Ocracoke Alive's new Arts Partnership with Ocracoke School, the Skipjack Wilma Lee returns to the island, and a holiday concert with the Joyful Band of Singers

Hello friends!

Ocracoke Alive is rounding out the year with lots of exciting news!

Ocracoke Alive creates Arts Partnership Program to Bring Arts Back to Ocracoke School. . . Seeks Financial Support from Ocracoke Supporters

First of all, we wanted to let everyone know about our progress working with Ocracoke School in our new Arts Partnership program. Many of you may have read about the elimination of arts programming this school year at Ocracoke School.  The position in arts instruction held by Kitty Mitchell for many years was cut in the fall of 2014 due to the trimming of state and county budgets, removing the last bits of arts curriculum from Ocracoke School. Previously the school has not had music or theater, and now it has no arts education.

Ocracoke Alive believes that in our quickly changing society, creativity and out-of–the box thinking are some of the most critical survival tools a youngster can possess. A fully-balanced, creative individual can bring a fresh perspective to whatever field and path they may choose in life. A quick look around the Ocracoke community and the visitor comes face to face with a multitude of community members making their living in the creative arts, from potters to painters, musicians to soap makers. Creativity is important in every community, but especially in one that relies on tourism.

In an effort to help provide continuous arts education at the local K-12 school, Ocracoke Alive has reached out to artists on and off of Ocracoke, to create an Arts Partnership program that will host visiting teachers for seventeen weeks this spring semester. We are thrilled with the enthusiastic response from the community and these teachers.

The estimated cost of this program is $7000-8000 for one semester. To help fund the program, Ocracoke Alive has been asking supporters of our community to consider making a tax-deductible contribution. Contributions can be made by sending a donation to "Ocracoke Alive, PO Box 604, Ocracoke, NC 27960 (memo Arts Partnership Program)" or by making a donation with credit card or Paypal account through the Ocracoke Alive homepage at www.ocracokealive.org.

Stay tuned for more details on the program after the turn of the year.

Thanks for your help!

Skipjack Wilma Lee returns to Ocracoke, Sails A-Flyin'!

After a most dramatic 2014 season, the Skipjack Wilma Lee has returned to her home berth at the Community Square docks in Ocracoke harbor.  For those of you who are new to this story, on July 4th, hurricane Arthur swept through Ocracoke Island bringing with it high winds and a small tornado which struck Ocracoke Alive's flagship, doing over $70,000 worth damage. Fortunately, our insurance covered most of this damage, but we still had to raise around $20,000 to cover the deductible and replacement sails. After an Indiegogo crowd fundraising campaign and an appeal to our supporters, Ocracoke Alive reached it goal and even raised enough to cover a much needed new sail cover.  A big thanks to all of you who helped us in our time of need. We are continuing to work with NC Learn in developing educational programming and are looking forward to spring weather when we can get the boat back in action. If you are headed Ocracoke direction, please come visit us on the harbor!

Ocracoke Alive News Update: Skipjack Wilma Lee Party (You're Invited!), A Tale of Blackbeard Finishes the 2014 Season, and a Poetry Invasion!

Hello friends of Ocracoke Alive!

We hope that everyone is doing well off the island and that you might have had the opportunity to pay Ocracoke a visit this summer. This week teachers returned to school in preparation student arrival next week. This time of year island visitors quickly transition from larger family groups to couples of all ages and small children. We had a bit of cooler weather mid-summer, but the humidity has been turned back up for these dog days of summer, making a dip in the ocean even more appealing.

A Skipjack Wilma Lee Boom and Sail Party August 31st . . . and you are invited!

Repairs to the Skipjack Wilma Lee are proceeding smoothly after the damage she sustained during hurricane Arthur. The boat has been hauled out at Moores Marine in Beaufort, NC and the workers there anticipate that she may be back in the water by mid-September. Captain Rob has also ordered a new mainsail to replace the one shredded during the hurricane, so we hope that she will be complete and back in action heading into fall.  Total damage to the vessel appears to be in excess of $60,000. Many thanks to Traveler's Insurance for their quick response in our time of need!

