The SFYC Feeds Tall Ship Sailors
By Sharael Feist
July 28, 1999
When the Indonesian Tall Ship Dewaruci set sail for San Francisco last month, the crew was excited about its opportunity to participate in the City’s Gold Rush Sail during the Fourth of July weekend. They weren’t thinking about what to eat once they arrived. But food for the sailors became a real concern during the Tall Ship celebration earlier this month when state funding slipped through the planks.
“The State of California had originally promised financial support to buy food for the Tall Ships,” said Gold Rush Sail Producer Alison Healy. “But the state was unsuccessful in raising the money, so they withdrew their commitment in March.”
According to Hala Jazi, Assistant to Mayor Willie Brown, the City did not have the necessary funds to remedy the situation. Mayor Brown offered his support in coordinating some of the social events, but the Indonesian sailors were still hungry.
Russ Coggeshall, Manager of The San Francisco Yacht Club, heard about the plight of the Dewaruci and wanted to lend a hand. The yacht club adopted the Indonesian crew for the Fourth of July weekend.
Coggeshall has a home in Indonesia and is very familiar with the Indonesian culture. He worked with other members of The SFYC to gather funds for the Dewaruci sailors. They eventually came up with a truckload of provisions. The food, mostly meats and produce, was delivered to the crew at Pier 27 where they were docked.
In addition, the yacht club also paid for two buses that picked up the crew on Saturday night, July 3, and drove them to Belvedere where a dinner at The SFYC awaited. The crew had requested traditional American fare hamburgers, French fries, and ice cream.
“We appreciate what the club has done for the ship,” said Nugroho Setyadie, Head of Information for the Consul General of Indonesia. “The food was very, very helpful to the crew.”
Healy said the Indonesians thought it was very important to participate in the San Francisco Gold Rush Sail, designed to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Gold Rush. The event was also part of a celebration for the 150th anniversary of the State of California.
They felt that participating in the event supported the morale of their Navy crew, Healy added, and built a relationship with the U.S. as their country undergoes the change to a democracy. They also wanted to display their culture to America.
Since Coggeshall assisted in making the food donation possible, he has been invited to participate in a welcoming ceremony for the Dewaruci which will take place on September 23, 1999 in Java, Indonesia.