West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association

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Fall / Winter 2006

The West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association (WQHLKA) ended the 2006 season on October 15th.

A heartfelt “thank you” from the WQHLKA Board of Directors, to the twenty-five excellent volunteers who staffed the Visitor Center seven days a week, from Memorial Day weekend to closing, for a grand total of one thousand, one hundred and eighty six hours.

The Board of Directors also extends their sincere thanks to the behind-the-scenes volunteers, who contribute their time to the many Committees responsible for the following work: Planning, Budgeting, Fundraising, Public Relations, Website, Memberships, Art Gallery, Museum Exhibits, Event Planning, By-Laws and Archives.

A well-deserved dinner of appreciation for all the volunteers was held at Murphy's Village Restaurant on November 17th.

This season, the excellent exhibits in the museum continued to educate and enlighten, and the art gallery proved to be a popular stopping point yet again. With seventeen local artists and fifteen local students exhibiting their work, there was much to choose from. One hundred and fifty-three pieces of art, including twelve students’ works, were purchased. The WQHLKA expresses many thanks for the donations received from the artists whose work was sold.

This busy 2006 season saw 18,042 visitors register at the Center. They hailed from all fifty states and from thirty-nine countries. Africa, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, S. Africa, S. Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Trinidad, United Kingdom and Vietnam. Visitors also represented the ten Provinces of Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and PEI.

Events at the Visitor Center during the season included our 4th anniversary celebration. Held on Saturday July 8th, several hundred visitors came to enjoy excellent musical entertainment; a short speaker program; good food supplied by local vendors and fundraising students from the High School; plus the annual visit by the U.S. Coast Guard to supervise the annual opening and climb up the tower. The raffle table was well patronized and winners of the many fine prizes were duly notified. See our Summer 2006 newsletter for information about the winners.

A fundraising event was held on July 26th, when Bruce Potterton, of Summer Keys, generously donated one of the 2006 very special Mary Potterton Memorial Piano Concerts, with Charles Jones on piano, to benefit the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association.

The Association’s raffles were equally popular this year. On July 15th and again on October 15th, the drawing of the winning raffle tickets for the Light House Rugs took place and Joe Gould, of Gardner, Maine, held the winning ticket for the July drawing, and Regina Chase of Winterport, Maine was the lucky winner on October 15th. Toni Smith of Phoenix, Arizona, won the West Quoddy Lighthouse Photo/Stamp montage. Congratulations to all!

The Annual General Meeting was held in July in accordance with our By-Laws and Officers and Directors were voted in as follows, Ron Pesha, President; Junia Lehman, Vice President; Diana Wilson, Treasurer; Marilyn Ness, Secretary; Directors: Sylvia Boomer, Deane Hutchins, Virginia Hutchins, Leona MacBride, and Marilyn Ness.

As our work continues during the winter months with the planning for next year, the WQHLKA wishes you all joy and peace throughout the coming Holiday season and winter months. We look forward to seeing you next year!

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