Ocracoke Alive is working diligently to come up with the $18,000 needed to pay for the downpayment on the insurance ($7500) and the new sails (around $10,000).  Ed and Susan Norvell have generously offered a matching grant of $5000 and so we have put together a fundraising party on Ocracoke from 5-7 PM on Sunday, August 31 at the Kugler cottage.  You need not be present to help us out with a contribution, but we would love to see you if you are on the island! Wine, beer, hors d'oeuvres, and an excellent sunset have been ordered for the event.  Allan Casavant has generously contributed the use of the beautiful historic soundfront home for the occasion!

If you would like to participate, let us know the number of guests that will be attending.  Tax deductible donations can be made payable to Ocracoke Alive, PO Box 604, Ocracoke, NC 27960. Online credit card or Paypal contributions can be made through the link at the top of our Skipjack Wilma Lee page on the Ocracoke Alive Website. Thanks for all of your help! Questions? Contact info@ocracokealive.org or (860) 933-0259 (Wilma Lee Committee Chair, Tom Pahl).

Here are some snapshots from the boatyard.

 

  

 

Ocrachicks concert raises over $700 for the Skipjack Wilma Lee

On July 27, the Ocrachicks of Ocracoke held their annual summertime concert and contributed the over $700 towards the repairs for the Skipjack Wilma Lee. Organized by storyteller Lou Ann Homan, the show featured, music, stories, and theatrical performances by island residents and talented friends from off. Performances at the sold-out show ran the gamut of heartfelt to humorous, and the backdrop was provided by Kitty Mitchell who did a lively painted illustration of the songs and stories on a canvas at the back of the stage. Ocracoke Alive sends out a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the wonderful evening.

A Tale of Blackbeard finishes a Successful 2014 Show Run! T-shirts Now Available Online

August 11 brought a close to the theatrical summer season of Julie Howard's A Tale of Blackbeard with a rousing sold out show at the Ocracoke Community Center. The revival of this wonderful show on its 40th anniversary filled the audience every Monday night for this summer run. If you didn't get a chance to see it or were turned away at the door in 2014, keep checking back at the Ocracoke Alive website for next year's plans. We hope to bring it back next summer for another round! Many thanks to all of the cast, crew, volunteers, and donors who helped bring this revival to life! If you missed getting a T-shirt, they can be ordered online through the Ocracoke Alive website store at www.ocracokealive.org. They come in red and black. Also, visit the new A Tale of Blackbeard website at www.ataleofblackbeard.com for historical archives and more information on happenings with the show.

 

 Ocracoke Alive helps bring NC poet Phillip Shabazz to the Island

Phillip Shabazz shares original work from his new book

 This July, island visual artist and poet, Bob Ray, approached Ocracoke Alive about assisting in funding to help bring NC poet Phillip Shabazz to the island for an event that would feature him and other island writers on August 8th.  We were honored to lend a hand to a beautiful evening set amongst live oaks at the stage next to Books to Be Red.  The show featured works by Bob Ray, Carme Prete (read by Mickey Baker), Pat Garber, Carol Soo Lee, Kelly Shinn, and Richard Bryant as well as special guest Phillip Shabazz. Thanks to Bob Ray, all the participants, and host Leslie Lanier and Books to be Red for putting together a thoughtful and entertaining evening. We hope it will be the start of many more such productions!

Bob Ray holding court!

 That's all for now. Thanks for keeping in touch! We have more plans for the fall. We'll update you in our next newsletter.

Ocracoke Alive

Skipjack Wilma Lee damaged by Hurricane Arthur . . . Emergency Fundraising Campaign Underway. Ocrafolk Festival 2014 and A Tale of Blackbeard a great success. Other Community Happenings.

Hello friends and supporters of Ocracoke Alive,

It is summer on Ocracoke Island, bringing all of the fun of sunny beaches, warm waters, visitors, the Ocrafolk Festival, A Tale of Blackbeard musical by Julie Howard, and Hurricane Arthur attacking our Skipjack Wilma Lee(what was that last one?!).  Ah yes, this season has been chocked full of planned and unplanned adventures.  This newsletter will let you know all about it!

