Newsletter

A Message from the Development Office

November 13, 2012

One of the best benefits of working for Star Island is summer residency on the island and the opportunity to sample each of the programs and related activities.  International Affairs exposed me to experts on the spread of a democratic revolution across the Middle East and the way in which technology did or did not play a role.  A few weeks later I returned to that same part of the world with Star Gathering II and peered at the region through the stories of Genesis.  Different times, yet the stories seemed so similar.  Italian Jungian scholar Stefano Carter shared so many images and symbols that seem to emerge from our unconscious and yet are rooted in a place of “knowing before we know,”  for example, the double helix of the genetic code embodied in the caduceus, the retired logo of the American Medical Association.  Rev. Nancy Wood’s inspiring opening worship at All Star I provided a special centering and opportunity for quiet reflection during this high-energy conference.  I found all of it quite fascinating and learned a little more about the culture of each conference I explored.

Paul George, one of the artists on the faculty of the Road Scholar conference on Star, has generously donated a spectacular 24” x 30” oil painting set on Star Island to be raffled off at the end of the 2013 season.  We will begin selling raffle tickets for the painting on December 3.  Tickets will be available on-line, at the Oceanic Front Desk throughout the season, and at Paul George’s art studio in Gloucester MA.  View his work at www.PaulGeorgeArtist.com.

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Newsletter

From Island Guest to Staff, Board Member Sees Other Side of Star

November 13, 2012

By Sally Russell, Board Member

[Editor’s Note: This is part of the “Life Cycle of a Shoaler” series. This essay focuses on the transition from island guest to staff member.]

For the last two summers in addition to attending my normal conference, I have volunteered for a second week on island as a volunteer/Pel. I am fortunate to have recently retired, so I can volunteer my time to Star.

This past summer, I volunteered during LOAS 2. I worked all week on Chamber. I learned to do hospital corners, and how to arrange a room with placement of the water glasses and towels. I folded thousands of sheets and pillow cases; in fact, I soon learned that there is a never ending pile of stuff to fold down in the Linen Closet. I also found out that the crew’s shift coincides with the conferee dining hours. Less sleeping conferees are disturbed this way I suppose.

It was great to get familiar with Pel Hall and the different crews of hard working Pels. It was strange to be on island for someone else’s conference.  In fact, I took notes during LOAS2 of ideas to bring back to my conference. I think that everyone who is thinking about serving on the SIC Board, should do one day on chamber, or waitrae, if they have not already done so as a Pel.

One crew I have always wanted to try was dish crew. Thanks to another volunteer, Scott Stewart, I shared a 30 minute shift with him. That was about all I could physically handle. Another night I volunteered for Evening Chapel, and saw that experience from another angle. Only one lantern broke as a result of my inexperience.

I am most impressed by how the Pels tweak their jobs to make them more efficient, and on the other hand they also maintain important traditions that have survived through decades. I will always look at my freshly made bed differently when I first enter my room for my conference, and I will check the hospital corner, the placement of the towels and water glass.

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Newsletter

A Tale of Two Harbors

November 13, 2012

A Pelican Perspective with no Inside Jokes

…seriously

[Editor’s Note: This is part of the “Life Cycle of a Shoaler” series. This essay focuses on the transition as seasonal staff members, Pelicans.]

By Allegra Hyde, Pelican ’08, ‘010-12

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the conference season of Sunshine, it was the off-season of Pale Skin, it was the spring of job contracts, it was the winter of unemployment, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Pel Hall, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the summer was so far like the other summers, that some of its newest Pelicans insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

It was the year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Twelve. Spiritual revelations were conceded to Congregationalists and Unitarians at that favoured period, as at this. Ms. Cho had recently attained her nine-and-twentieth blessed birthday, of whom a prophetic dockie on the dock had heralded the sublime appearance by announcing that arrangements were made for the swallowing up of Shack Deck and the pier. Even the Uncle Oscar ghost had been laid only a round dozen of years, after rapping out its messages, as the spirits of this very year last past (supernaturally deficient in originality) rapped out theirs. Mere messages in the daily announcements had lately come to the Management Team and Staff, from a congress of Pelicans in OBR: which, strange to relate, have proved more important to the human race than any communications yet received through any of the fire drills.

The Front Desk, less favoured on the whole as to matters practical than her sister of the mop and broom, rolled with exceeding smoothness down hill, making registrations and sharing them. Under the guidance of her Supervisor, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a bellhop to have his hands full, his body exhausted by with bags, and his new shirt sweaty, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honour to a incoming procession of day guests which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards…

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Newsletter

Going from Authorized Areas to Rocking Chairs

November 13, 2012

By Hillary Adams Case, Pel Reunion

[Editor’s Note: This is part of the “Life Cycle of a Shoaler” series. This essay focuses on the transition from Pelican to Conference attendee.]

I come from a multi-generational family of Pelicans.  It was only natural that I too became a Pelican when I was old enough.  My family chose Pelican Reunion as our conference of choice.  This was a great conference for me to experience the island and decide where I wanted to fit in the community.

