MUSKEGON, Mich. — 2022 will mark the 25th year since the Milwaukee Clipper returned to Muskegon.
Restoration efforts have continued aboard the Great Lakes' treasure ever since, but due to COVID-plagued years of 2020 and 2021, the group heading-up the project has not able to host fundraisers, which have kept the initiative financially afloat for decades.
To compensate for the back-to-back down years, the Milwaukee Clipper Preservation Group has set a large fundraising goal for the upcoming year.
"2022 will mark the 25th anniversary of the Milwaukee Clipper having returned to Muskegon," said Pam Babbitt, treasurer of the Milwaukee Clipper Preservation Group. "We plan to celebrate that silver anniversary with several fundraising events."
The Milwaukee Clipper survives exclusively on donations, of which the group received very few of in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
"No one is paid within our organization," Babbitt said. "Everything we do is volunteer.
"If we don't receive donations, we won't be able to pay for the supplies needed for the volunteer workers to continue with the restoration of the ship."
To compensate for the past two down years, the group has set a lofty goal for 2022.
"We'd like to raise $100,000 next year," added Babbitt.
If a cash donation isn't something people feel comfortable with giving, Babbitt says certain items are needed.
"We're looking for computers, printers, DVD players, gallons of marine paint and cleaning supplies," Babbitt said. "That's just naming a few."
While the group's fundraisers will dominate the new year, an ongoing discussion with the City of Muskegon about relocating the Clipper closer to downtown will intensify.
"We have three locations we're looking at," Babbitt said, when asked about the possible relocation of the ship. "The Clipper is 361-feet long so wherever it goes, a big dock will need to exist to accommodate it, along with a parking lot."
While Babbitt wouldn't disclose two of the Clipper's possible future homes, she did reveal the group's primary location.
"We'd love to at Mart Dock," Babbitt said. "That's where other ships are docked, offering higher visibility and making that area a one-stop shop destination for people wanting to tour the ships."
Donations are currently being accepted.
"This means a great deal to our organization," Babbitt said.
The Milwaukee Clipper has closed for the season and will reopen again next spring.
If you're interested in making a donation, head to the Milwaukee Clipper's website, or you can mail a check to: S.S. Milwaukee Clipper, P.O. Box 1370, Muskegon, MI, 49443.
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