April 16, 2023

This is a call on your generosity to help a longtime dear friend in need.

Ken House had a quadruple by-pass operation on March 2nd. Besides the portion of his medical expenses that are not covered by Medicare, his most immediate financial problems are his inability to earn income due to his convalescence.

Ken is 71 years old. He has the same birthday as my twin brother (not year). We became friends in 1980. He was a prospect for one of the three NAJA boat kits I had imported in 1980. Ken became a steady crewmember on “Fleetwood I” in the local sailboat races.

Ken on the Helm, in early eighties.

Ken is a master house carpenter and residential contractor. He singlehandedly built our new home in 1984, in Shaw’s Cove, near Gig Harbor.

Since my bread and butter, then, was Douglas Fir (Oregon Pine), the entire home, siding, framing, decking was built with it. And no one could have built it better. His wages were to have been enough to afford one of the NAJA kits. But being in the wood business and sinful I paid him with wooden nickels and Ken’s dream never materialized.

The house that House built

And this is my way to seek redemption with your help.

Ken had a serious car accident in December 2006. It caused permanent nerve damage to his arms and legs. He never received any insurance compensation. He became a single parent when his son was not yet in grade school. Ken has always been available to me as a friend and in particular when I went from riches to rags.

When I lost all my material possessions in my November 2013 shipwreck many of you offered help. My savings afforded me to replace “Fleetwood II”, lost on a Cuba shore last year.

My mailing list in Dutch and English, most I know personally, has grown, to 550 addresses. Many, unknown to me, follow my blog and my  https://www.youtube.com/@JackvanOmmen page. One of my videos has 17,723 views, since 2017. This is all free entertainment for you and now it’s time to put a few bucks/euros in the hat to help Ken get through the doll drums.

Besides your direct donations I offer to GIFT you any of my BOOKS (multiples/combinations) with a minimum donation, as indicated below, during April and May. If you already have my books, use these as gifts for a good cause. I will sign the printed books that can be sent to a Continental Europe mail address. The US and any other destinations will be sent directly from Amazon. Choose your books in the websites for SoloMan and MastmakersDau(oc)g(c)hters on their individual 4 websites listed in the right column.

SoloMan both languages E-book Minimum Donation $15 or €15  Choices:  Print book Black&White pictures $25 0r €25, Color $50 or €50

The Mastmakers’ Daughters or De Mastmakersdochters. E-book Minimum Donation: $10 or €10  Print book (black&white only) $20 or €20

The E-books are available in three different formats: Amazon Kindle or E-Pub and/or PDF from Boekenbestellen or E-Pub from Lulu., please, indicate your preference and language:  The Kindle and PDF are preferred for tablets and larger screens, the E-Pub works also on Smart phones.

In order to avoid fees, I decided to try this without the assistance of a GoFund Me option. For US $ donations you can make these directly to Ken House via Zelle at: housekw@outlook.com 

Another option: Pay-Pal to my (dormant) A&T Marine Services business account: For Ken House Fund Him

For €euro donations, please, transfer to my ABN-Amro a/c NL46ABNA0435060252 and indicate if I shall record you by name or anonymous on the below list. If you wish a book, send your postal or e-mail address and specifics, language preference, etc. to my e-mail address jack@cometoseaus-w160c2.preview.wpmanaged.nl I will convert your Euro to Dollars and deposit it to Ken’s acoount.

Thank you all in advance for helping my dear friend.