First our legislator update. Senator Hirono had her aide, Alan Yamamoto, contact Deputy Director Young and he received the Harbors party line response, which is not positive for us. I met with Representative Sylvia Luke and she was positive and recommended applying for another Grant-In-Aid from the legislature next session. I also met with Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland, who was also very receptive. She said she could advocate for us with a solid plan. I gave her a plan that would get us to the end of 2016 to raise our funds and get into drydock. I provided Representative Scott Saiki with the packet of documents to let him know what we are doing. His district is the one in which Pier 7 is located. The bottom line is that we are becoming a classic case of a small community-based group up against the power of the government and political leverage is what we need.
Second, our Indiegogo campaign is winding down within the week. We have only raised a few thousand dollars, but we have learned about what we need to do differently and will probably look at another one soon.
Finally, while in Scotland, President McEwan was contacted by a representative of an organization in Scotland that is planning to renovate the Port Glasgow area where Falls of Clyde was built. This was stimulated by newspaper stories in England and Scotland that reported the potential demise of the ship. They have asked if we would be willing to return the ship to Scotland if they can raise the funds to bring her back and restore her. Based on the limited support we have gotten locally, we must consider this because our mission is to preserve and restore her and if that can help elsewhere we must consider pursuing that option. However, it is only speculative at this point. If we can complete our goal of getting the ship into drydock, we will have moved preservation forward and, even if she goes back to Scotland, she will be in a safer condition.
Second, our Indiegogo campaign is winding down within the week. We have only raised a few thousand dollars, but we have learned about what we need to do differently and will probably look at another one soon.
Finally, while in Scotland, President McEwan was contacted by a representative of an organization in Scotland that is planning to renovate the Port Glasgow area where Falls of Clyde was built. This was stimulated by newspaper stories in England and Scotland that reported the potential demise of the ship. They have asked if we would be willing to return the ship to Scotland if they can raise the funds to bring her back and restore her. Based on the limited support we have gotten locally, we must consider this because our mission is to preserve and restore her and if that can help elsewhere we must consider pursuing that option. However, it is only speculative at this point. If we can complete our goal of getting the ship into drydock, we will have moved preservation forward and, even if she goes back to Scotland, she will be in a safer condition.
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