Start Your Own "Stories for Sailors" Chapter
Stories for Sailors is an IRS Certified 501(c) Non-profit organization. ©2010
  • IMAGINE...
  • HOW TO...
Imagine that you are a young sailor, 18 to 25 years old, waking up in your bunk which you are sharing in rotation with other guys. (Sub crews are currently all male, but that is now changing). Look around your bed, and figure out how you would fit all of your personal belongings for a 30 to 70 day trip under water into a 15 square feet area. On most submarines, each crewman's berth has a reading light, a ventilation duct, an earphone jack for the ship's audio system, and a curtain to provide a small measure of privacy. But submarines do not have any windows. You would be cooped up in a small indoor space for months at a stretch. You would have no texting, internet, email, TV or radio. When you were done with your specialized and sensitive responsibilities, you would not be able to open up the door, smell the fresh air, jump in your car, or walk off to the mall or a friend’s house.

What you really can look forward to are the books, video games, CDs, DVDs and magazines which have been donated to your ship and which which will greet you when you reach port. Think about how you would enjoy reading about sports, finances, hobbies, nature, adventure, mysteries, biographies, history, travel, exercise, spies, combat and warfare while you are on a long submerged tour of duty

You can start a chapter alone, within an existing school club, such as Interact or Key Club, your church, synagogue or local library. There is no minimum age for beginning a chapter.

First get your school or group administrator’s permission if you are starting this club as a new one. If you want to include this service as part of another club, then just ask your club advisor to start a STORIES FOR SAILORS activity. This is a wonderful community service and leadership challenge, and we can assist you in both of these areas.

What do you have to do?

Just contact us via email and we'll help you set up a local chapter.

Then, have fun decorating some cartons with red, white, and blue colors, download and print out the PDF flyer provided below. After asking permission, place the cartons and flyers in libraries and other areas where people would be able to leave books. Then check on the boxes and collect them when they are full.

After you’ve collected contributions you can contact us and we’ll help you arrange the shipment of the books, cds, and dvds you collect to our submarine fleet (shipping method may vary, we’ll help you with that).

Printable Flyer