Hurricane Arthur damages Skipjack Wilma Lee! Join our fundraising campaign by August 1st to get her back in the water! Great rewards for sponsors!

Wilma Lee damaged in Hurricane Arthur

This 4^th of July was most unusual, bringing with it not the expected tourists, parade, sand castle contest, and Community Square party, but instead a Category 2 Hurricane Arthur barreling up the coast.  On the night of July 3rd and early in the morning of July 4th, Ocracoke Island took a direct hit from Hurricane Arthur. The storm brought winds upwards of 100 mph for several hours and also packed tornado-type winds as well. The eye of the storm passed over the village of Ocracoke at around 1:00 AM on July 4th. The island suffered damage in the form of downed trees, broken windows, roofing, siding and trim torn from houses and buildings, road overwash, and over 40 utility poles snapped or dislodged.

The most dramatic damage for Ocracoke Alive was to the Skipjack Wilma Lee tied up at NPS docks.  No one was there to watch, so we can only look at the results and speculate as to exactly what happened. The damage report is as follows:

Broken 40 ft wood boom
Damage to the port and starboard rails
Damage to the starboard railing
Damage to the mainsail
Structural separation at the stem

The Wilma Lee will be taken to a boatyard and hauled out for inspections and repairs.  We are currently assessing and estimating the costs, but it is clear that because of a high deductible and a provision that excludes sail damage during a named storm, that we will need close to $20,000 that we currently do not have.

We hope to repair the vessel so that it is able to take passengers for motoring trips and minimal sailing with use of the jib sail so that we can make the most of the remainder of the 2014 season while we wait for the creation of a new mainsail.  In the meantime, we will continue our summertime educational Dockside talks once the Wilma Lee returns to her berth at the Community Square Docks.  Mid-August we have another meeting with Andy Mink of NC Learn to look at the educational programming that we are developing for the Wilma Lee.

Here are some ways you can help!

1. Join our Indiegogo Campaign! In June, we began a fundraising campaign to raise money for replacement of the sails.  That platform is still in place and we are off to a good start at $1505 with 20 days left (as of this post date) and a goal for the sails of $10,000.  We hope you will be able to pitch in and join our quest.  Any monies raised over our goal will go towards the additional costs of repairing damage to the Wilma Lee. There are a lot of great perks, including T-shirts, cruises, a week’s stay on Ocracoke, and even your own private charter. Please note that many of the rewards offered involve cruises aboard the Wilma Lee – those may require modification, depending on the outcome of our inspections and assessments.  Contributions are tax-deductible and the campaign ends August 1st.
 
2. Send a tax-deductible contribution directly. You can do so with a credit card through Paypal by clicking on the donation button here.

