Lobster Roll Supper - Fund Raiser

We had yet another wonderful fund raiser for the Swallow Tail light station on July 7, 2012 at the Grand Manan Curling Club. 

The list of volunteers and in-kind donations is lengthy to have such a wonderful success, including the three lobster fishermen who donated the lobster (Deane Griffin, Glenn Foster and anonymous), Laura Buckley and her crew from the Inn at Whale Cove Cottages for arranging, preparing and serving the food, Ce Bowdoin (tea biscuits), Swallowtail Lightkeeper Society volunteers for setting up, serving, working the door, and cleaning up (Ken Ingersoll, Sue Stymest, Theresa Noel, John Pattison, Linda L'Aventure, Pam Charters, Alexis Phillips, Sue McCulley, Lloyd MacFarland), musicians (Before the Mast, Dinah Romig, John McDonald, Alexandre Banks), Rick Doucet (serving), Atlantic Save Easy (rolls), Walter Wilson (salad), Strawberries, cream and other miscellaneous (Marathon Inn, Pettes Cove Arts, Peter and Marilyn Cronk, North Head Bakery McLaughlin Inn, Holly and Kirk Cheney, Deb Tremblay, Island Art workshops), , Adventure High (door prize).  We want to thank the Grand Manan Curling Club for the facility (hall rental and cash bar).  The Grand Manan Museum also provided their projector, on short notice, for the continuous slide show of the progress made at the light station since 2008.  None of this could have happened without the support of the community and visitors who joined us for this fun evening.  Thanks so much.

Great crowd enjoying the lobster rolls and the music

Inn at Whale Cove Cottage crew (Megan, Janna, Annie, Emmy) and Alexis Phillips preparing lobster rolls

Honourable Rick Doucet, MLA, helping serve

Before the Mast preforming one of the many songs during the evening.  Rolling Down is the title song from their new CD (http://www.beforethemastseashanties.com/)

July 7, Flag Raising and Bell Ringing

With spectacular weather, a group of nearly 100 people walked out to the keepers house at Swallow Tail on July 7th, the 152nd anniversary of the light house first being lit.  Two RCMP officers were present, along with the Honourable Rick Doucet, the MLA for the area and Kirk Cheney representing the Village of Grand Manan who have been very supportive of the restoration efforts at the Swallow Tail light station and are in the process of reconsolidating the light station with the acquisition of the light tower in the near future. 



RCMP officers breaking flag at annual flag raising

 After a brief welcoming, Wayne Clifford, John Peacock, MJ Edwards, Millie and Alexandre Banks played an impromptu piece on the bronze fog bell, returned to the property in November 2011.  The new deck around the bell acted as a natural stage for the event.  Members of Before the Mast (http://www.beforethemastseashanties.com/) continued with two songs before everyone was given a chance to play the bell if they wished.

The Lahey Family was represented to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of 22 years of service by George Lahey as light keeper .  The Dalzell family regrettably could not make the event which also marked the 100th anniversary of the retiring of George Dalzell as light keeper after 19 years of service.

Before the Mast helping celebrate the Swallow Tail light station anniversary

The descendants of the late light keeper, George Lahey, ringing the fog bell

Despite damage from many years of use and also being moved several times, the bell sounded wonderful and could be heard beyond the peninsula.  Listen to three different strikes of the bell here: http://www.freesound.org/people/bob.burgess/sounds/160882/