Seabrook	UPDATED: Monday, July 03, 2006
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National Aquarium, Sister Community Are Highlights of Baltimore Trip

Posted on Thursday, June 01, 2006

By Jeff Ostroth
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

More than 20 years ago, John Erickson took the deserted campus of a former seminary in suburban Baltimore and turned it into Charlestown, the first Erickson community in a vibrant, growing family that now numbers 18.

Just recently, 45 members of the Seabrook community in Tinton Falls, N.J., took a one-day whirlwind trip to where it all began.

But first, they visited another Baltimore landmark, the National Aquarium, overlooking the city’s Inner Harbor.

Sylvia’s Idea

“Sylvia Taub came up with the idea,” says Seabrook Transportation Supervisor Will Furman. “She used to work at the Aquarium.”

Sylvia, who moved to Seabrook seven years ago, used to live at Oak Crest, another Erickson community just north of Baltimore. “I moved closer to New York where the rest of my family lives,” she says. “Sylvia was able to get us a substantial discount on tickets to the Aquarium,” says Chester Osborne, a driver as well as a trip planner with Seabrook’s transportation department. Chester didn’t drive on this trip, but accompanied the passengers on one of two Seabrook buses. Another staff member rode in the other bus, bringing the total number of people on the trip to 49, including the drivers.

National Aquarium

The buses and their passengers left Seabrook about 7:30 a.m. and arrived at the National Aquarium in Baltimore around 10:30 a.m. “We had a place where we could pick up our discount tickets, and they let us in a side entrance instead of going through the normal line,” says Chester.

Chester says there were many interesting things to see. The highlight of the visit was a special party some of the Aquarium staff arranged for Sylvia, who was having a birthday.

“They led us up to a private room with wall windows looking out on the harbor and a submarine that’s there. It was just our group, and we all sat down and had tea and coffee. There was a special cake they had made for Sylvia,” says Chester.

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Sylvia says she was surprised and touched by her former coworkers’ thoughtfulness. “I can tell you one thing,” says Chester, “I was amazed at the connection she still has with them. They all hugged and kissed her and said how much they had missed her.”

Charlestown

It’s just a 15-minute ride from the Aquarium to Charlestown, where the Seabrook travelers got to check out their sister community. As a former seminary, Charlestown has a breathtaking chapel, which was designed as a European basilica in miniature.

“Everyone was amazed by it,” says Chester. “I can’t even imagine what this would cost to build today.” Although Erickson communities are non-sectarian, the chapel has been preserved for its extraordinary artistic and architectural value, serving Charlestown as a cultural and ecumenical center.

As a self-described “organ nut,” Chester says he was very impressed by the chapel’s pipe organ. “I understand they just recently restored it, which is very rare,” he says.

The group finished their visit with dinner prepared by Charlestown’s chef and served in the Atrium of one of the clubhouses. “It was a spectacular room,” says Chester, “and had a wonderful view.”

Then it was back on the buses and home to Seabrook, where the tired but happy passengers arrived around 9:30 p.m. “It was wonderful,” says Marie Cook, who, along with Dolores Fair and Stefanie Siwulec, videotaped the trip for Seabrook’s community TV channel.

Chester says he’s working on more trips with possible stopovers at other Erickson communities. “Our residents are very inquisitive about them,” he says. “They really like seeing them.”