What could be more fitting than launching a journey as a US Navy family than doing so aboard the ship that launched the US Navy itself? Not much, if anything, according to Club Presidents Shawn and Rafael, who took full advantage of our Club's proximity to that storied vessel to hold the Welcome Aboard Event for the class of 2011 aboard the USS Constitution and in the Museum that bears its name. The past, present, future of our country's naval tradition connected flawlessly on the picture perfect evening of June 16.

While President Rafael was busy with other behind-the-scene tasks for the Welcome Aboard, President Shawn personally greeted every Welcome Aboard guest as all assembled in preparation to board the Constitution. Ship's Commander William A. Bullard III addressed MA, NH, RI members of USNA Class of 2011, their parents, siblings, and guests who were able to attend, with some brief and inspirational words of welcome. Club photographer and web master par excellence Carl Supancic with his great assistant Sandee Supancic then took a group photo of the Plebes-to-be aboard the Constitution, after which all Welcome Aboard guests were granted a VIP tour of the vessel.

Following the tour, Shawn escorted all to the museum terrace for cocktails, h'ors d'ouvres and a meet'n'greet with Shipmates, Board members, and Friends of the Fleet club members. Event Chairs Pamela and Larry Fishman had arranged for cocktail and buffet tables to hold the array of h'or d'ouvres and for cocktail tables, some benches and chairs to be strategically placed on the terrace, as well as for it to be covered with a canopy, and members of the Welcome Aboard Committee had festively decorated the area in navy blue and gold. Club Members Tom McGuire and Bill Rahall served beverages and Club Treasurer Jay Drake flawlessly eliminated the only snafu of the evening, the delay in illuminating the terrace, by deftly overcoming the obstacle presented by no terrace outlets for lighting. In the background board members Celeste Drake and Suzanne Rahall with assistance from club member Deb Poirier seamlessly attended to all the final details and flow. While conversation buzzed cheerily as friendships were forged and renewed, and questions were asked and answered, Shawn and Carl reconvened all the Plebes-to-be for another group picture on the terrace.

As the lovely and flavorful cocktail hour waned, all convened in the museum's auditorium. There, Rafael joined Carl in the shutterbug activities, and Shawn offered some brief words of welcome then invited event chairs Pamela and Larry Fishman up to lead all in the Pledge of Allegiance. Cheryl and Doug Okun, immediate past Presidents, were invited up to the podium, Cheryl to offer the invocation, followed by Doug's words of welcome and introduction to the DVD about Plebe summer. Before recessing for the delicious light supper that awaited all back on the terrace, Shawn introduced and thanked Firstie Bryan Fishman, son of Pamela and Larry, for coordinating the tasks for the Midshipmen in attendance, and Bryan asked each of those Midshipmen to step forward and introduce themselves. Those Mids, Jason Crane 08; Katie Haskell, 08; Nicholas Rahall, 09; Sara Supancic, 09; Ron Wolcott, 09; Brendan Dziama, 10; Michael Hicks,10; Rachel Lessard,10; and Brendon Mills,10, conducted themselves then and throughout the evening as Officers and Gentlemen and Ladies, validating our pride in them, and offering to the parents, siblings, and guests of the class of 2011 a window into the future of their nascent Mids.

After dining and continuing to forge personal connections, Plebes-to-be adjourned to a separate location in the museum for a Q/A with the Midshipmen, while all other guests assembled again in the auditorium for the cornerstone of the Welcome Aboard event, a Q/A session for the families of the incoming class of USNA. This was moderated by Shawn as Club members Andy & Joanne (from the back) Weintraub, Diane (from the back) & Rick Stillman, Tom McGuire, Cheryl & Doug Okun, Larry Fishman, Pam & John Fryer, Deb & David Magnuson, Anne & John Hicks, Karen & Joe Curley, Joyce and Andrew Hossfeld, Eileen & Walter Mills and Shelly & Woody Wolcott sitting facing the families offered information, words of encouragement, and answers to questions posed by the class of 2011 parents, siblings, and guests. A "gift" bag for each Plebe-to-be had been assembled by Shawn with assistance from Cheryl Okun, and Shawn explained the Plebe Summer value of each item in those bags. Just as the session in the auditorium was winding down, the Mids and the class of 2011 Plebes reentered the auditorium where they were called up individually to receive their gift bags.

Plebe families walked away with another gift, as well. Pamela Fishman, with assistance from a long-standing Club member and former President Karen Boodakian, had prepared folders with information about Annapolis, USNA, and our Club. Despite a few incompletes about our Club's calendar and Board of Directors and Committee Chairs, which will be rectified shortly via email from Shawn, the folders were concise, informative, and well designed. Also, although Club Membership Registration Forms were supposed to have made it into the folders, they never did, about which Shawn and Rafa apologize and will amend with the assistance of Membership chairs Diane and Richard Stillman, who will be emailing and snail mailing those, post haste, to Class of 2011 families.

Finally, the raffle basket drawing took place. Shawn had prepared a shipping box with USNA items and memorabilia specifically with the Class of 2011 in mind. The lucky winner was greeted by cheers and applause from all. Good-byes were shared, members and guests slowly exited the museum, and members of Pamela and Larry's committee, along with Shawn, remained behind for clean-up.

The tradition behind this event is not to welcome the incoming class to the USNA (USNA has got that one), it is to welcome the incoming class to our Club. All matters that are addressed at this event are done so, not from the perspective of the USNA, but from the perspective of families of Midshipmen because, since that is who we are, that is the mission of this Club - to support MA, NH, and RI USNA families. In so doing, as we are able, we make use of any and all of the resources at our disposal. We are indeed blessed to have the USS Constitution and Museum as one of those resources, along with our Club's families, who are generous of their personal resources, as we fulfill our mission, in this case by focusing on easing the transition from civilian family life to USNA family life. That is why this year's Welcome Aboard, under the able leadership of Shawn and Rafa, the direction of Pamela and Larry, and the behind the scenes work of so many on their committee to numerous to name here, so beautifully added to the continued success of this event for our Club.