Scouts Dazzled by Lone Sailor Dinner

The teenagers’ sparkling eyes were wide in amazement as they caught sight of the

great hall. They saw circular tables draped in blue and gold, flanked by delicate gold chairs and adorned with fresh flowers, candles, and a miniature pewter statue at each place setting.The young women are youth officers from Sea Scout ships in the Northeast Region, who were treated to an unforgettable evening on September 15, 2010.

Wearing their dress uniforms, the Sea Scouts dined in style in a grand ballroom with lofty ceiling, lighted fountain and beautifully prepared gourmet food, while watching Bill Cosby speak on stage. Seventeen-year-old Sarah Fucello—newly-elected Boatswain of Sea Scout Ship 7916—and fourteen-year-old Brenda Renninger—crew leader with Ship 548 and boatswain of the NCAC council—enjoyed this and more at the 23rd Annual Lone Sailor Award dinner hosted by the Navy Memorial at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. The building was decked out beautifully for this very special event, with dramatic lighting and greenery. Sarah had “never been somewhere so fancy,” before and Brenda agreed, saying the building probably the nicest I’ve ever seen.”

The Lone Sailor Award is given to Sea Service veterans “who have excelled with distinction in their respective civilian careers while exemplifying the Navy core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment.” Past recipients include elected officials, as well as author James Michener, golf pro Arnold Palmer, and actor Tony Curtis.

Having previously heard about the dinner and viewing pictures, Sarah was very excited when she received the invitation. “I spent all day jumping off the walls,” she said. Brenda wasn’t initially sure exactly what the event was, but in talking to her skipper and to Sarah about it, she realized the magnitude of the invitation. Brenda was shocked, “because it was such a high class dinner and a real honor. “I was like, whoa, my skipper asked me to go to this?” she said.

Both scouts had their uniforms dry-cleaned for the event. Brenda said she “made sure all my patches were right, washed my cover to make sure it was clean.” Sarah “spent all day very carefully getting ready, making everything as perfect as I could make it, thinking the whole time on what it would be like to go and see Bill Cosby…I’ve never been in the same room with someone that famous before.” Brenda appreciated that “everybody was all dressed up in their uniforms and dresses and looked beautiful” at the dinner.

This year’s Lone Sailor Award honorees were the actor/comedian William H. Cosby, Jr.,PhD, a United States Navy Veteran; Eddie LeBaron, famed Washington Redskins- and Dallas Cowboys Quarterback and Korean War Veteran, United States Marine Corps; and Lanier Phillips, the first African-American Sonar Technician, United States Navy, World War II Veteran and Survivor of the USS Truxtun shipwreck. During the dinner, the scouts enjoyed watching what Sarah called “a captivating slideshow of each honoree,” and then heard the gentlemen speak.

Brenda said “their stories were so interesting to hear…Bill Cosby was my favorite; he was so funny and really made his story interesting!” Sarah said she “wasn’t expecting all the honorees to speak and was cool they really could speak tell their view of their experiences. It thrilled me!”

Sea Scout attendees are selected from a group of award-winners in the NCAC (National Capitol Area Council to fill the 4-6 seats given to the nautical scouting program. A somewhat mysterious donor, Robert Dorion—about whom little is known—makes the seats available. He has sponsored a table at the dinner for about the past six years, sends representatives in his place and always includes room for Sea Scouts. If given the opportunity, each of the young women would thank Mr. Dorion. Brenda thinks it is “really generous of him to donate a table like that to Sea Scouts,” and Sarah would “tell him I really appreciate his giving us this opportunity. It’s very generous to donate to Sea Scouts…we’re in our teen years, so we don’t have the decorum of the adults he would usually invite to that.”

After the event, Sarah enthusiastically said that if she were invited again, “I would accept in a heartbeat. I had a very fun time and enjoyed many experiences I had never encountered before.” Brenda exclaimed that “this was really a once in a life time experience and I wouldn’t have asked to go with a different group of people to share the experience with!”

Quotes from Lone Sailor Dinner

Here are the quotes from the evening (most of them were from the car ride up):

"Don't you look cute in your uniform?" "Stop it." Marcus and Skipper (at skipper's office)

"They're nice buttons. They have to cost something." - Marcus

"The uniform demands respect." "I demand respect." - Marcus and Skipper

"I take back all the mean things I said about you." - Skipper

"I should have known you'd have shoe polish with you." - Skipper

"Turn right, then turn right." - Beulah (the name of the GPS)

"Bad, bad GPS." - Skipper

"We were spanking Beulah." - Mate from 1942

"That's a school. It looks like the building museum." - Skipper

"It's Beulah's alter ego." - Mate

"We won't hit the pregnant lady." - Mate

"It's hard to believe this is a two way street." - Mate

"OMG, even the bikes want to be on my side." - Mate

"They will get out of your way." - Skipper

"OMG, we're going to die." - Mate

"I hope this street is wider." - Mate

"Always and adventure." - Skipper

"Anybody need bug spray?" - Mate

"I'm a little flustered." "I can't imagine why." - Mate and Skipper

"They should just get out." - Skipper

"I have to think of something to do to his chair tomorrow." - Skipper

"Oh god, not that Sea Scout stuff again." - Skipper

"A GPS thing going on here." - Skipper

"We're mighty close though." - Skipper

"I actually took the metro earlier this year." - Skipper

"Official FBI parking only." - Skipper

"Come on back, we're blocking traffic." - Skipper

"You little bugger." - Mate

"They will, cause you look like a meter maid." - Mate

"Beauty always moves people, age doesn't." - Random guy at dinner

"The pencil was hiding under the baseball." - Rebecca

Lone Sailor Awards Dinner

by Caitlín

Last night the Skipper and I attended the United States Navy Memorial's Lone Sailor Awards Dinner. We only had a week and a half of notice that we were going. At the last NCAC Wardroom Meeting it was announced that there were two spots still open at the table of ten that is donated annually to Sea Scouts. Everyone except for my mom and me was either already going or had attended previously.

