HomeMy WebLinkAboutSeaman's Church Institute334
RESOLUTION
Presented To
Canon Peter Larom
To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting: Know Ye, that the citizens of Paducah,
of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, desiring to recognize the outstanding assistance and
support given to our community by Canon Peter Larom, during his tenure as Director of
eaman's Church Institute of New York and New Jersey, do acknowledge the following:
WHEREAS, the Seaman's Church Institute, founded in 1834, is recognized as one of the most
respected institutions in the world wide maritime community, and to this day remains faithful
to its mission of service to the seafarers, and
WHEREAS, the Institute saw fit to extend its service mission to the inland maritime industry,
and, Canon Peter Larom created a vision of a unique training facility for inland mariners, based
upon the success of similar facilities for ocean mariners at the Institute's facilities in New
York, but with features singular to the needs of the inland waterways, and
WHEREAS, the inland maritime industry at the same time saw the need to improve the level
of training of its pilots, and enhance the safety of its vessels, and
WHEREAS, the Seaman's Church Institute undertook a nationwide search for the appropriate
location for a Center for Maritime Education to support inland mariners, and after extensive
review, Canon Larom identified Paducah, known by its motto as the "Bright Star on the River"
as the best location in the nation for such a facility, and
``~-~' WHEREAS, Canon Larom, together with the Board of Trustees of the Seamen's Church
Institute and the City of Paducah, crafted a cooperative agreement that allowed the facility to
be built, and Canon Larom developed the necessary industry support to ensure the financial
stability of the center, and
WHEREAS, Canon Larom was involved in every aspect of design, construction and
development of this new facility, and saw his dream realized at the official opening of the
Center for Maritime Education in Paducah on June 4, 1997, and the Center has eminently
fulfilled its purpose of enhancing the skills of the inland mariner, by graduating over 4,963
pilots, and significantly enhancing the safe operation of inland towing vessels, and
WHEREAS, Canon Larom further aided Paducah by insisting that the development of a River
Heritage Museum would be an important and necessary partner to the Center for Maritime
Education, and provided invaluable guidance and support to the creation of the Museum, which
opened on August 14, 2003, and
WHEREAS, Canon Larom embraced the concept of a community theater that could be shared
`~T V~~y the Center, the River Heritage Museum and the Paducah Film Society, and was instrumental
I~ ~'~in creatin a state of the art theater complex serving these agencies as well as others, which
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opened on August 2, 2001 and
WHEREAS, Canon Larom was instrumental in establishing the Ministry on the River program
headquartered in Paducah, which serves the social and religious needs of the mariner, and
today reaches across the entire inland waterway system, and, in these and many other ways
Canon Larom served as a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown Paducah, which is now
recognized nationally as a model for community development.
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335
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND THE
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF PADUCAH:
That in recognition of his leadership, vision, and all of the many contributions to the
community we express our sincere appreciation to Canon Peter Larom for his dedication and
service to the Paducah-McCracken County community, and hereby direct the City Clerk to
make this res lution a part of the permanent records of the City of Paducah as an expression of
our a ~precia '
~-%~~~ ~.
Mayor Will F. P x Commissioner David Guess
G ~., /r .
Co 'ssioner Robert A. Coleman Co ' sinner Ge Mont ery
Adopted: May 25, 2004
Commissioner Buz Smith Recorded: by Tammara Brock, City Clerk
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