When I “came of age,” I spent five summers as a full-season Pelican.  I was able to contribute to the vibrancy of the staff while learning more about myself at the same time.  I especially loved my time as a Snackie – serving ice cream and rickies to guests and staff.  Another perk of being a Pelican: I met my husband.

Ultimately, the real world took over and my husband and I were forced to stay on the mainland for the summers.  Keeping Star in our world is essential.  We have chosen for the time being to continue attending Pelican Reunion.  We are able to get our taste of the island, but not feel too much like conferees!  This weekend is intended for former staff to reunite therefore we look forward to seeing old friends and reminiscing.

One of the biggest challenges in the transition from being a Pelican to being a Conferee is the lack of complete freedom on the island.  It’s difficult to resist going through the Authorized Personnel doors or see who may be hanging out in Pel Hall or on Shack Deck.  Or in my case, walking into the snack bar and making a frappe just the way I wanted it.  We are now forced to use conference spaces.  This is not all bad though: utilizing the front porch and the rocking chairs all day as opposed to strictly during conference dinner is great!
As is natural, we do find ourselves saying, “when I was a Pelican…” more than we may want to admit!  Additionally, feeling old when we see the kids we remembered as conferees now working as Pelicans is less than desirable.  But, we were in that position once too.  It is nice to see other generations feel the desire to work on the island the way we did.

We plan on staying conferees for the foreseeable future.  We may venture into the week-long family conferences when we are ready to truly be conferees again or have a family of our own.  Using conference spaces, eating in the dining hall serviced by Pelicans and having our beds made for us isn’t so bad after all.

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Newsletter

Finding a Speaker, Finding a Voice

November 13, 2012

By Kris LoFrumento, Membership Committee Chair

[Editor’s Note: This is part of the “Life Cycle of a Shoaler” series. This essay focuses on the transition as conference attendee and leader.]

I was asked in the summer of 2005, when I was a conferee at what was then called United Church of Christ 1, if I would consider chairing the family conference the following summer. Not yet knowing who my co-chair would be I agreed to step up to the challenge. Best decision I ever made.

The entire process of becoming intimately involved with all of the details for running a conference, getting to know the ins and outs of the wider Star Island Corporation and all its various stakeholders, and having this leadership position springboard into other opportunities has been a huge part of my personal development.

After a successful 2006 UCC 1 conference, my co-chair Vickie Hambrecht and I entered the fall with an idea of what we were doing! As conference chairs know the first year is a huge learning curve and the second time around seems so much more manageable.

The responsibility of running a conference was a great deal of work (including changing our name to Star Gathering). It allowed me to find my own voice and to know that I have the skills to see the big picture and to tackle minute details at the same time. My time as a conference chair was the springboard for other roles and responsibilities with the Star Island Corporation including as clerk of the Council of Conferences, as Vice-President and President of the Star Island United Church of Christ, Inc., as a Board member of SIC, as a member of the Pel Reunion Steering Committee and later as a co-chair of Pel Reunion, as a founder and co-chair of the Clergy Conference, and as chair of the SIC Membership Committee. It is the people and the environment of Star Island who have supported me, who have mentored me, and who have shown me how to be a confident leader through their personal examples.

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Newsletter

The Other Side of Star’s Summer

November 13, 2012

By Tom and Tricia Coleman, All Star 1 and Historic Star

The longer you are connected to Star, the more you come to realize that the island experience is so different for so many of us.  For most, our window on Star Island is framed by the conference we attend, and indeed, it is routinely the same conference. Family conferences, theme conferences, subject conferences all have their unique vantage of the Island Experience. This informs how we see the island, its relevance, what it means to us, and what it needs from us.  I have often been surprised by some old Shoalers of very long standing who have only attended the same conference for decades. Of course, there are a lot of reasons for this, good and excellent reasons. However, one can miss out on exquisite nuances of the different rhythms and pulses of the summer.

Our family are long term All Star One attendees, and we came to see the island through that view. Star Island meant the 4th of July, a very large collection of friends and family, amazing children’s programs, speakers, music, and working with a number of new Pels. It meant the relative beginning of the calendar, and the island’s adjustment to the larger family conferences. There was an ever repeated newness, a particular vibe, a certain ocean breeze. It is the Star we came to love, and the image we covet throughout the winter.
But to step forward eight weeks or so is to experience an enchanted change. As summer turns to autumn, our island changes. The sky is bluer, the breezes fresher, the water is warmer. The nights begin to bring a serene and beguiling air. Our old, familiar friend can surprise and delight us with different moods!

We love our family conference. But, the quieter, more languid pace of the end of the season brings its own compelling charms. We share the island with other conferences, offering new opportunities to meet, glimpse, share, and savor. It is a time of sometimes whimsical happenstance. Late this August, conferees stepped out of the dining hall to see the tall ship HMS Bounty tied up at the dock, and its crew perched on the porch roof of Cottage A and on the Chapel steeple, paintbrushes in hand. Later that afternoon, the same officers and crew were beside us at social hour, glasses in hand.

