Star Island CEO Vicky Hardy expressed her gratitude for volunteer and community support in the following letter to the editor in the Portsmouth Herald:

Star Island Corp. grateful for help with new home

Feb. 3 — To the Editor:

On Monday, Feb. 2, the Star Island Corporation opened its offices in the Morton-Benedict House at 30 Middle St., Portsmouth. This historic building, part of the former Portsmouth Library, now the Discovery Center, was made ready by a Star Island volunteer paint crew led by Dave and Patti Boynton.

More than 20 volunteers gave up one of their weekend days on Saturday, Jan. 24, to paint the walls and the complex moldings so popular in the early 1800s when the house was built. At noon a crew from Flatbread Co. showed up with a stack of pizzas for the volunteers who happily took a break from ladders, buckets and paint brushes.

On behalf of everyone at the Star Island offices, I thank all of the volunteers who worked on this project since it began, especially Patti and Dave Boynton who have been hard at it and led the effort since Jan. 9. I also want to express our thanks to Flatbread Co., which heard about the volunteer effort and spontaneously donated the delicious lunch.

Star Island is one of the rocky, wind-swept Isles of Shoals, located off the coast of Rye. For more than 100 years, summers here have provided individuals and families with a welcome respite from their busy mainland lives. Star Island Corporation is a nonprofit organization which maintains the island and its facilities and provides hospitality services for visitors.

Victoria Hardy

CEO, Star Island Corporation