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Verfasser: Gunar
Datum: Samstag, den 8. September 2001, um 10:57 Uhr
Betrifft: Sadleirs Mitleidstour hat Erfolg

Um das gänzliche PR-Fiasko scheint Seatrek herumgekommen zu sein. Die heutige Deseret News vermeldet, dass die drei verbleibenden Segelschiffe den Atlantik überqueren werden. Den von Mo-stalgie nur so triefenden Artikel will ich gar nicht weiter kommentieren; macht Euch selbst ein Bild davon:

Deseret News, Saturday, September 08, 2001

Sea Trek is on track again

By Tawny Archibald
Deseret News correspondent

LAS PALMAS, Gran Canaria — The three tall ships of Sea Trek 2001 will sail across the Atlantic after all.

Tawny Archibald Campbell

After negotiations with owners of the chartered Norwegian ships Christian Radich and Statsraad Lehmkuhl, Bill Sadleir, president of the Sea Trek Foundation, told participants Friday night that the voyage remains afloat and all three ships will depart at 9 a.m. today for New York via Bermuda.

Wednesday, the owners of the two Norwegian ships had demanded payment, saying they would end their voyage in the Canary Islands unless they were paid. The owners of the Dutch ship Europa had already been paid in full. Another Norwegian ship, the Sorlandet, left the voyage in England when the number of passengers did not meet expectations.

Sea Trek, which began in Denmark, is commemorating the 19th-century emigration of European converts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The sailing expedition is not sponsored by the church.

"Today the Christian Radich foundation said that we are going to New York," Sadleir said. "That confirmed that the Christian Radich was indeed going to New York with the Europa. Those two would accommodate all the passengers."

According to Sadleir, however, the problem was that another 100 passengers would join the ships in Bermuda, and there wouldn’t be enough room for them with only two ships. The holdup with the Lehmkuhl was that the ship’s board of directors wanted full payment, something the Sea Trek Foundation could not accommodate now. Sadleir had said earlier that he had a shortfall of $550,000.

"We had to craft together a solution," Sadleir said. "A gentleman in Southern California called to donate $50,000. An hour ago we got a call from a group in Salt Lake City. A Jewish gentleman saw Sea Trek as a tribute to emigrants worldwide and wanted to donate $50,000.

"Another man from Utah called and said he would loan Sea Trek some money, and my personal friend said he could guarantee a bank loan. We also had a man give us a $100,000 loan to let the ships have a chance to sail."

Within a few hours, Sadleir said, the pieces fell into place, and a package was created that would allow the Lehmkuhl to complete the voyage to New York.

Before the financing package was announced, Per Langhelle of the Statsraad Lehmkuhl Foundation told the Associated Press from Bergen, the main city on Norway’s west coast, that Sea Trek owes his foundation $370,000, plus a similar amount to the Christian Radich Foundation and a smaller sum to the Sorlandet for its aborted trip.

The tab for the entire voyage will be about $6 million, including fireworks in ports in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Scotland and England.

Sadleir did not name Sea Trek’s newest benefactors. However, Utah businessman John Price said Friday he is one of those who contributed $50,000. The re-enactment of the religious trek has great personal meaning, Price said, because his family was forced to flee Germany in 1940 when he was 5 years old.

The historical voyage helps millions understand and remember "the hardships that people of faith suffered to cross the ocean and seek a better life in Utah," Price said.

Although the ships will continue their voyage, Sea Trek’s money woes aren’t over, and it still seeks donations. Sadleir said he is asking Sea Trek participants and compassionate church members to be generous, act as fund-raisers, and help gather the final funds necessary to pay the ships in full.

"It is like the Perpetual Emigration Fund 100 years ago," Sadleir said. "Now we see a group of people who need help."

Sadleir also referred to the early pioneers caught in winter snows and in dire need of help.

"We are like the Willie Handcart Company and are caught in a snow. We can’t depend on institutions to help us out."

To the participants, on all ships, news of the sailing was a relief.

"It has been difficult and painful not to know, but everyone had accepted whatever news was provided," said Dean May, a University of Utah professor on the Christian Radich. "It was the absence of news that was so stressful, but no one gave up hope. We always knew this would happen."

For Karen Brimhall, 18, Salt Lake City, the news was so good that she had to immediately record it in her journal.

"I’m feeling overwhelming joy and happiness," she said. "I feel the way my ancestors might have felt when they were able to leave England for America knowing they were going to Zion — home."

With the confirmation that all ships will sail today, passengers rushed to gather items they will need for the long Atlantic crossing. They are scheduled to arrive in New York Oct. 4.

"I’m so excited, and I guess now I have to prepare and get some things for the crossing," said Will Wade, 19, Salt Lake City. "I’m thankful for the people who made this possible and made it happen. Now you can’t help but better understand just what it means to have to sacrifice."

http://deseretnews.com/dn/print/1,1442,300008262,00.html

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