AHA! Carnaval Great Success

Schooner Ernestina Commission Programming Committee members Barbara Burgo and Chuck Smiler coordinated a wonderful event for AHA! February 9 at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.

Programming Committee chair Laura Pires-Hester and volunteers Annie McDowell and Chuck Smiler prepare the Ernestina history display

The celebration began with an introduction of the Schooner Ernestina Commission.

Barbara Burgo interviewed DCR manager Don Matinzi and Commissioners Fred Sterner, Gene Monteiro, Laura, Brian Rothschild, Captain Norman Gomes and Supt. Jen Nersesian

Barbara welcome the newest Commissioner Brian Rothschild

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell cut the birthday cake

Laura, Mayor Jon Mitchell, SEMA President Mary Anne McQuillan, Brian

and the celebration continued with video, dancing, lectures and a parade as described in this note and with photos from the organizers, Barbara and Chuck.

If you were at AHA!’s Carnevale and Schooner Ernestina‘s 118th birthday party youprobably can still hear the music, feel the drum beat and are probably still smiling at the thought of the wonderful time we had on February 9th at the National Park Service’s Visitors Center in New Bedford.  In addition to Commissioners, DCR representatives, and Captain Norman Gomes who are pictured here, a special thank you goes out to the many local leaders, friends, family and residents who came to help us celebrate, including but not limited to Rep. Tony Cabral, Mayor Mitchell, City Council members Brian Gomes, Bruce Duarte and Henry Bousquet, School Committeeman Jack Livramento, Carlos Almeida, Advisor of the Cape Verdean Student Association at UMASS Dartmouth, local musicians Tony Cruz and Beto Santos and their band Tuegeda, and the Zezinho Semeda, Vanila Silva-DaRosa and Tida Rodriques of the Kominhu Longi Project, and exceptional youth dancers from Our Sister’s School taught and brought along by Vanila.

Thanks to Ruth and Abby, the National Park’s 19th Century ladies, who brought their special presence and mask makers to the party.

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We thank Captain Gomes for his presentation of memories of the Ernestina’s return voyage from Cape Verde in 1982 with additional comments from Captain Tommy Grace.  Watch for more celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of this voyage later this summer.

…and Muito Obrigado to photographer Tootsie Russell and Tom Lopes, owner of  CVN COOL!

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For presentation of this evening we thank the ever-faithful volunteers on the planning committee as well as AHA! Director Lee Heald, for getting out the word, for bringing cable access coverage, and a donation of celebratory bead necklaces and SEMA for providing the refreshments.

Viva Carnaval! and Filis Aniversariu, Effie M. Morrissey/Schooner Ernestina!!!

your friends, Barbara Monteiro Burgo and Chuck Smiler

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Congratulations to Carol Dutra who won the door prize of a Jeff Eldredge print of Ernestina in full sail.

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