Over the last few years, more early season Shoalers are returning for a second bite. The pallet of experiences is full, with theme conferences, personal retreats, dancing, painting, meditation, yoga, and practice based conferences. Birders stalk migrating species, and photographers patiently wait for that certain slant of light.

Mealtimes are quixotically fun, sharing food and talk with friends you never knew you had. The smaller groups ebb and flow. You breathe, and smile, and breathe again. This is Star, unplugged. There are rich offerings of talks, lessons, experiences, or the salubrious ease to sit in the sun, or in a chair, and, rock.

Whether you have been a Shoaler for two or forty-two years, consider the other side of the calendar. Get to know a different view of Star.  See the other side of summer.

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Newsletter

Summer Notes

November 13, 2012

Star Island continued to establish itself as New England’s most unique island in 2012. And these are some of the people, groups and events the M/V Thomas Laighton and Uncle Oscar dropped off at Star this summer:
• Anita Shreve, author of The Weight of Water, spoke at the Star Island Literary Festival. She talked about her inspiration for writing the bestseller as well as her time spent at the Isles of Shoals. Guests packed Newton for this talk in late August.
• The HMS Bounty tied up to the island’s pier for two nights in late August. The replica of the original Bounty was sailing between ports and decided to stop off at the island. The ship’s crew volunteered for a day by painting Cottage A and other areas.
• Fourth graders from North Hampton School stopped by in early June for a field trip exploring Star Island history. The trip was led by teacher Mark McFarlin and students participated in a beach clean-up. Students also created beautiful Star inspired watercolors.
• Volunteers with Timberland constructed picnic tables, benches, and Adirondack chairs. The picnic tables will be used in 2013 to create welcoming spots for day visitors, and the chairs will be placed on Lindquist Deck. Benches will be located near playgrounds and other needed spots.
• US Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire visited the island in mid-September to tour our facilities and receive an update on our progress towards a solar panel array. The senator also announced her co-sponsored energy efficiency legislation.
• A member of US Representative Frank Guinta’s (NH-1) office presented the island with a congressional proclamation celebrating the return and success of the Gosport Regatta.
• Members of the Historic Star Conference and island staff performed an original mystery theater production in the Pink Parlor. This creative piece, including costumes, will be available to any island group in the future.
• Food Service Manager John Bynum initiated a change to meals this summer introducing standard vegan and gluten-free options.
• Island Engineer Marshal Frye and Truck Crew Supervisor Drew Clark saved passengers from a sinking vessel during International Affairs.
• Star Island was named Best Hidden Retreat by New Hampshire Magazine.
• The Blue Ocean Society visited Star in late August to lead an island-wide clean-up. The society had previously visited Appledore earlier in the summer.
• Divers from the submarines USS Pasadena and USS Miami, stationed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, helped to collect ocean debris from around the island’s pier.
• Historic New England partnered with Star Island to offer a day-long historical tour. Organized by Island Heritage and Artifact Committee Chair Rosemarie Smurzynski, the tours were led by Vaughn Cottage Curator Melissa Saggerer. Work is underway to repeat the tour in 2013.

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Uncategorized

Update: Hurricane Sandy

October 31, 2012

Thank you to the Shoaler community for your questions and concerns about Star Island and how it fared in the recent storm.

Before Hurricane Sandy neared Star Island, all island staff were evacuated to the mainland after battening down the hatches

Facilities Superintendent Jack Farrell journeyed out to Star Island today to survey any damage from Hurricane Sandy. He happily reports that Star was miraculously unscathed with very little noticeable damage beyond a missing shingle here or there. Farrell also said that the gangplank, which runs from the pier to the dock during the summer but is stored on the front lawn during the off season, blew into the stone wall of the Caswell family cemetery and a metal railing cracked.

We feel fortunate to have weathered the storm well and send our hearts and prayers to the broader Shoaler community that you, too, were spared any significant loss.

Star Island Corporation

Weather Note: Hurricane Sandy

October 26, 2012

Star Island officials are tracking Hurricane Sandy as it heads up the east coast. As other cities, towns and organizations are taking efforts to protect against the storm, Star Island is doing the same. Fortunately, we are far enough along in our usual close-up operations to finish with important tasks this weekend while double and triple checking to make sure that Star is as secure as possible for potentially strong winds and heavy rains.

Events

Starry Night 2012

October 09, 2012

Starry Night, an evening of socializing and celebration, will be held on Saturday, October 20 at the Discover Portsmouth Center. The Star Island Corporation Board of Directors invites the community to join them in honoring Victoria Hardy upon her retirement as CEO, and recognizing her for her 5 years of service to Star Island and the larger community. The board will also take this opportunity to introduce and welcome Joe Watts as the new CEO of the corporation. All are welcome to attend the festivities beginning at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the door.  Entertainment will be provided by local band Brown and White. A selection of desserts will be served compliments of Café Nostimo, Beach Pea Baking Company, Red Ginger, and Ceres Bakery. Please contact (603) 430-6272 if you have any questions.