2010 Annual Community Candidate's Night

Wedensday March 31st at 7:00 pm at the Westport High School

Moderator Carlos Costa

The WFA is co Sponsoring this evening in effort to provide our local community an evening of questions and answers with our local candidates running for office in the upcoming 2010 election. All candidates have been invited to attend this forum.

2010 WFA Oyster Stew Supper and Annual Meeting

Thanks to all who came!

We had a full house and their was oyster stew, corn bread and apple pie for everyone. The Board of Directors and volunteers served dinner around 6:30 and guests seemed happy to be visiting till our Annual Meeting began. We were glad to see a few more arrivals for the meeting portion and to hear our guest speaker Greg Berman a guest investigator for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.

WFA Project Coordinator and Secretary Laurie Marinone shared a 2009 wrap up and the upcoming events and happenings for 2010. They announced the slate of officers and all were accepted at the conclusion of the WFA news update. The 2010 slate of officers is Jack Reynolds - President, Brian Pontolilo -Vice President, Tom Perkins -Treasurer and   Laurie Marinone - Secretary.

Our speaker's  focus is in outreach for the National Oceanic and Atmoshpheric Administration Sea Grant Program. He gave an informative presentation in an effort to inform his audience of the changing enviroment around them. His powerpoint images of coastal resources were clearly evidence of how we live, care and interfere wth our resources has a direct impact on the existance looking to the future.

The WFA is grateful to Greg for volunteering his time to come and make his presentation and have supper with us!

As well we would like to thank all of our community friends and members who joined us we appreciate your continued support!

Runners and Walkers Save the Date!

Plan to join us for our 2010 6th Run For The Water

This years 8k Road Race and 3 mile Family Fun Walk/Run is scheduled to be held at the beautiful Horseneck Beach on Saturday May 8th, 2010 at 10:00 am.

Printable registration forms are available here 

Online registration is also available via www.racemenu.com

Attention Graduating Highschool Seniors

We are now accepting applications for this year's "Merit" scholarship awards.  Scholarship requirments and a printable application are available on our Scholarship page of this website.

Applications must be recieved by April 30th, 2010.

 The Finished Station and Visitor Center

photo by Chip Gillespie

The Horseneck Point Life Saving Station Grand Opening and Recognition Ceremony

The WFA would like to thank all who came out to support and witness the raising of the flag and recognition ceremony of the Horseneck Point Life Saving Station on December 12th 2009. Despite the cold winter temperature there was a full house at the station to recognize all who had been so influential in the success of this 3 year restoration project.

It was a great day all in attendance complimented the WFA board of directors on their job well done. All of our generous sponsors from our own association members and friends to the Westport Community Preservation Committee and the State Department of Conservation and Recreation were pleased to see the results thier contributions brought about and preserved in order to share the maritime history of Westport with our local community and visitors to come in the years ahead.

State Representative Michael Rodrigues was one of the guest speakers who shared with all who were present his support of the project and influence in assuring the passing of a bill through legislation that enables the WFA to engage in a 25  year lease with The Mass state Department of Conservation and Recreation to continue to preserve and manage the historic Life Saving Staiton and the newly renovated visitor's center. He even brought along and presented to WFA president Jack Reynolds a framed copy of the bill to have to display in the visitor's center. The WFA is truly grateful to Representative Rodrigues and Senator Joan Menard for all of their help getting the legislation passed and approved by the DCR.

Renee Dufour the Southeastern District Manager for the Department of Conservation and Recreation another guest speaker that afternoon shared her experience with working with the WFA to see this project to fruition. Renee was our local contact person and wonderful to work with. She shared with the audience the latest developement in the project which is to enter the HPLSS into the Historic Curatorship Program ensuring benfits of collaborating with the DCRin order to run programs and help to support and offset marketing costs and future usage of the Visitor Center and maritime museum.

Warren Messier Chairman for the CPC also spoke on behalf of the project, their involvment and continuous support in securing funds through their generous grants that enabled us to pursue  matching DCR grants with the State assuring us the funds necessary to execute a restoration and renovation project of this magnitude. The WFA truly appreciates the continued support of the CPC and recognizes its importance to the preservation of buildings like the historic Station #69 that link us to the history of Westports Past.

Below is a photo of John Galluzo, the Executive Director United States Life Saving Service Heritage Association was also in attendance for our grand opening and came to also be one of our guest speakers. He was pleased to be able to come and speak about the Life Saving Service Heritage Association and the importance of the restoration project. By his side is WFA President Jack Reynolds. The WFA was pleased to have him come back to speak at the dedication ceremony since he was an intrical part of the introduction of this restoration project from the onset at our annual meeting a couple of years back when we first introduced the project idea to our association members. His knowledge of the history of the Life Saving Service was instrumental in communicating to our donators and sponsors the importance of preserving this historic peice of Westport's past.

Below is a photo of some of the guests helping to install the historic surf boat into its new residence for at least the next 25 years. It was a great finale to a wonderful afternoon.

We are also grateful to WFA friend and member Betty Slade who was kind enough to donate her time and talent to video tape the event. The video can be seen on the local access channel. The WFA also owns the video of the event. Copies will be available to the public soon for a modest price. If interested in obtaining a copy please contact us via the email link on the website or via our PO Box 83 Westport Point MA 02791 .

The WFA is sponsoring the Quahog Propogation Program at Durfee High School again for the 2009-2010 academic year

The WFA donated quahog seed and food as well as the necessary chemicals to maintain the water quality necessary to help the fragile seeds to thrive.

Durfee students will get to experience the delicate process of quahog propogation, while cleaning , and monitoring the seedlings growth under the supervision of Marine Science instructors Bob Fitton and Matt Tweedy. 

For more information on Durfee and their Traveling Sea Lab projects check out http://travelingsealab.learnerblogs.org/