For Kasturi Yalamanchili, the decision to become a United States citizen after living here for 13 years was an easy one.

“It’s my country now,” the Wilton, CT, resident said. “When I go back home (to India) I feel like I don’t belong there anymore. When I go back there now, it is a vacation, because this is my home.”

Yalamanchili was one of 74 people who took the Oath of Allegiance on Wednesday during the 6th annual Flag Day Naturalization Ceremony at Mystic Seaport. They represented 32 countries.

“It is a special privilege to welcome all of you to beautiful Mystic Seaport on Flag Day,” said Museum President Steve White in opening remarks. “Mystic Seaport is America’s leading maritime museum, and we tell the story of America’s maritime heritage, which often includes immigration. Many of us, either ourselves or relatives from long ago, emigrated here by sea, whether it be sail, steam or power. It was always a voyage of hope, anticipation and anxiety.

“Today you will leave Mystic Seaport as citizens of the United States, and on your personal voyage that started years ago, you completed a leg of that journey today.Now you will add your imprint to your country’s story. It is our story. It is now your story too. We honor your path, and we wish you well.”

Representatives of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ran the ceremony, hosting Stonington First Selectman Rob Simmons and representatives from U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Joe Courtney. Enthan Enzer, section chief, and Nieves Cardinale, field office director of the USCIS office in Hartford, offered remarks.

This was the second year that the Honorable Judge Robert A. Richardson, U.S. magistrate judge for the District of Connecticut, administered the oath of allegiance and handed out the certificates of citizenship. In his remarks, Judge Richardson noted that he “shamelessly begged” to oversee the ceremony this year because he enjoyed it so much last year.

“Before I administer the oath, I would ask everyone to look around at this group,” Judge Richardson said. “This is a good illustration of what America really is all about. We have a very diverse group in front of us. And in the end it doesn’t matter where you came from or what your race is or what religion you practice, or if you even practice a religion at all. At the end of the day we are all Americans.”

Theresa Boakye-Mensah of Ghana has lived in the U.S. since 2008. She resides in East Hartford and works as a caregiver. She wanted to become a citizen because “I love this country. I like the rule of law.” For Hector Ceron of Guatemala, after living and working in Stamford, CT, as a mason for 17 years, “I want to be a part of this country. This country has given me so many opportunities, and I want to give back to it.”

Pasquale Poccia came to the United States more than 30 years ago from Italy. He owns and runs an Italian restaurant in New Canaan, CT, and until this year was just “too busy” to become a citizen. His wife and children are all citizens and he just decided now was the time. “I love this country. I want to be part of it.”

Gloria Manheimer, a hair stylist from Ridgefield, CT, also wanted to become a citizen because everyone else in her family is one. Her husband of 14 years, Isaac, is American, and their two children were born here. Gloria came here from Ghana. “I want my family to all be from the same country,” she said.

Sri Kanagala of Mystic was in the audience to watch his wife Vara, daughter Vineela, and son Deep take the oath. The family has lived here for 18 years – coming from India when Vineela was 1-year-old. “This is a proud moment,” Sri said. “This is our home. We are very attached to Mystic. Our children grew up here.” Sri expects to become a citizen soon, as well.

For Maurice Bunnell and Jorge Luis Speranza of East Haven, being able to be together has been a long journey. They met 11 years ago, and legally wed in 2013. It wasn’t until the federal Defense of Marriage Act was ruled unconstitutional that they could marry and Maurice could sponsor Jorge for citizenship from his native Italy. “This means a great deal to us. It is a very emotional and exciting day.”

Countries represented today: Albania, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Macedonia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, South  Korea, St. Lucia, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uzbekistan.

 

When Mystic Seaport President Steve White learned last year that a local yacht club held a special regatta for members of the Wounded Warriors Project, he knew this was something the Museum needed to be involved with.

“The Mystic Seaport experience presents a marvelous opportunity for our Wounded Warriors and their families,” White said. And so planning commenced in late winter among various Museum departments, and several staff members who are also veterans were brought into help, including Brehan Brady, a member of Wounded Warriors and a rigger at the Museum.

The planning culminates Saturday, June 17, in a special day for members of the Wounded Warriors Project, their families and their caregivers.

“We are pleased and proud to open our campus and our arms to them for a special day of activities and camaraderie,” White said.

Mystic Seaport worked with the New York chapter of Wounded Warriors Project, which includes New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Invitations were sent to members of the chapter, their families and caregivers to enjoy a day at the Museum as our guests.  More than 130 people are expected to attend.

After an official welcome ceremony in the morning in the Claggett Boat Shed, guests will hear an historical overview of the Museum, have guided tours of the Henry B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard and the current restoration projects (Sabino and Mayflower II), watch demonstrations by riggers, blacksmiths and coopers, take a waterfront tour on board Liberty, view a Planetarium show and enjoy a complimentary cookout lunch provided by Coastal Gourmet.

Brehan Brady said he was gratified and humbled by the Museum staff’s interest in providing a day of experience at Mystic Seaport to Wounded Warriors. Staff Sgt. Brady served in the U.S. Army as an infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division from 1999 through 2007, including two deployments to Iraq and one to the Sinai Peninsula. He saw active combat on the front lines through much of his service. Brady suffered several severe concussions during his service, and in 2010 was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury related to those concussions. He suffered damage to his occipital lobe and among other issues, suffers from an extreme sensitivity to light. He came to work at Mystic Seaport as an interpreter two years ago, and for the last 18 months has worked as a rigger.

