Island Institute Fellows gathered on Swan’s Island May 9-12 for a retreat.

A key component of such retreats is to offer a community service project to the host island. On Monhegan in September, 2001, the fellows led a coastal clean-up and participated in a musical offering at the church, which raised $400 for Monhegan’s new ambulance barn.

On Swan’s, music with the thing. A talent show at the school, with local talent as well as Fellow participation, raised $175 for the Swan’s Island music program. The following day fellows volunteered their labor to construct cabinets to house the music program’s recently acquired instruments. The cabinets will provide Candyce Dunham, Swan’s Island Fellow, to store her home-made harps (built by her husband, Ben) and all of the other musical supplies in a dry, safe, and temperature controlled space.