West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association

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Summer 2003

Greetings to members and friends of the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association!

At our Annual General Meeting, held at the Visitors Center on July 10th, 2003, members voted in the following Officers to serve for the 2003-2004 operating year:

President - Diana Wilson

Vice President - Junia Lehman

Secretary - Destine Wahib

Treasurer - Elizabeth Alley

Our outgoing President, Dr. Deane Hutchins had these parting words: "We have had a successful year working together to meet the overall objectives of the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association. Success can be measured by having over 18,000 registered visitors at the Visitors Center last season, financial stability and by the many favorable comments offered by our visitors, friends and former lighthouse keepers. Success can only be achieved when there are many capable and willing members and volunteers. All areas have excelled - the exhibits, the art gallery, the website, the membership, and the hospitality offered by our volunteers at the Visitors Center. Everyone deserves a special thank you and a special thanks to our visitors for coming to see us.”

A special thanks also to the Regional Medical Center, Lubec, for their generous donation of $1,000.00 (one thousand dollars), which was recently accepted by Vice President, Junia Lehman, on behalf of the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association. Visitors will soon see the RMCL's name on the Benefactor’s Plaque at the Visitors Center.

With the 2003 season well under way, our volunteers are enjoying the many travelers who are coming from far and wide to visit the Center. In the first seven weeks of operation, volunteers greeted and informed 4,864 visitors who came from such diverse locations as forty-nine of the States, six of the Canadian Provinces, Australia, Korea, Uruguay, Latvia, Scotland, Germany, Taiwan, Brazil, France, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Finland, Holland, Switzerland, Great Britain, Israel, India, Peru, Turkey, and South Korea. We have also been delighted to open the Center’s doors on several mornings, before our usual opening time, to welcome groups from Elderhostel.

On June 28th, the Association celebrated its First Anniversary with a very special event. The weather was kinder than last year. The day dawned sunny and warm, coupled with an off-shore breeze, which served to cool the almost 400 visitors who signed the guest book as they were greeted by WQHLKA volunteers, Leona MacBride, Hazel Avery and Gwen Wasson. The large crowd enjoyed the exhibits and the art gallery. Many stopped to make a purchase at the food-vendors' stalls and raffle table.

Over 250 people patiently waited their turn to go up the tower and several family groups relaxed on the lawn with a picnic, waiting for the entertainment to begin. The excellent musicians, the Applied Music Company band and guitarist Noel Veilleux, were well applauded, as were the guest speakers introduced by Ron Pesha. The speakers included:

Tim Hall, Regional Manager, Bureau of Parks and Lands

Deane Hutchins, President of the WQHLKA

Sam Hill, of the U.S. Coast Guard Southwest Harbor Station

Rep. Albion Goodwin who brought greetings from Governor Baldacci and John Smith, Quoddy Head State Park Manager, who summed up by saying, "The tourist experience has been enhanced by the Visitor Center."

Ron Pesha also read a letter from former lightkeeper Ken Black, who wrote of his fond memories of his assignment in Lubec from 1957 - 1961, and concluded with, "West Quoddy was my favorite light."

Everyone was happy to learn from Tim Hall that monies have been appropriated to paint the lighthouse tower. This work is scheduled to begin in August. See our next Newsletter for a photo of the tower's fresh look!

Delicious food items, offered by local vendors - Seaside Chocolates, Sunporch Industries and Bold Coast Smokehouse, just about lasted the day, testimony to the quality and value offered.

The excellent Exhibits in the Center prompted the curious to ask many questions of the volunteer staff, and the local artisans’ and students’ art work drew many compliments, and resulted in some purchases. Many visitors also took advantage of the unique commemorative cancellation, provided by the Postal Service and administered throughout the day by Lubec Postal Clerk, Sonja Kinney.

Raffle ticket sales were brisk. The winning tickets drawn at the end of the day for five raffle items were held by:

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse Sweatshirt - Mac Rouse

Gift Certificate for Home Port Inn - Hazel Avery

Limited Edition Lithograph of the Lighthouse - Peggy Grubel

Gift Certificate for the Bold Coast Smokehouse Salmon Filet - Maureen Veilleux

Coastal Sightseeing Excursion for 4 via The Bold Coast Charter Company - Kathy Cole

The Association extends sincere thanks to the many WQHLKA and AmeriCorps volunteers for making themselves available to help out either before or during the Event. Thanks also to the food vendors, the musicians, the speakers, the Postal Service, the U.S. Coast Guard personnel, the Bureau of Parks and Lands, and to our almost 400 visitors - all of whom contributed to the success of the day.

The first 2003 Lighthouse Rug raffle was drawn on July 15. The winning ticket was held by Waltrud McCaslin of Cutler, Maine. The second Lighthouse Rug raffle will be drawn on October 19th, 2003. Another excellent lighthouse-motif raffle item, which will be drawn at a later date. Tickets for all raffle items may be purchased by calling 207-733-2180 between 10:15 AM and 3:45 PM daily.

We are looking forward to seeing you at our booth at the Wild Blueberry Festival in Machias, on August 16th, 2003, between 8:30 and 4:00 - some raffle items will be on display as well as merchandise with the West Quoddy Head Light motif!

Enjoy your Summer!

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