Brady belongs to the Wounded Warriors Project, and says it always bothered him living in Connecticut that there weren’t more activities near his home in Pawcatuck to be part of. The New York chapter covers Connecticut and New Jersey and the Boston chapter covers Rhode Island so he found himself in a bit of a no man’s land.

“It’s always been in the back of my mind that this place has tremendous potential to have a positive impact on the lives of veterans,” he said.

The Museum’s involvement with veterans will continue past the Saturday event. In the fall, the Mystic Seaport Sailing Center will host a series of sailing classes for veterans.

“The goal of this class is to build camaraderie among veterans of all eras and services,” said Ben Ellcome, Assistant Manager of Sailing Programs. “The veterans will learn basic sailing and whaleboat rowing but they will also learn about the history of the sea through the historic vessels at the museum. The museum grounds and our fleet of historic watercraft will be used as floating classrooms to further the veterans’ understanding of our common history of the sea and sailing.”

Brady understands the power of Mystic Seaport for veterans.

“My coworkers and friends at Mystic Seaport have played the biggest role in my recovery from what happened to me overseas, and I know that all those who attend the event will benefit from the experience. This is a very special place.”

After the idea was floated to host Wounded Warriors, “there was overwhelming support for it,” he noted. “So many people from across departments said ‘How can I help?’ It was really validating. I like to say that I got back in 2007 (from the war) but I felt like I came home when I started working here.”

Mystic Seaport has honored yachting historian, author, and publisher Llewellyn Howland III with the William P. Stephens Award.

The award, established in 1988 and named for the man long known as the “Dean of American Yachtsmen” and “The Grand Old Man of American Yachting,” is given by Mystic Seaport in recognition of a significant and enduring contribution to the history, preservation, progress, understanding, or appreciation of American yachting and boating.

The award was presented to Howland June 9, 2017 at a ceremony hosted by the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA.

In his introductory remarks to the presentation, past recipient, yachting author and historian John Rousmaniere, praised Howland (Louie to his friends) not just for his writing, but also for his extensive role in editing and publishing:

“Those many books carrying the Howland name mark a contribution any writer would like to claim.  If I leave you with anything, it is my appreciation for Louie’s equally valuable contributions in the shadows of publishing and yachting history. Pick up an important and original book in our field – like Lines, Olin Stephens’ deeply personal commentary on his designs – there you will find Louie’s name mentioned in the acknowledgments. Why? Because he energized the project and helped make it happen.”

Howland is most recently the author of No Ordinary Being: W. Starling Burgess, Inventor, Naval Architect, Aviation Pioneer, and Master of American Design, a landmark biography of one of the most innovative naval architects of the 20th century. The book was published by David R. Godine in association with the New Bedford Whaling Museum, Old Dartmouth Historical Society and Mystic Seaport.

Howland is a frequent contributor to WoodenBoat Magazine and has numerous other books, including Yachting in America (with Gerald Morris), On the Wind (with Calvin Siegal), and The New Bedford Yacht Club: A History.

Previous William P. Stephens Award recipients include: Rousmaniere, 2014; Betsy and B. Hunt Lawrence, 2013; George Moffett, 2011; Henry H. Anderson, Jr., 2009; Joseph Gribbins, 2001; Maynard Bray, 1999; Carleton Mitchell, 1997; Jon Wilson, 1996; Dick and Colleen Wagner, 1995; Waldo Howland, 1994; David “Bud” McIntosh, 1993; John Gardner, 1992; Briggs Cunningham, 1991; Elizabeth Meyer, 1990; William Garden, 1989; and Olin Stephens, 1988.

Mystic Seaport invites owners of Sparkman & Stephens yachts to join the Museum’s Antique & Classic Boat Rendezvous Saturday and Sunday, July 22-23. The annual event showcases high-quality antique vessels, including cruisers, sailboats, and runabouts.

To celebrate the 85th anniversary of the launching of the Museum’s schooner Brilliant, the event will highlight the designs of Sparkman & Stephens. Brilliant was design #12, one of the earliest of Olin Stephen’s designs. She was launched in 1932 at the Henry B. Nevins yard at City Island, N.Y. As one of the longest-running sail training programs in the country, she has carried more than 10,000 students since the early 1950s.

Mystic Seaport invites all Sparkman & Stephens-designed boats built in 1975 or earlier to join the gathering on the Mystic Seaport waterfront. Vessels will be displayed Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. An award competition will recognize excellence in restoration, authenticity, and workmanship.

The Rendezvous continues to invite all other boats built in 1975 or earlier. Interested boat owners should visit the Mystic Seaport website for additional information and the application form.

The Rendezvous concludes Sunday at 12:30 p.m. with a parade of the classic vessels down the Mystic River led by the recently restored 1908 steamboat Sabino. Each boat will be announced on the shore at Mystic River Park as it passes through the iconic Mystic River Bascule Bridge. The boats then make their way down river to Fishers Island Sound in what has become a highlight of the Mystic summer season.