20 MAY 2019 • FOGHORN FOGHORNFOCUS: HUMAN RESOURCES Orange immediately took a liking to the unique venue for a new SOS family event, calling Terri and her father, Alan Bernstein, “great American patriots” for their willingness to host a special, annual cruise for Gold Star families. The cruise, Riverboat Ride on the Ohio, is a hit with military families. Along with a 2.5-hour cruise, passen- gers enjoy a complimentary lunch, live music, and fun activities for children, such as face painting and a photo booth. “This event is one of the largest SOS events in the country,” Orange said, explaining that BB Riverboats donates up to 1,000 tickets to SOS to distrib- ute to Gold Star families. He said that the event fills up quickly because of its popularity. Terri Bernstein explained that while her operation gives away a thousand tickets, the cruise generally has 700 to 800 passengers. BB Riverboat’s food vendor donates all the meals for this special event, and SOS is responsible for the program’s music, speakers, and activities for children. The Riverboat Ride on the Ohio has been so successful that David Orange spoke about the program at the PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends 2019 in New Orleans, LA and quickly found several other PVAVessel members who want to participate in the program. “It was an instant ‘yes’ for us,” said Joseph D’Amico, Director of Service Operations at Gateway Clipper Fleet. “It’s a great cause and we want to honor our military in a meaningful way.” This is the first year that Gateway Clipper Fleet will take part and they have chosen the same day, June 9, that BB Riverboats offers its special cruise. Because it is the first time, Gateway Clipper will not offer a cruise only for military families, but is giving 100 tickets to the active military, veterans, and their families to enjoy a one-hour public cruise with complimentary box lunches and soda (Pepsi is donating the beverages). “We are inviting the military families to come early for a special program put together by our area’s SOS coordinator before we cruise,” D’Amico explained. READY TO JOIN IN? Annual June 9 Cruise to Honor Military Families Contact Survivor Outreach Services to Learn More www.armymwr.com/programs- and-services/personal- assistance/survivor-outreach/ sos-resources Each year, thousands of preventable maritime accidents are caused by operator inattention, cited twice as frequently as the next leading factor. The Furuno BR500 Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System (BNWAS) helps to prevent these accidents. Scan this code with your smart phone for a Guided Tour of the BR500. www.FurunoUSA.com