23 Jun Golden Rule Splashes Into Humboldt Bay – A Huge Success!

Posted at 15:24h in Uncategorized, Updates by
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The Fire Boat leads the flotilla accompanying Golden Rule across Humboldt Bay

On June 20, hundreds of spectators watched Golden Rule splash into Humboldt Bay from Zerlang & Zerlang Boat Yard in Samoa, CA where she has been lovingly restored by Veterans For Peace and other supporters for the past five years.

Especially honored at the event were Leroy and Dalene Zerlang, owners of the boat yard and Chuck DeWitt, Restoration Coordinator. Without their tireless efforts, this would never have happened.

Special guests included

  • Orion Sherwood, the only surviving member of the original crew, who rode Golden Rule with his hat waving across the bay to the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center
  • Sally Willowbee, daughter of original crew member George Willoughby
  • Kitty Bigelow Benton, daughter of original captain Albert Bigelow
  • Shigeko Sasamori, Hiroshima survivor who along with 24 other “Hiroshima Maidens” came to the US for reconstructive surgery and inspired generations of Quakers and other friends to work for a world where NEVER AGAIN will atomic weapons be used
  • Jessica Reynolds Renshaw, original crew member of Phoenix of Hiroshima, who along with her parents and two brothers completed the journey that Golden Rule started – into the nuclear bomb test zone at Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands. The family later sailed to Russia to protest against their nuclear bomb testing.

Hundreds of supporters greeted Golden Rule when she arrived at the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center in Eureka.

We heard from Robert Gould of Physicians For Social Responsibility about the dangers of radiation from all sources along the nuclear path – from uranium mining, nuclear weapons, nuclear power plants, and the waste produced all along the way.

Mary Sweeters of Greenpeace talked about how Golden Rule was the inspiration for the founders of Greenpeace and other boats now involved in non-violent direct action for nuclear abolition, peace, and a safe, clean environment.

Ann Wright, a retired Colonel who resigned her post with the State Department in protest of the Iraq War, sent a message of solidarity from Greece, where she is preparing for Gaza Flotilla 3 to stop Israel’s blockade of Palestine.

There were oral histories given by

  • Shigeko Sasamori, Atomic bomb survivor and Hiroshima Maiden
  • Orion Sherwood, original Golden Rule crew member
  • Bradford Lyttle, Pacifist and a fundamental member of the Committee for Non-Violent Action that started the original Golden Rule project
  • Jessica Renshaw and Ted Reynolds, daughter and son of Earle and Barbara Reynolds whose whole family sailed in their boat, Phoenix of Hiroshima, not only to the Marshall Islands nuclear test area but also to Russia to protest nuclear testing there
  • David McReynolds of War Resistors League and close friend of crewmen George Willoughby and Jim Peck
  • Kitty Bigelow Benton, daughter of Captain Bigelow of the original Golden Rule crew
  • Sally Willowbee, daughtrer of crewman George Willoughby of the original Golden Rule crew

Hundreds of donors have made this five year effort possible:
Alan Horn
Alice Maxfields
Almquist Lumber
Ann Wright, Col. Retired
Andree Wagner Peace Trust
Arnold “Skip” Oliver
Camp Foundation
Cape Sebastian
Chip Sharp
Chuck DeWitt
David Barrows
David Catlet
Dr. Lawrence Badgley
Englund Marine
Expo Art
Figas Construction
Fred Hanf
Greg Dale
Hall & Stewart Choate
Humboldt Bay Harbor District
Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum
Jane Addams Peace Association
Jim & Linda Sorter
John Shafer
Melvin F. & Grace McLean Foundation
Piersons Building Center
Richard & Gay Gilchrist
Richard Betournay
Rick Foundation
Schmidbauer Lumber Company
Times Printing
Veterans For Peace National and Chapters 22, 56, and 116
Veterans For Peace Howard Zinn FUnd
Zerlang & Zerlang Marine Services

A VERY special thanks to Fredy Champagne for his vision and wisdom!

Dozens of hands, hearts and minds have been involved with the restoration project – here are a few

Chuck DeWitt, Restoration Coordinator
Bill and Gail Eastwood
Brekin Van Veldhuizen, Shipwright
Cody Hills
Darlene Zerlang
Dean Anderson
Danielle “Daisy” Arquero
David Peterson, Shipwright
Dave Sang
Dennis Thompson
Don Mathis
Helen Jaccard
Jason Kraft
Justin Brown
Leroy Zerlang
“Mac” McCormick
Michael Gonzalez
Nate Lomba
Nelson Camp
Tiffany McKenzie
Richard Betourney
Streve Courrington
Steve Nienhaus
Skip Oliver
Young Bok Yoon

The VFP Golden Rule Project Committee guided the project over the years.  Current officers and members are:

Leroy Zerlang, President
Libby Tonning, Secretary
Leland Anderson, Treasurer
Arnold “Skip” Oliver, Ph.D.
Bill Eastwood
Brekin Van Veldhuizen
Chuck DeWitt
Gerry Condon, National Board Vice President of Veterans For Peace
Helen Jaccard
James Summers
Jim Truitt
Nelson Camp
Richard Gilchrist, Ph.D.
Seth Rick
Steve Nienhaus

Past Committee Members are:

Britni Anderson
Eric Bergel
Jim Sorter
Joan Merryman
Julie Cairns
Gail Eastwood
Lenny Anderson
Nate Lomba
Peter Aronson

We rely on our Advisory Board as well:

Col. Ann Wright, Retired
Dorris Timm, CPA
Elliot Adams, Past President of Veterans For Peace
Prof. Lawrence Wittner
Peter Wilcox, Captain
S. Brian Willson, Activist and Author

1Comment
  • Gerry Condon
    Posted at 17:14h, 06 July

    Thanks to the many members of Veterans For Peace who attended this incredible event, and who have done so much to bring us this far. VFP President Barry Ladendorf spoke eloquently and with great knowledge about the history of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and how important it is to keep on pushing for its promise of elimination of all nuclear weapons.