Conservancy Mourns the Loss of Irene Pollin

The SS United States Conservancy was saddened to learn of the recent passing of Irene Pollin, mother of Conservancy advocate and steadfast supporter Jim Pollin. Conservancy President Susan Gibbs reflected on Mrs. Pollin’s life and support for America’s Flagship, stating:

“Irene Pollin was a pioneering figure who had an impact on countless lives. Whether it was her work as a psychotherapist, her passionate support (together with her late husband Abe) for the City of Washington and its people, her impact on professional sports, or her life-long commitment to women’s health, Irene lived life ‘full speed ahead.’

The Board of Directors of the SS United States Conservancy extends its sincere condolences to Irene's family, especially Conservancy National Flagship Champion Jim Pollin, whose long and generous commitment to saving the ship has been indispensable over the last decade.

Irene’s support for Jim’s efforts on behalf of the SS United States gives her a place among the other pioneering women who have had a profound impact on the history of America’s Flagship.

The Conservancy will be forever grateful for the Pollin family's generosity and genuine passion for our cause. We remain deeply inspired by Irene’s strength and example as we continue our work to ensure that the SS United States remains an inspiration for generations to come.”

Thank You for Helping Us Celebrate the Big U's 68th Anniversary!

As July draws to a close, we would like to express our gratitude to all who helped make our recent virtual events such a success. Between our Gala 68 Online Auction and our star-studded virtual gala (stream it for free HERE), we were able to raise significant interest, awareness, and funds for the Big U.

Our auction, in particular, was a rousing success — raising more than $13,000 to support our efforts to save the SS United States! We hope to hold more virtual events in the future, including the fourth (and final) round of our Online Auction.

The Conservancy would like to thank the hosts of our Virtual Gala, Mark Perry and David Perry (co-chairs of the Conservancy’s West Coast Chapter) for putting the event together, and the wonderfully talented team at Beyond Pix for producing the event. We were incredibly grateful for the participation of all the celebrities, performers, and other supporters of America’s Flagship who took part in the event, including: Dolly Parton, Mercedes Ellington, Kate Burton, Nancy Sullivan, Bill Miller, Joe Rota, Klea Blackhurst, Nita Whitaker, Skye LaFontaine, Liisi LaFontaine, Akira Sky, Glenn Farrington, Ron Abel, Nick Fryman, and Michael Tekulsky.

We would all like to thank everyone who took part in our Gala 68 Online Auction, including all of the generous individuals and organizations who donated items, experiences, or their services to the cause: David Macaulay, Robert G. Lloyd, Mark Perry, Peter Knego, Bill Miller, Manny Kirchheimer, Kyle Ober, The Steamship Historical Society, and The Pollin Group.

Finally, we would like to extend a warm “thank you” to our supporters. Whether you placed a bid in the auction, watched the Virtual Gala, or simply helped us spread the word on social media, your participation in our July virtual events is deeply appreciated. Stay tuned for more exciting events in the months ahead!

Flagship FAQs: Why doesn't the Conservancy repaint the SS United States?

Today, we're back to answer another important question posed by our generous supporters: Why doesn't the Conservancy repaint the SS United States?

America's Flagship has a weather-worn appearance at her current pier in Philadelphia. While the vessel remains structurally sound, the ship was withdrawn from service in 1969 and has not been re-coated in almost 50 years.

Some of our supporters have urged us to paint the ship's exterior, starting with the ship's two iconic red, white and blue funnels — the Conservancy has explored this prospect in depth. We have examined repainting the funnels, as well as "wrapping" them in a Tyvek-style product. Unfortunately, neither of these options are feasible at the vessel's current location. Exterior and interior restoration work must be completed in tandem with the ship’s full redevelopment at a shipyard facility because of the high cost, the complexity of the project, and restrictions on performing large-scale work on the vessel in her current location. To repaint the ship’s iconic funnels alone would total almost $500,000.