West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association

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Fall 2011

We ended our 10th season on October 15th with a total of 19,644 visitors signing our guest log at the front desk. This season we had visitors from all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico included, 9 Provinces of Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ethiopia, Honduras, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, UK, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands, and Zimbabwe. Thank you to every one who came by! Each and every visitor was welcomed by our friendly and knowledgeable volunteer docents, Ron Pesha, Sylvia Boomer, Dick Hoyt, Hovey Hall, Elaine Simmonds, Barbara Sellitto, Paul and Roberta Ivan, Bob Frazier, Paula Mathews, Ruth O’Neil, Ellen Cates, Steven and Marilyn Welsch. Without these dedicated folks we would not be able to operate the Visitors Center 7 days a week from Memorial Day until mid-October. An appreciation dinner to thank these fine people was held at the Water Street Tavern on Water St. in Lubec, who made sure everyone had a great meal! If there is anyone who would like to volunteer to greet guests at the Visitors Center, we are always looking for more. Just give us a call. It is great fun at a beautiful location!

Our great little town of Lubec celebrated its bicentennial year this past summer and specials events happened all over. At the Visitors Center on June 25th, Tim Harrison, editor of Lighthouse Digest Magazine gave a talk entitled “Lighthouses and their Role in American History”. It was a stormy day, raining buckets, and the power went out, but Tim carried on without his PowerPoint presentation to the delight of the 20 guests who braved the crazy weather to hear him. Many thanks to Tim and Kathy!

On June 29th the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association supplied and served refreshments during intermission of the 1st SummerKeys concert of the 2011 season. We truly enjoy this and are very happy to help support Bruce Potterton and his nationally acclaimed music vacation program in this small way. Free concerts featuring world class musicians are held every Wednesday evening during the summer season right here in Lubec. We are so very lucky!

As the bicentennial celebration continued, WQHLKA’s Art Auction opened for a week long viewing of the works of over 100 area artists and silent bidding. Organized masterfully by the Curley-Clay gals, this event (last held in 2008 to celebrate 100 years of the light) is enjoyed by everyone. The last day of this incredible art show and auction featured an auction party where final bidding, wine and refreshments, music, and announcement of the winners made for a wonderful and exciting evening. Several thousand dollars was raised to help support the efforts of the Light Keepers. A million thanks to Margaret, Isabel, Moriah and their band of helpers for a fabulous, fun event. Bravo!

Alice Reid, the lovely wife of a former light keeper made a quilt in honor of Lubec’s 200th birthday and West Quoddy Head. She donated this quilt to the WQHLKA to display at the Visitors Center during this bicentennial year, and to raffle off next year. We are so honored by her generousity. Thank you.

July 8th was Whale Day at the Visitors Center. Educators from the New England Aquarium came to share knowledge gained through years of research on the North Atlantic right whale, based right here in Lubec. Kara Mahoney Robinson and her assistant, Jess, set up family friendly, interactive displays where our visitors learned a great deal about the North Atlantic right whales and their plight. The stars of the day were, of course, the whales – both the life sized (42 feet long and 16 feet high) inflated right whale named Calvin who sat out front all day, AND some minkes who came to visit just off-shore! We are so pleased that Kara, Jess, and Calvin could spend the day with us!

Next up on July 9th was the Annual Celebration at the Visitors Center. This is one of only two days per year that the actual tower is opened up for tours and close to 300 people came to take advantage of the rare opportunity. Personnel from the Aids to Navigation Team (Southwest Harbor), USCG escorted everyone up and down the 54 steps of the tower. During the day there were also special raffles of West Quoddy Head items and memorabilia donated by Deane and Ginny Hutchins, as well as items donated by local businesses. Steven Sanfilippo of From Away Downeast and our wonderful friend Duane Ingalls performed for the entertainment of all, donating their time and talent to this yearly event. We appreciate them so much! The last light keeper at West Quoddy Head before automation, Malcolm Rouse spent the morning with me greeting visitors at the front desk, and our guests were thrilled to meet him. Lunch was available for hungry climbers thanks to Chuck and Jim and their yummy hot dogs with chili and other fixing’s.

Maine Open Lighthouse Day this year was September 17th and Coast Guard personnel once again conducted tours of the tower for lucky visitors. Maine Open Lighthouse Day is an annual event organized and promoted by the Maine Office of Tourism in conjunction with the Coast Guard, now in its third year. We are delighted to be one of the 25 or so Maine lighthouses open for tours on this day! Steven Sanfilippo was on hand once again performing historic music known as “sea chanteys” and educating visitors about the history of the songs and instruments. Lunch was made available by Vinnie & Chessie Gartmayer of Bold Coast Smokehouse.

The annual meeting of the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association was held in August and 2011-2012 officers and board members were elected as follows:

President: Susan Zachos
Vice president: Margaret Curley-Clay
Treasurer: Marilyn Welsch
Secretary: Roberta Ivan

Board of Directors:
Ron Pesha, Junia Lehman, Ruth O’Neil, Soni Beihl, Dorian Faye, Bonnie Clymer, Paul Ivan, Steven Welsch, Deane Hutchins, Malcolm Rouse, Rebecca Koulouris

Thanks to these people for the time and energy they donate.

On closing day, October 15th, the long-awaited drawing for the two 2011 raffle items at the Visitors Center was held. The lighted ceramic replica of West Quoddy was won by Tina Christ of Hicksville, New York. Louis DeHayes of Palm Beach Garden, Florida held the winning ticket for the lighthouse throw. Congratulations to you both.

We wish all who read this a safe, warm and wonderful winter season, and we’ll see you again in the spring!

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