So they talked talked us into going, even though at the time we had nothing suitable to wear. As a Scout, I technically should have been in dress whites, but we don't even have our work uniforms yet (but the delay isn't our fault; the Ship Store is relocating).

But Skipper Yeckley of Ship 458 (S.S.S. Sea Eagle) said he would send us some of the donated US Navy uniforms that could be converted to Sea Scout uniforms. Unfortunately they had not come by the time we left, so both the Skipper and I were in black dresses and heels.

We arrived at the National Building Museum (NBM) at 4:40, very early for a 6:00 dinner. I was not in the best of moods; I could hardly move my arms in my dress, my feet were already getting a bit sore from wearing heels (which my feet are completely unaccustomed to), parties are not my thing, and I felt stupid wearing a dress. But I tried to make the best of it, and fortunately enjoyed the evening a lot more than I expected. Not that I'd want to do that sort of thing all the time...but it was kind of fun.
(Right: The stage area, with two of the TVs and the fountain.)

After we checked in we went to our table (#77), which was faaar back from the stage area and behind a row of the immense pillars that soar to the ceiling. But several large TV screens had been placed around the room so that those who couldn't see the podium directly could watch the speaker.

We didn't see anyone else from our party, so we wandered around the building, checking out the decorations from the second level balcony (imagine trying to walk up and down the highly-polished brick stairs of the NBM in heels!) and trying to spot the other Sea Scouts who were coming. We took a total of four whole pictures before the batteries on our camera died. The man in the gift shop said there was a CVS a block away where they would have digital camera batteries, but we didn't think we would be able to walk that far in high heels.
(Above: The Sea Scout ad featured in the program, along with our table number.)

Luckily Rob Haas and Basil from Ship 1009 (S.S.S. Sea Devil) had recently arrived, and Mr. Haas offered to let us use his camera.

Steve Nichols--Captain of SSTV der PeLiKan--showed up much closer to 1800 hours, and soon after him came Andrew of Ship 1942 (S.S.S. Dragonlady). And then there was a lot of talking, eating the yummy little hors d'oeuvres brought to us by the waitstaff, and standing around, which I'm sure I would have enjoyed more if I hadn't been thinking, Oh my gosh my feet hurt!

My mom wanted to circle the room and see if there was anyone she recognized, so I went with her because I thought walking might help my feet a little. It didn't, and we saw no one she knew. When we got back to our group, we immediately sat down at one of the small tables placed around the reception and bar area.

It felt so good to sit (and slip my shoes off beneath the long gold table cloth!) that we remained that way until dinner was served. I talked with Andrew and Basil--neither of whom I know well--a little, and people-watched. There were people in all types of dress, from movie star-like to elegantly simple, to a couple pretty "unique" outfits.

Finally we were called to our tables to begin dining. At our table we met the liaisons between the gentleman who donates the table and the Sea Scouts themselves. Above right: Basil, me, and Andrew sit down to our very prettily laid out first course of, to quote the menu:

A savory Tomato Tarte Tatin Baked in a Puff Pastry Crust Served with Endive and Green Leaf Lettuces Drizzled with Basil Pesto Vinaigrette

French Dinner Breads,
Housemade Black Bread with Raisins,
Madeleines and Cheese Straws Served with Sweet Butter

Except none of us really knew what we were eating until later in the evening when we read the menu. We were hungry, it was food, it was good, that's all that mattered. By the time the announcer said, "Ladies and gentleman, please go to your table so the ceremony can begin" four or five times to get everyone to sit down and stop talking, we were almost finished with our first course.

The colors were presented, an invocation was given, the National Anthem was played by the U.S. Navy Band, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited, and Rear Admiral Richard Buchanan gave the welcome. Awards were presented to United States Congressman Norman Dicks and John H. McConnell, and then we dined on:

Noisettes of Lamb marinated with Lavender, Oregano, Garlic, and Pinot Noir
Filets of Grouper seasoned with Basil and Shallot-infused Olive Oil, oven-roasted with freshly prepared pesto

Artichoke Bottoms filled with an Artichoke and Potato Puree

After dinner the representatives of A.G. Lafley and Arnold Palmer received their awards while we had a "trio of American classics" for dessert.

Miniature Coconut Cupcakes dusted with Red, White and Blue Sprinkles, Miniature Chocolate Cheesecake topped with Cherries, and Miniature Apple Crisp

The little circle on the right is not, as I first thought, a pog. And it was edible, as we three Scouts discovered after suspicious examination. It was actually white chocolate, with an image of the Lone Sailor and "United States Navy Memorial" printed on it.

A bit after dessert was finished, it was finally time for the closing remarks, and I think we were all ready for them. Some of the speakers were more interesting than others, but it had been a long evening and personally I was about ready to fall asleep at the table.

Before we parted ways, the group of us said we'd see each other in January at Winter Training.

Basil, myself, Andrew, Steve Nichols, and Rob Haas. Notice that somehow my mother escaped being in any photos.