An update from Amy Lockwood, Executive Director, and Brad Greeley, President

The Star Island Corporation profoundly regrets to announce that it expects Star Island to be closed through early August until further assessment of its electrical systems and mandated work are completed for fire safety purposes. Star Island expects to open fully in early August for the remainder of its normal conference schedule.

If you have concerns regarding a conference scheduled during this time period, please contact your conference chair. Conference leadership contact information is listed on the Conference Calendar page on our website, or in your Blue Book. Alternatively you may call the Star Island Corporation office at (603) 430-6272 so our staff can assist you.

The Star Island board and staff sincerely regret the difficulties being caused by this temporary situation. Those familiar with Star Island’s history are aware of the legacy of communities which have successfully weathered the challenges of survival in our remote New England island setting. We are confident that this community will do the same, and we look forward to opening in August in a better and safer position than the island has seen before.

An update from Amy Lockwood, Executive Director, and Brad Greeley, President

As anticipated, Star Island Corporation has been preparing for a facility inspection on Thursday, June 21. In the course of these preparations there was some fairly in-depth research and assessment needed of progress on our hotel electrical systems. We were pleased to learn that a contracted electrical engineer who has inspected the facility today was pleased with the progress that has been made on bringing the 130 year old building up to code. As always there is a great deal to do to assure the safety of our conferees and each phase of our work is an element in arriving at the goal.

Unfortunately the time needed to conduct this assessment delayed our fire inspection. We now hope that inspection will come early next week, and we will be open for conferences no later than the middle of the week.

We will look forward to welcoming the Natural History Conference, which focuses it study and discussion on aspects of the natural environment of the Islands and issues of stewardship and living a religious life. YRUU has been welcomed by Ferry Beach in Maine, which will allow them to preserve the full week experience together. A third conference, the Isles of Shoals Historic Research Association (ISHRA) has canceled its summer conference (although will keep its annual fall conference), and all ISHRA conferees are invited to attend as NHC conferees and enjoy that conference’s programs.

We continue to be deeply grateful to the Shoals Marine Lab on Appledore Island. They have been in close touch and strongly supportive of our staff as we have worked to complete the necessary improvements.

CONTACTS:
Affected ISHRA Conferees: Amy Cook, registrar, email hidden; JavaScript is required or (603) 440-8010
Affected YRUU Conferees: Rebecca D. Hutton, registrar, email hidden; JavaScript is required or (617) 605-4380
Affected NHC Conferees: Kim Reef, registrar, email hidden; JavaScript is required or (978) 362-1149

Offers of volunteer assistance: Irene Bush, volunteer coordinator, email hidden; JavaScript is required or (603) 433-9146

All other questions, including press inquiries: Amy Lockwood, email hidden; JavaScript is required or (603) 817-8694; Brad Greeley, email hidden; JavaScript is required or (603) 430-0969

Star Island Conference Center, located off Portsmouth and Rye at the historic Isles of Shoals, is working in partnership with the Ferry Beach Park Association, a Unitarian Universalist camp/conference center in Saco, Maine, to host Star Island’s Young Adult and Arts Conferences beginning on June 16, 2007. The one week conferences, which run concurrently and begin the Star Island summer season, had to be moved from Star Island to accommodate electrical and fire safety improvements being made to Star Island’s centuries-old buildings including the Oceanic Hotel.

Rev. Brad Greeley, President of the Star Island Corporation said, “We are absolutely delighted that Ferry Beach and its Executive Director, Craig Lentz, are willing to partner with Star Island in such a creative and cooperative way. We expect that our conferees will have a fulfilling and enjoyable experience at Ferry Beach and will be reassured knowing that their conferences will go on as scheduled.”

Amy Lockwood, Executive Director of Star Island said, “Fire safety is Star Island Corporation’s top priority. Given our remote island location, excelling in fire safety equipment and staff training is critical in order to protect the two most important elements of our work: our guests and our historic buildings. Licensed contractors and electricians are now at work on Star Island addressing the list of concerns offered by the Rye Fire Chief and the State Fire Marshall. We appreciate their support of us as we complete this critical work. With the active partnership of these professionals, we look forward to opening the island to our summer conferences in a very short time.”

