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Conferees, Corporation Members, Island Winter Caretakers (Retired)

Our family relationship with Star Island began in the 1930s when Edith’s mother, Helen Wilber, visited the island as a conferee. And then, after hearing about Star Island’s youth conferences while attending a youth conference at Rowe Camp, Edith longed to visit Star herself.

It was years before we would become one of the Star Island legacy families but return we did. It was 1962 and we arrived on Star for an overnight with our five children. There was no turning back. Since 1964 we have been regulars at family conferences like Life On A Star, All Star, Institute on Religion in an Age of Science, Star Hampshire Dance, and Pel Reunion. We’d have to say this has given us a well-rounded view of our star-shaped shoal.

To say we were hooked – no pun intended – is understatement. In fact, the loss of a job in Woodbury CT after a corporate merger, held a silver lining. Arnold Whitaker convinced us that the Seacoast would be a great place to live, and that just moved us closer to Star. We found teaching positions at a local technical school, which freed us to become seasonal staff on Star. We moved to year-round status in 1975 when we began our most enjoyable tenure as Island Caretakers in the winter. When it comes to Star we know and appreciate all her seasons – even the bleak mid-winter when snow is falling snow on snow. Of course, the good fortune of a marine island is that the snow melt can mean less shoveling than in a mainland environment – a real benefit in New England.

We are pleased that the torch – and the “island virus” – was successfully passed to a new generation of Piersons when several of our grandchildren became Pelicans. We feel blessed to be part of the Star family and to have worked closely with so many Pels and staff over the years who we continue to see at Pel Reunion and other conferences. It has been wonderful for us to be a part of Star’s illustrious past. How fortunate that we all can have a hand in its glorious future!