Alen Persky - Joe Peterson - Robert Redmon - Craig A Reynolds - Tony Salimbene - Amy Schoenrock - Judy Tyler - Scott Schultz - Edith Schwaab - Harry Schwartz - Harry Simon - George Staples - James Wilbur - John and Dorothy Williams - Jason Tyler 

(not in any particular order)

We are going to make anyone who makes a one time contribution for any one of the following “ships spaces” a plaque that will be placed on the bulkhead over the entrance to that space naming that space in your honor.

CO’s Cabin
CPO’s Cabin
Lazarette
Aft Head
Mess Deck
Motor Room (B2

$1000 donation SOLD
$1000 donation SOLD
$500 donation
$500 donation
$750 donation SOLD
$1000 donation SOLD

Endowments are a key element in preserving the heritage of the Coast Guard Cutter Apalachee. The Coast Guard Tug Association is a federally-recognized 501(c)3 organization, so your donations will provide tax benefits to the extent allowed by law. 

In advance, I want to thank all of you for taking up the challenge and cause and sending in your dues and making donations and “getting your own space.” These efforts and those of you who have already contributed will make a huge difference to the CG Tug Association.

LCDR Garry Domnisse
Secretary, CGTA