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A perfect setting for a month of culture, love and entertainment

brought to Livonia by community theatre at its best.

This typewriter can't wait! Curtains up in 2 WEEKS! Rehearsals are in full swing. Don't miss this wonderful collection of 10-minute plays by award-winning playwrights from around the country. Little Love Stories is sure to charm and entertain!

Have you gotten your tickets yet?? Buy them in advance here -->http://livonia-community-theatre.ticketleap.com/livonia.../

The Livonia Community Theatre was a recent recipient of a donation from the Hardies Family Trust with a portion being used for new audience seating. Theatre is alive and well in Livonia.

Save the SS United States, before it’s too late

How one Livonia business is helping lead the fight to save what many consider an irreplaceable national treasure.

12 years ago Chuck Dardas, AlphaUSA, got a call from a friend asking if he would call Lee Iacocca to enlist his support to save the SS United States. "You are in the auto industry so you must know Iacocca," the friend said.

Dardas had not met Iacocca, but he had enough sense to take it up a notch. He walked over to Dave Lawrence's office, a seasoned pro in manufacturing with more than two decades of leading businesses, who was the senior VP and CAO of AlphaUSA, a company that cared about its community and its workforce in southeast Michigan.

Now, a decade later, Lawrence is on the Board of a growing campaign to Save the SS United States. A campaign that has become a source of inspiration nationwide that brings people together to celebrate its amazing history.

The World embraced the SS United States

The SS United States was a symbol of pride and prestige for the American people, who loved to travel on the fastest ship in the world. In its prime, the ship attracted celebrities and dignitaries from all over the globe, who enjoyed its luxury and comfort. Some of the famous names that sailed on the SS United States were Bob Hope, Princess Grace of Monaco, Salvadore Dali, Rita Hayworth, Harry Truman, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and Duke Ellington. They were part of the ship's history and glamour.

Some continue to have hope that this ship will be saved

The ship is drydocked and long past its prime but the SS United States Conservancy is working hard to preserve and restore the historic ship that once sailed across the Atlantic. The ship was in danger of being scrapped, but thanks to a generous donation from H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest, the Conservancy was able to buy the ship and keep it afloat for 20 months. However, the ship still needs a lot of work and money to become a vibrant waterfront destination, where people can learn about its history and enjoy its amenities. The Conservancy hopes that more people will join the "Save Our Ship" Campaign and help make this dream a reality.

Susan Gibbs, President of the Conservancy, explains the dream

Musings is sharing here a condensed version of an opinion piece written by Susan L. Gibbs the SS United States Conservancy’s president and a founding board member. She is the granddaughter of William Francis Gibbs, the SS United States designer, who directed plans for more than 60% of the nation’s wartime fleet during World War II and designed over 6,000 ships during the course of his career.

"There is a transformative design and financial plan that reimagines the ship as an exciting multiuse complex and world-class destination which would repurpose the ocean liner with a 1,000-key hotel, numerous food and beverage destinations, multiple event venues, acres of public green space, galleries, and a world-class museum."

What makes this ship so unique that a Livonia-based manufacturing company would be involved in attempting to save it from being turned into scrap?

"The epitome of “Made in America,” the SS United States smashed the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952 using only two-thirds of its power. It made its maiden eastbound crossing, a distance of 2,942 miles, in three days, 10 hours, and 40 minutes. It beat the previous record held by the Queen Mary over approximately the same course by 10 hours and 2 minutes.

"On its maiden westbound crossing, it again bested the Queen Mary, thus making it the first American ship in 100 years to capture the coveted Blue Riband, awarded to the fastest transatlantic ocean liner. Amazingly, it still holds the record today. The SS United States has crossed the ocean with four U.S. presidents and countless world leaders, famous figures, servicemen and women, tourists, and immigrants.

"The SS United States was the lifelong dream of William Francis Gibbs, who aimed to build the world’s fastest and safest ocean liner. He succeeded with support from the U.S. Navy and a public-private partnership with the U.S. government that ensured the engineering marvel could also serve as a top-secret troopship.

"The late broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite, a former passenger himself, was right when he believed that the ship’s rehabilitation would restore American pride and that neglecting the ship would be a 'crime against history'.”

Check out the full story of the national movement on their website.

Join Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81476197524...

Meeting ID: 814 7619 7524 Passcode: 356437 Dial by your location (312) 626 6799

You can also join her live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RepStephanieYoung/

Mail Address

19514 Bainbridge 48152

E-mail address

rwilliamjoyner@gmail.com

Cell address

734-674-5871

The typewriter is not available for phone calls or emails Saturday and Sunday. Mental health and rehabilitation time. Out and about enjoying life.

What motivates FridayMusings:

We can't only define Livonia as taking small steps toward maintaining the way things were. That will give us mediocre outcomes. Our goal needs to be innovative and transformative.