Paducah Club Sets Maritime Day Ceremony
The Port of Paducah (Ky.) Propeller Club will honor state Rep. Randy Bridges as its maritime person of the year during a Maritime Day ceremony May 20.
The ceremony will also honor club president Caleb King as its port person of the year.
The Maritime Day celebration will begin at 9 a.m. with coffee and pastries, and the ceremony will follow at 9:30 a.m. Both will take place at the Seamen’s Church Institute’s Center for Maritime Education, 129 S. Water St., Paducah. The Port of Paducah Propeller Club is composed of 125 members representing 68 associated businesses.
The club recognized Bridges in association with his successful sponsorship of House Concurrent Resolution 5, a resolution supporting the Jones Act and commemorating its 100th anniversary.
“Rep. Bridges is a stalwart supporter of the river industry who has taken the time to get to know local leaders of the marine industry and to learn the importance of how the industry impacts Kentucky and the nation,” the club said in a news release.
Bridges serves District 3, composed of Livingston County and part of McCracken County.
King is a long-time club member who has served on the board for several years, including two years as vice president and five years as president. His leadership has been highlighted by the club providing financial support to local Navy Sea Scouts, recognizing Gov. Matt Bevin as maritime person of the year in a previous year and securing U.S. Rep. James Comer as a keynote speaker for a membership meeting, raising money to support disaster relief. King also recently served as a driving force behind efforts to pass a Jones Act resolution in Kentucky.
The club will also make a special presentation to longtime member Bob Day. Day is retired from the marine industry and has served the club for 61 years in various leadership positions, including current service on its board of directors.
Additionally, the club will present two scholarships, to Breece Mohon of Mayfield High School and Zakary Morgan of McCracken County High School, in the amount of $1,500 each to support their future educational endeavors.
Scholarships are funded through the hole sponsorships at the club’s annual golf outing.
The final segment of the ceremony will be the merchant mariner memorial, during which club members will reflect upon and remember merchant mariners who lost their lives in service to the country and to the marine industry.
