History was made in January

by Wayne Toberman

History was made in January during two separately conducted, private ceremonies involving three foreign Diplomats, representatives from a Chicago boating organization and over 14 months of effort to make it a reality.

L/R:  Chicago Sail and Power Squadron Administrative Officer Dr. Jenou Olech, outgoing Commander Squadron Wayne C. Toberman, Consul General Ping Huang, Peoples Republic of China in Chicago, and Zongguang Guo, Consulate Consul.
Photo By:  Li Ding

 

L/R:  Chicago Sail and Power Squadron Administrative Officer Dr. Jenou Olech, Awardee Commercial Attache, Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey in Chicago Suleyman Sozeri (who also accepted membership on behalf of H.E. Consul General U. Kenan Ipek) and membership presenter, outgoing Squadron Commander Wayne C. Toberman.
Photo by: Hale Ekinci 

Recently, Ping Huang, Consul General of the Peoples Republic of China in Chicago; H.E. Consul General U. Kenan Ipek, and Suleyman Sozeri, Commercial Attaché, both of the Consulate general of Turkey in Chicago, were awarded Honorary Diplomatic Memberships in the Chicago Sail and Power Squadron, by Wayne Toberman, Squadron Commander, and Dr. Jenou Olech, Squadron Administration Officer, becoming the first foreign Diplomats to receive such memberships.  The Chicago Sail and Power Squadron is the local Squadron of the United States Power Squadron (USPS) organization.

The presentation of these Diplomatic Memberships marked a “first” in the history of this preeminent, 65 year old, 125 member Boating Safety Education Organization and very possibly (though incomplete records rule out an absolute certainty) for the entire 400+ Squadron International network of the 100 year old, 44,000 member United States Power Squadron organization as well!

The USPS is a National (with International participants), non-military, non-governmental, purely volunteer-based, Safe Boating oriented, Educational organization.  It was chartered during a period of endless small watercraft related deaths and tragedies in the early 1900’s, with the express purpose of educating the public on subjects directly related to safe and considerate boating on our Nations waterways, lakes, rivers, and throughout the coastal regions.

100 years later, USPS sanctioned, certified volunteer-instructor presented classes (specifically from the Chicago Squadron, in this instance) begin with the Americas Boating Course, which introduces the novice or beginning boater to the boating “rules of the road” or basic safe and proper operations of recreational pleasure craft.   The public then has the opportunity to register for additional classes from the organization’s ever expanding curriculum of elective courses including Navigation, Piloting, Engine Maintenance, Weather, and a host of other classes and short seminars.

The key to the significance of this entire series of events is the phrase “ever expanding”.  USPS just began instructing a three phase course of study in 2009 ending with the issuance of an International Boat Operator’s Certificate to the participants, which acts much the same for boaters as the International Driver’s License does for automobile drivers when they travel overseas.  Never before has there been such a universally accepted or recognized means for a US boater to enjoy a foreign country’s waterways and vice versa.  With this International effort in place, it only seemed natural, if not long overdue, to include the members of the diplomatic corps here in Chicago in the Chicago Sail and Power Squadron in an atmosphere of shared understanding, camaraderie, and  the enjoyment of the Nation’s greatest lakefront that’s such a major part of life here in Chicago all year long.