West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association

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Summer 2006

The West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association (WQHLKA opened the doors of the Visitor Center to the public on May 27, 2006. Hours are 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, seven days a week, through mid-October.

After a little more than two months, more than 7,650 visitors have come to see us from all fifty states of the United States and from Africa, Australia, Belgium, China, Chile, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Laos, New Zealand, Philippines, Panama, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, S. Africa, S. Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Trinidad, United Kingdom and Vietnam. Visitors have also come from the nine Provinces of Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Quebec.

On Saturday July 8th, several hundred visitors came to celebrate our fourth anniversary celebration. Music began the event, with Paula Tinker on the bagpipes. She was followed by musicians D. M. Ingalls and Noel Veilleux, who delighted the crowd again, as they did last year. Scores of adults and children climbed the stairs to the top of the tower, under the supervision of the U.S.Coast Guard, and the U.S. Postal Service were on site to stamp a Commemorative Postmark.

Good food was enjoyed by all, provided by Monica’s Chocolates and by Lubec High School Class of 2007, who cooked hamburgers, hotdogs and served beverages. For the event, raffle prizes were donated by Johnson Hardware; the Lighthouse Inn & Chowder House; Atlantic House Coffee & Deli; Morgans; Bayside Chocolates; Home Port Inn; Murphy’s Village Restaurant; Whiting Store; Raye’s Mustard; Lubec Hardware; Sharon McGonigal; Leona MacBride; Machias Savings Bank; The New Friendly Restaurant; Family Hair Care and Monica’s Chocolates. The Association appreciates the generosity of these community businesses and local residents. The lucky winners were:

- Amanda Merrill

- Ivy Scoville

- Junia Lehman

- Maureen Veilleux

- Carleen Kenyon

- Hazel Avery

- Diane Wilder

- Brenda Hupp

- Alyssa Gould

- Karen Constant

- Shirly Brown

- Ed Patten

- Betsy Vaczy

Guest Speakers included George Eaton, former Light Keeper; Tim Harrison, of the American Lighthouse Foundation and Lighthouse Digest; and Tim Hall, Regional Manager, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.

On July 15th, the drawing of the Light House Rug took place and Joe Gould, of Gardner, Maine held the winning ticket.

On July 26th, Summer Keys generously donated one of the 2006 Mary Potterton Memorial Piano Concerts to benefit the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association. This special concert was held at the Congregational Christian Church in Lubec and featured Charles Jones on piano, playing in his inimitable style a selection from Beethoven, Ravel, Schumann and Chopin. At intermission, refreshments were provided by members of the WQHLKA. The Association expresses sincere thanks to Bruce Potterton, Director of Summer Keys.

If you’ve not yet come to the Visitor Center this year, make the time to join us for an hour or two. There are many new, interesting exhibits and a fine selection of art being shown.

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