Craig Lentz, Director of the Ferry Beach Park Association said, “We at Ferry Beach are very happy to be able to work with our colleagues at Star Island in hosting the Arts and Young Adult Conferences next week. This is a good example of the kind of partnership that our two groups can develop for the benefit of both our organizations.”

The Star Island Conference on the Arts will be able to bring its key conference staff and presenters to Ferry Beach. Those presenters include Peter Yarrow (of the famed singing trio Peter, Paul and Mary). Conferees will be housed in Ferry Beach’s picturesque residence buildings. The Star Island Young Adult Conference will house its attendees in platform tents in the grove at Ferry Beach, a short walk from the Conference Center’s Beach and main buildings. Star Island may send some members of its summer staff to Ferry Beach to assist the conference center in accommodating all parts of the conferences for the week, Lockwood said.

Other seacoast organizations have also extended their support to Star Island. The Isles of Shoals Steamship Company (ISSCO), a long-valued community partner, is making deliveries of fresh water to supply the Star Island staff as they focus their work on fire safety work. The Geneva Point Conference Center, a United Church of Christ (UCC) conference center on Lake Winnepesaukee, has also offered their support and assistance to Star Island.

For further information:
Amy Lockwood, Executive Director, Star Island: (603) 817-8694;
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Craig Lentz, Executive Director, Ferry Beach Park Association: 207-284-8612; email hidden; JavaScript is required

NOTE: Information is coming soon about alternate conference center plans for Arts and YAC conferees. If you are a conferee for either of these conferences, you will be kept up to date by your registrar. If you have questions, please call the Star Island Corporation office at (603) 430-6272.

A Message from Amy Lockwood, Executive Director, Star Island Corporation

Dear Friends of Star Island:

I am truly saddened to have to tell you that due to unforeseen circumstances, Star Island needs to delay the opening of its summer season by one week, until June 23, 2007. This change is being made so that we can comply with fire safety mandates suggested by our State Fire Marshall which are in the best interest of all Shoalers.

While we have been engaged in fire safety upgrades to our buildings for more than five years, we have not, despite our best efforts, been able to complete a large-scale fire prevention readiness plan which was agreed to with the Rye Fire Department and State Fire Marshall’s office in 2002.

We have fully mobilized personnel to complete this critical work. Teams of electricians and carpenters are on the island already; all staff not essential to other areas of island opening (such as wastewater treatment plant operators) are engaged in this effort as well. Despite this, we anticipate that the island will not be certified for occupancy until June 23.

We understand how concerned you may be in learning this news. Please know how disappointed we are to convey it to you. We do want you to know that we are in contact with the leadership of these conferences to assist in finding other times conferees can be on the island.

We know how much Star Island means to so many of our conferees and our Corporation family. Our Conference Center Director Joe Watts, our Senior Staff, our Pelicans, and our Board of Directors share my concern and disappointment over this unavoidable change in plans for our summer season. We value your love and support of Star Island and hope that you join us in the sure knowledge that, through the difficult but important work we now undertake, we will ensure that the Oceanic Hotel and Star Island will continue to endure–safely and securely–for years to come.

In faith,
Amy Lockwood
Executive Director

The New Hampshire Humanities Council has awarded a grant to Barking Spider Productions for An Island Kingdom, a one-hour television documentary that will trace the history of the Isles of Shoals from 1614 to the present day.

Producer Andrea Melville has produced two Emmy-award winning documentaries for public television. She will use historic photographs, film, paintings and drawings to support interviews with scholars familiar with the history, culture and characters for he Isles of Shoals to show how the islands have changed over the last two centuries.

From an early Colonial fishing outpost to a vacation spot for the wealthy to the summer home of celebrated 19th century poet and painter Celia Thaxter and her close friend, American Impressionist Childe Hassam, the Isles of Shoals have played a critical role in New England’s economic and cultural evolution. This program will also highlight present-day restoration and conservation efforts through footage of these beautiful inlands as they are today.

Barking Spider Productions hope to air the program on public television and will schedule free screenings at seacoast area libraries and museums prior to the planned October 2008 airdate.

An Island Kingdom is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of An Island Kingdom may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible. To donate directly go to Fractured Atlas’s website. If you would like more information about the program An Island Kingdom, please call 802.485.3901 or email email hidden; JavaScript is required.