aging seafarers — from independent 

 living to intermediate and skilled 

 nursing. 



"We provide all the necessary 

 amenities to retired seamen so they can 

 enjoy their retirement years," says 

 Ausband. "Our method is to try to spoil 

 them. The building is secure and 

 luxurious. The meals — while not on 

 par with the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in 

 New York City — are a step above 

 many retirement communities. We also 

 have a top-rated medical facility." 



The facility can provide extra 

 amenities for the aging mariners 

 because of the generous trust fund set up 

 by Randall. 



"Our residents pay based on a 

 percentage of their incomes," he says. 

 "The merchant seamen's payments are 

 only 20 percent of the operating budget. 

 The rest comes from the trust fund." 



The mariners' days are filled with 

 activities — from working out in a first- 

 class gym to woodworking and gardening. 



In a woodworking shop, Walter 

 Mrozinski is building a dollhouse that 

 he is giving to Snug Harbor employees. 

 He also does pencil drawings and 

 exercises in the gym. 



"I love it here," says Mrozinski, 

 who was born in Poland in 1916 and 

 worked on steamships. "All the sailors 

 remind me of a big ship. I worked as a 

 chief steward (managing food services) 

 on several ships during World War II." 



Other seamen are involved in 

 special projects as varied as their 

 experiences. Homer Wright has 



compiled a book of poems about the sea. 



"I wrote them in longhand," he 

 says. "I was on about 80 ships." 



At meals, during happy hour when 

 wine and beer is served and on other 

 social occasions, the mariners gather 

 and tell stories. At times, the rugged 

 looking men become quite boisterous. 



"I have lived here for five years," 

 says Kelley. "It is beautiful and fun. At 

 times, I get in trouble." 



Because many residents don't have 

 families to visit, the employees spend 



extra time chatting with them and 

 creating a "family atmosphere." 



"We have a lot of neat characters 

 here," says Tankard. "The guys have 

 done so much. They have been around 

 the world. They are special." 



Because of the modernization of 

 the shipping industry, fewer people are 

 becoming merchant marines. 



"It is a declining industry," says 

 Tankard. "The population at Sailors' 

 Snug Harbor is shrinking but that was 

 predicted." m 



COASTWATCH 21 



