2010 WFA Oyster Stew Supper and Annual Meeting

This years supper will be on Monday February 8th, 2010 at the Westport Point Methodist Church on Main Road, Westport Ma. 02791

Doors will open at 6:00 pm.

We hope you can join us for this time honored event. The menu is complete with delicious bowls of steamy Oyster stew, cornbread and freshly baked apple pie topped with cheddar cheese for dessert. The cost is $15.00 per person and reservations must be made in advance and should be received by February 5th. Please mail your reservation and check to the Westport Fishermen's Association, PO Box 83, Westport Point Ma 02791.This will be a ticketless event, your names will be on a list at the door.

This year our Annual Meeting will be set to begin directly after supper. Take this oppurtunity to come and catch up on WFA news, happenings and our proposed slate of officers.

The WFA is pleased to announce we have Greg Berman a guest investigator for The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute,  who's focus is in outreach for the National Oceanic and Atmoshpheric Administration Sea Grant Program.  The WHOI is committed to research and education to advance the understanding of the ocean and its interaction with the Earth system, and to communicating this understanding for the benefit of society. The NOAA is focused on enriching life through science.  This years speaker is commited to keeping citizens informed of the changing environment around them from the Earth's sun to the Ocean floor.

Greg will make his presentation on Barrier Beaches, other Coastal Resources and the effect of Human Impact.

This portion of the evening set to start at 7:30 is free and open to the public. So even if Oyster stew is not your preference for supper, please consider joining us for this informative talk and power point presentation that directly relates to our mission of the conservation and preservation of the Westport River and its tributaries as well as the other coastal resources of our town and local communities.

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 State Nation 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/