or by mailing a check to “Ocracoke Alive, PO Box 604, Ocracoke, NC 27960”  with a memo to “Skipjack Wilma Lee Fund” 3. Join our “Boom and Sail Party.” If you can come to Ocracoke Island and are interested in joining us for a fundraising party, let us know and we will keep you posted on how to get a ticket to a fun-filled celebration to raise money for the Skipjack Wilma Lee. Email us at info@ocracokealive.org or call at 252-921-0260. Ocrafolk Festival 2014 a great success!             The weather gods served up a picture perfect forecast for this year’s Ocrafolk Festival with low humidity and cooler summer weather.  We estimate our largest and most enthusiastic crowd yet (partially due to the great press that we received from Our State Magazine that featured the Ocrafolk Festival in their June article on great NC summer events). The Ocrafolk Festival kicked off the weekend with a fish fry at the Ocracoke Preservation Society before moving across the street to the fundraising auction at the Berkley Manor (hosted by Philip Howard, Dolores Gilbert, Lisa Landrum, and a dedicated crew of volunteers).  Friday night activities rounded out with a World Music Jam with Beleza and friends at the Live Oak Stage and a dance at the Community Center with the Ocracoke Rockers and Raygun Ruby. (Photos by Rachael Dalkilic) The Magician Chaz and helpers Painting Clyde critters A roving pirate on Ocracoke, not unusual . . . but can he be trusted? A parade with the Paperhand Puppets Jamming with Fuzz, Shana Tucker, and Carrie. Frogs seem to be making a comeback on the island!             The music, stories, and fun continued over the weekend, featuring performances by new Ocrafolk participants Mipso and the South Carolina Broadcasters, a storytelling evening with Donald Davis, and the return of many favorites like Molasses Creek, Caravan of Thieves, Cassie & Maggie MacDonald, Jacob Johnson, Shana Tucker, Paperhand Puppets, and a slew of other talented artists.  The weekend also highlighted forty incredible artisans from Ocracoke, eastern Carolina, and beyond.  Many thanks to all of the volunteers and sponsors who helped make the weekend possible.  Next year’s dates are June 5-7.  If you would like to become a sponsor, please contact us at info@ocracokealive.org, or visit our website at www.ocracokealive.org for more details on how to help bring this creative weekend to Ocracoke Island. Ocracoke Alive brings musical pirates and village girls back to the stage in “A Tale of Blackbeard” (All photos courtesy of Brenda Kremser, copyright 2014) Blackbeard (Matt Tolson) Elizabeth & Richard (Samantha Styron/Waylon Underwood) Oliver Farthingham & Miss Euphemia (Bill Jones/Trisha Davis) Pirates (Nathan Modlin/Bill Cole/Waylon Underwood/Kade Nagakane/Derek Gilliam) Village Girls (Chrisi Gaskill/Sierra Winstead/Lori Masitis/Caroline Temple) This spring and summer, the Ocracoke Island community has been abuzz with excitement over the return of “A Tale of Blackbeard” by Julie Howard.  Written in 1974, the musical details the final days of Blackbeard on Ocracoke.  This wonderful production features fourteen musical numbers performed by a cast of over twenty island residents playing pirates, village girls, and a smattering of unforgettable village characters.  There are snatches of truth and facts woven into the play, but it is by and large purely a tale, loosely based on Blackbeard’s 1718 battle with Lt. Robert Maynard and on a real-life Ocracoke boardinghouse, run by islander Euphemia Curtis in the mid-1800’s. Returning on the 40th anniversary of the original staging, A Tale of Blackbeard has a special significance to Ocracoke Alive because it was out of this very musical that the Ocracoke Players non-profit came into existence in 1978.  Four years ago The Players emerged from hibernation and was renamed Ocracoke Alive making the circle complete! Ocracoke Alive wants to thank Julie Howard and the directors, Charles Temple and Desiree Ricker, along with the committed and talented cast and crew, stage hands, designers, and sponsors who enthusiastically jumped on board and made the production possible. Shows run on Monday nights at 8 PM, June 9-August 11 at the Ocracoke Community Center.  Some presold tickets are available online at www.ocracokealive.org/blackbeard and the remaining tickets are available as walkups at the door.  So far, all of the shows have been sold out, so if you are interested in attending we recommend being in line at the door by 6:40 PM for the door tickets (on sale at 7:30 PM). Julie Howard and her son Stefen are also working on uploading past photos, programs, and memorabilia so keep checking back to the website for more updates and blasts from the past! Ocracoke Alive sponsors other activities in the Ocracoke Community            Ocracoke Alive has continued its work this spring and summer supporting programming on the island.  In April, we helped sponsor Ocracoke School’s 2014 Arts Week, helping to bring in artists to work with Ocracoke School students for classes in dance, painting, weaving, mask making, boat building, pottery, and more.  Thanks to Kitty Mitchell for organizing this inspiring week! On June 5, Ocracoke Alive sponsored two school concerts with Grammy Award-winning songwriter and performer, Cathy Fink, at Deepwater Theater. Cathy also attended Donald and Merle Davis’s Storytelling Workshop and happened to be the lucky winner of Ocracoke Needle and Thread Society’s festival quilt. Kids and adults enjoyed her songs, stories, and mesmerizing claw-hammer banjo performance. Cathy Fink performs for Ocracoke School students That's all for now.  Stayed tuned for more news. You can sign up to be on our e-news list for updates at www.ocracokealive.org/news-signup.