Pelican Reunion 2018
Theme: Accessibility and Inclusion of Everyone
Dear Pelican Reunion Friends,
We are delighted that you will be joining us for the 2018 Pelican Reunion Conference! This year promises to be a lot of fun, and we are pleased that you will be part of it. In keeping with the theme of inclusion and accessibility, we are striving to have all planned activities take place in accessible locations with modifications to activities available for participants. Some traditions of our conference may be altered. The marshmallow roast will be set up on the pier instead of out on the rocks, for example. Here is some helpful information to guide you on your way back to Star!
What to Bring
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Sunscreen
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Clothes for all weather
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Hat
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Donations for Social Hour
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Item for Silent Auction
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Book for Book Swap
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Item for Yankee Swap- Star Themed, value under $20.00
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Musical Instruments
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Pelican photos
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Cash for Snack Bar and Gift Shop
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Camera
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Handwork
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Swim suit and beach towel
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Payment for hotel bill
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T-shirts or fabric for printing and dyeing
Ferry (Boat) Schedule
Remember you are REQUIRED to be at the dock AT LEAST 90 minutes before the boat departs.
Friday, August 31: Departure: Portsmouth 12:55 p.m. Arrival: Star Island 1:55 p.m.
Saturday, September 1: Departure: Portsmouth 9:25 a.m. Arrival: Star Island 10:25 a.m.
Sunday, September 2: No scheduled conference runs but there will day visitor boats. Info at: http://starisland.org/
Monday, September 3: Departure: Star Island 1:20 pm. Arrival: Portsmouth 2:45 p.m.
For more information about boats and parking among other topics, visit: http://starisland.org/
For those of you who may need overnight accommodations in Portsmouth on Thursday or Friday, before catching the early conference boat, former Pelican Mark Woolley, Manager at the Best Western Plus Portsmouth Hotel & Suites, is offering a 25% discount (on reasonably priced $160 rooms) while rooms last. To make a reservation with a “Former Pelican discount”, please contact Mark directly at mwool@jhmus.com. And, please make your reservation soon!
Fire and Water
Fire and Water is a 30-minute mandatory orientation session to go over safety rules and other important information for your weekend on the island. This will take place immediately upon arrival to Star Island.
On the Program for Pel Reunion
We have invited a Tai Chi teacher to lead a few classes during the weekend. Tom Hobin is an experienced Tai Chi teacher as well as a physical therapist. He adapts traditional Tai Chi moves to accommodate differing levels of ability.
Our Minister for the weekend, the Rev. Meg Richardson, joined the faculty of Starr King School in 2014 as Visiting Assistant Professor of Unitarian Universalist History. Meg is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School and Durham University. She grew up attending the Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills, where she was a product of UU religious education and a member of LRY. Meg is an Old Shoaler (first visiting Star about 50 years ago) who has attended IA, RE Week and several Young Adult conferences.
There will be Contra dancing Sunday afternoon with Dudley Laufman providing music and calling- this program will be shared with the Pels.
We are pleased that John Lintner will be hosting a book swap AS WELL as leading some sing-alongs of well-known songs.
Rules for Book Swap :
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Bring a book to leave; take a different book home with you on Monday. (Bring two, take two, etc.)
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We will meet to discuss our contributions as scheduled on the green board in the lobby. That is, we will each talk about our opinion of the book we have brought.
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John will create a lottery for drawing the books brought and will answer any questions you have.
Nathan and Cayce Soule will be hosting a trivia game.
And, once again, we look forward to Social Hour hosted by Deb Weiner Soule and Nancy Meyer (with beer from Smuttynose Brewing Company and other beverages including non-alcoholic options) and paid for by your generous donations! Bring your appetites and donations for the basket, please.
Moreover, we eagerly anticipate the Silent Auction (bring something upon which others will bid to help raise funds for the Pel Reunion Scholarship Fund)–if you forget, the Shops on Star now offer GIFT CERTIFICATES!!!!!!!!!!!! Janeki Pierson has graciously donated some memorabilia from DDP and EWP that will be available for bidding in the auction.
Yankee Swap (bring a Star-themed “gift” valued between $10 and $20 to exchange with your fellow conferees) is back by popular demand. Again….if you forget to bring a swap item, there are GIFT CERTIFICATES available at the Gift Shop!
And there’s more to come. We have more planning on the docket and are still trying to work out details for a work project on Island and other items. We will post all activities on the chalkboard in the Lobby.
For Parents: PIT (Pelicans in Training) Crew
The PIT Crew is our children’s program, managed and overseen by Deb Weiner Soule and Ben Soule. All registered families will receive an informational email from Deb and Ben. If you have questions, please contact Ben or Deb directly (bgsoule101@gmail.com or djweiner101@gmail.com). The PIT groups meet Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning and afternoon, and Monday morning. The groups are led by “anchor teachers” and volunteers from the conference. We need your help to ensure that safe child-adult ratios are maintained. Please visit the Google Drive document to volunteer to help (all adults are welcomed and encouraged to help!) and make it easy for all of us by signing up before the conference begins:
https://docs.google.com/
There will be a twenty-minute MANDATORY orientation for kids and parents just before the Saturday afternoon PIT program!
A word about bedtimes:
Please note that while the current Pelicans serve as Hall Monitors in the evenings on the second floor of the Oceanic (beginning at 8 PM and finishing at 11 PM), this is offered for the entire second floor and should not be considered babysitting. Parents must be easily accessible at all times. Make sure you leave your cell phone number or location with hall monitors so they may locate you should the need arise. Parents are also asked to pitch in and monitor kids during Social Hour. We encourage parents to make sure their children are in bed at these suggested bedtimes – well-rested kids are happy kids: ages 0-4: 7:30 PM; ages 5-9: 8:30 PM; ages 10-13 – 9:30 PM.
Volunteering Before Pel Reunion
For those of you who are keen to relive your bygone Pelican days and volunteer:
Should you wish to come early and volunteer for a couple days before the start of the Pelican Reunion, please contact the island volunteer coordinator: volunteer@
Volunteers During Pel Reunion Conference
We know that those of us close to Star Island are always ready to help! There are several volunteer jobs still unfilled. Please go to our Sign-Up Genius at https://www.signupgenius.com/
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Silent Auction helpers
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PIT Crew volunteers (to assist with a kids’ group and help supervise PITS during social hour)
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Social Hour helpers for adults and kids on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings
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And more
Conferee Address List
We plan to distribute a conferee address list on Island with your name, address, phone number and email address. If you prefer to limit that information, please contact our Registrar Matt Baya (registrar@
We are thrilled that you are coming. There are at least 100 terrific reasons to come to Pel Reunion and you are one of them!! (Thank you for registering & please share with the rest of those Pels & friends that you want to see!) RATS, RATS, Cinaeco, Cinaeco, rah, rah, rah!!
We are glad that you will be part of this year’s Pelican Reunion!
See You Soon,
Julie and Bob Romero