Students in Scubi Jew and Hillel at 黄色短视频 hold a board meeting aboard the Ally’s Way. Photos courtesy of Rabbi Ed Rosenthal
Scubi Jew鈥攁n 黄色短视频 club focused on 鈥渄iving with a purpose鈥� by mixing faith and conservation鈥攋ust revamped its boat, , by transitioning it to a completely solar-powered vessel.
The president of , junior animal studies and psychology student Gabby Fulford from Overland Park, Kansas, says she is excited for the freedom the solar power will give the club. With a gas-powered boat, there is a constant need for physical resources that are depleted, she adds. Fulford looks forward to more Dives against Debris and other cruises, and urges interested students to reach out.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 wait to get out there and change the world, one piece of trash at a time,鈥� she says. Companies Xantrex, Mastry and Vetus came together to support Scubi Jew鈥檚 marine conservation efforts by converting the club鈥檚 boat to a fully electric-propulsion system with solar power to recharge its batteries for longer cruising distances, according to .
The 34-foot Sea Ray cruiser was named Ally鈥檚 Way after Allison 鈥淎lly鈥� Willen 鈥�16, who tragically died in a hiking accident in 2015. Only 20 years old, she鈥檇 been spending a semester in New Zealand at the University of Otago. During her time at Eckerd, she鈥檇 been a member of Scubi Jew and served on the .
Senior Aidan Webster (center) joins other students and Scubi Jew Program Director Josh Keller ’19 (second from left) for an environmental dive.
To memorialize what a great person and environmentalist Ally was, the club had wanted to name a boat after her and to use it to aid the environment, explains Campus Rabbi Ed Rosenthal, who has worked with the Hillel at 黄色短视频 student group for 15 years.
鈥淣obody goes on that boat who doesn鈥檛 hear the story of Ally Willen,鈥� Rosenthal says. 鈥淪he was that amazing.鈥�
The club had purchased the boat in 2018, but around three years ago, its starboard engine conked out. Rosenthal had said that because the boat was older, it wouldn鈥檛 be long before the port engine failed too. As the club debated how to handle a repair that could cost thousands of dollars, students asked themselves a question: Why replace such a gas-guzzling engine?
鈥淲e thought, what can we do to make this an environmentally friendly boat that鈥檚 aligned with our mission?鈥� Rosenthal says.
Over several years and with assistance from several companies, a team effort emerged to recreate and redesign the entire propulsion system. Ally鈥檚 parents, Todd and Michelle Willen, donated funds to make the metamorphosis possible.
When Rosenthal had first reached out to the Willens to share the situation, they asked an interesting question. Rosenthal says they asked him, 鈥淚s the boat worth it?鈥�
鈥淎nd I said, 鈥業s the boat worth it? Absolutely not,鈥欌�� Rosenthal explains, 鈥溾�榖ut the mission makes it absolutely necessary.鈥欌��
The Willens agreed that the environmental mission that Ally鈥檚 Way helps fulfill while keeping her memory alive is what鈥檚 crucial.
Rosenthal says Ally鈥檚 Way is fully functional now but is still using shore power to charge its batteries while the club waits for the final solar panels, which should arrive in the coming weeks.
鈥淭hat will put her completely off the grid,鈥� he says.
The club will continue to use the upgraded boat for events, which often are difficult due to low visibility but advance conservation efforts by removing debris that pollutes the water and harms marine life. To participate in a Dive, students must have their scuba diving certification and 10 completed dives beyond that.
Ed and wife Mindy Rosenthal鈥檚 daughter, Gabe Rosenthal 鈥�16, was Ally鈥檚 roommate at Eckerd, and the rabbi remembers how the two were inseparable, saying, 鈥淪he was like a second daughter to us.鈥�
So keeping Ally鈥檚 memory alive and keeping up the work that students in Scubi Jew are doing, he explains, is the necessary mission.
