Since 2007, PortSide has received generous support from numerous individuals and organizations who have donated time, money, expertise and, above all, a shared belief in our mission. Here, we’d like to acknowledge as many as possible:

Thank you to our in-kind donors who have helped our IT universe and made it easier to reach the public. They have donated computer equipment, security cameras, recording equipment, and more for the boat. Some have even beamed beam their home internet connection to the tanker (thank you Rafi and Liz Magnes for years of help when we were in the containerport). Thank you to our pro bono IT whiz David Sheahan who knitted it all together: Nexaria Wireless, Broadtone Networks, AVerMedia, GlobalProSecurity.

From 2016-2019, the exterior paint of the MARY was restored in large part using labor from District Council 9 - IUPAT, which used the ship as a training site. We give them a location, they give us labor, and we partnered in training union labor. The paint was thanks to a generous donation by International Paint. DC9 Metal Polishers and Glaziers have also helped us restore Monel fixtures, bronze portholes and their glass.

A big thanks to Erika Stetson who donated her December 2013 to us, enabling us to rehab the galley.

Special thanks to those who helped us with our Sandy damage: engineer Steve Swift and steel maestro Paul Amico for their days of work stabilizing the ship’s engine parts that became flooded in the shed. To Geoff Thomspon of GT Materials Handling for the heroic on-deadline work of finding us a vendor to quote repair of damage to our 1941 Hyster so we could apply for a grant. To Frank Farkas of General Forklift Company for coming over on no notice to assess the damage. To the folks from Narratively who helped clean up our storage area.

Thank you American Stevedoring, Inc. for providing a free home for the MARY, along with electricity, labor and storage space for the better part of September 2006 to September 2011. Thank you Red Hook Container Terminal LLC for donating the same to us from September 2011 to June 2015. Thanks to GMD Shipyard in the Brooklyn Navy Yard for giving us a free home during the winter months of 2008.

Thanks to those who helped us get parts to fix our engine: Stabbert Maritime in Seattle who accommodated the disruption of our request for parts and discounted their fees; Washington State Department of Natural Resources who negotiated on our behalf and provided history on the Ked and Bushey tankers in general; Gerry Weinstein who donated $5,000 to pay for the parts and more towards the shipping; K-Sea Transportation, Inc. who donated $2,000 toward the cost of shipping and provided engine info; American Stevedoring who unloaded and stored the parts in their warehouse; A & P Freight who gave us a nice price on shipping; the fleet of engineers who provided advice on vintage engines: Gary Matthews, Bobby Mowbray, Charlie Chillemi, Tim Ivory, Nobby Peers and Adrian Lipp; Mary Habstritt, president of the national Society of Industrial Archeology (SIA), who tapped their West Coast membership to bring in Ries Niemi and Erik Knise; the other West Coast site crew: Antonio Salguero of Coastwise Marine Design and Kris Lindberg. Big thanks to Bernie Ente, the “King of Newtown Creek,” who told us about the Ked in the first place. We wish Bernie was here to see the progress.

Thanks for research by Captain Dick Forster, Ed Drury, Thomas Rinaldi (who told us about the Supreme Court case involving the MARY), as well as the folks at K-SEA Transportation, Inc., especially Rick Falcinelli for history and documents, free towing, generous advice, and donations. (K-SEA, once under the name Eklof, was the last company to run the MARY as a tanker.) To Jan Andrusky at Weeks Marine: thanks for great networking and connecting us to the right people.

Thanks, too, for the variety of special services provided by our contractors and suppliers: surveyor Charles Deroko; the pump-out folks at Clean Water of New York; Independent Testing; John Tretout of Armorica Paint. Thanks to Bernie Mellies, the marine engineer who drew up the spudwell plan pro bono.

Thanks to our supportive friends at Hughes Marine and Reinauer Transportation in Erie Basin who were so patient over 18 months while we considered buying the ship, looked for a berth, insurance and a shipyard. They could have sent the MARY to the scrapyard, but they gave us the time to find a way to save her. We appreciate their advice, material support and equipment storage, especially from Bob Hughes, Brian Hughes, Phil Marion and Tommy George.

And thanks to all of you who have sent historic photos of the MARY A. WHALEN at work: Steve Cryan; Barry Masterson; Bob Mattson; Dave Boone, and for newer photos and video thanks to Helen Tschudi, Blake McDowell, Jenny Kane, Bernie Ente, Frank Lynch.

Thanks to the Red Hook businesses who have sponsored our events or made in-kind donations: Atlantis Plumbing, Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies, and some great businesses which have closed LeNell's, Liberty Sunset Garden Center, Wine Bar Cafe, and home/made. Special thanks to Wet Whistle Wines for receiving our packages.

And thank you to ALL of our volunteers over the years. Your enthusiasm keeps us inspired. Your work keeps us advancing the ball.