IN THIS ISSUE – October 2022

• Chaplaincy—The ♥ of SCI | From the Engine Room: Myra
• Christmas At Sea—News and Notes
• The Seamen's Church Institute welcomes HR Director Valentina Soto-Waller
• Center for Maritime Education Hosts Courses for Offshore E-Learning Company
• From the Archives

Above: SCI's new Director of Human Resources, Val Soto-Waller (right), joined Chaplain James Kollin (not pictured) for ship visits in Port Newark last week.

The World Depends on Mariners.

Mariners Depend on SCI.

And SCI Depends on You.

 CHAPLAINCY — THE ♥ OF SCI 

FROM THE ENGINE ROOM: MYRA

By Chaplain Michelle McWilliams (pictured center)

I was busy selling SIM cards to the deck crew in the ship’s office on the Cosco Philippines. Some seafarers called down to the engine room and reported that three others were interested in buying and would make their way to the deck. After they bought their SIM cards, they started leaving the room. One stayed behind a bit; her name was Myra, and she took a seat next to me. I asked her if she was the only woman onboard. She replied, "Yes! And I’m so glad to see you!"

Years ago, I once had a chief engineer explain to me that the engine department is no place for a woman. Ours is a male-dominated industry, and such dogmatic opinions are not uncommon. So, Myra and I started talking. We discussed the challenges that come with working in seafaring, and she confided that she has been having a difficult time in the engine room with some of her peers. She was made to feel like she was only taking up space. I wasn’t surprised to hear her experience in the engine room was not as welcoming or conducive as she had hoped...

 PRESS FOR MINISTRY ON THE RIVER 

SCI raises $3 Million for Ministry on the River — The Waterways Journal Weekly

An Irreplaceable River Institution (editorial) — The Waterways Journal Weekly

The Seamen’s Church Institute’s Christmas at Sea program dates to 1898 when volunteers aligned with SCI began distributing knits to sailors and merchant mariners. More than a hundred years later, Christmas at Sea is going strong, with 20,000-plus handmade items waiting to be delivered to mariners on the inland waterways and Gulf-coast regions and seafarers at the Port of New York and New Jersey.

PORT PACKING WEEK

Our contributions of knit and crochet garments are significantly ahead of this time last year, and we are so grateful to the many individual volunteers and following supporters who will join us for Port Packing Week on November 14 to 18.

URGENT ITEMS NEEDED

We still need your assistance. An important part of our packages are the ditty bags, and the items that these bags include are in short supply. We are asking for donations of travel-size toiletries and nonperishable snacks: click here to review our needs list or access our Amazon wish list.

CHRISTMAS CARDS NEEDED

Our river chaplains are asking for handmade Christmas cards made by children to include in the boxes they carry out to boats and mariners on the river. Here's the flyer, and you can send handmade cards to The Seamen's Church Institute, 1200 S. Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, by November 10. Email  wellness@seamenschurch.org for more information.

Learn how to make Christmas at Sea Ditty Bags, watch the video below: 

DECEMBER 8, 2022 — 11:00 A.M.

Paducah-McCracken County Convention & Expo Center

Paducah, KY

Congratulations to our award recipients:

River Bell Award 

James C. Guidry

Executive Vice President of Vessel Operations

Kirby Corporation

River Legend Award 

Frank Morton

Founder and Director

Turn Services, LLC

Lifesaving Award 

The crew of the M/V Miss Niz – Marquette Transportation

The crew of the M/V Michael Granger – Ingram Barge Company

— —

Click here to learn more.

Please contact our Development office at 212-349-9090 should you require additional information or assistance.

THE SEAMEN'S CHURCH INSTITUTE WELCOMES HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR VALENTINA SOTO-WALLER

SCI welcomes Valentina Soto-Waller as our new Director, Human Resources. Ms. Soto-Waller joins us with a wealth of experience, most recently from the Collegiate Church Corporation in Manhattan, where she served as HR Director for the past five years. Before this, she served in HR roles at Riverside Church (New York, NY) and Youth Consultation Services (Newark, NJ). 

"I am very excited to have Val on board as our Human Resources lead," noted SCI President and Executive Director Mark Nestelhutt. "With SCI staff and facilities in multiple states, her substantial nonprofit experience is an ideal fit as she manages the complexities of this vital department."

SEAMEN'S CHURCH INSTITUTE'S CENTER FOR MARITIME EDUCATION HOSTS COURSES FOR OFFSHORE E-LEARNING COMPANY

In 2020, during the pandemic, Angel Owens started Maritime Training Online (MTO) in response to a clear need for asynchronous e-learning, specifically tailored to the offshore industry—accessible anytime, anywhere. Upon start-up, Mrs. Owens reached out to Seamen's Church Institute's Center for Maritime Education as it seemed to her "a natural choice to look to when I started this project."  

"I have worked with SCI in the past." continued Mrs. Owens. "As a training manager, I used SCI’s online platform for our mariners. They developed our company's training website and the learning management system for our courses. SCI's educators have always been very informative and helpful, and they are one of the best teams I have ever worked with. 

MTO offers U.S. Coast Guard-approved courses in Stability and Ballast Control which are hosted by CME's E-learning platform. Additional training—such as Jack-Up Comprehensive Stability, Quality Assessor Training, Stability Refresher courses, and access to license preparation study materials—are in the works. 

"When things slowed down during COVID and Angel came to us to us with her idea to start up these courses," notes CME Director Captain Stephen Polk, "we jumped at the chance to assist her. We have a long relationship with Angel, she has significant expertise with offshore oil and gas exploration, and this project aligned with CME's initiatives and mission."

"The CME sees this as an added benefit of our e-learning toolbox," Capt. Polk continued, "and this partnership is a win-win because it diversifies training and is a pathway to position SCI back into the blue-water training world." 

SAVE THE DATE

SEPTEMBER 28 to OCTOBER 1, 2023

Mount Snow, Vermont

 FROM THE SCI ARCHIVES 

On this day in 1976, the Norwegian oil tanker SS Frosta collided with the Luling-Destrehan Ferry MV George Prince on the Mississippi River in St. Charles Parish, LA. The disaster, as ruled, was a result of the ferry pilot failing to check for vessels heading upriver and adequately check radios for traffic. Seventy-eight people lost their lives.

The event serves as a reminder of the importance of proper training. For more than a century, SCI has provided maritime education and simulation training to hone skills and improve safety on inland waterways and oceans.

Thank you to our corporate sponsors