Present-day
Thomas Elliott's original conference still meets today, as the Conference on International Affairs, as do a dozen or more other conferences. The island is like a self-sufficient town, producing all its own water and electricity. There are three separate water systems on the island—drinking water, cistern water for washing, and sea water for sanitary use. The island has its own septic treatment plant, one of the few capable of handling salt water, and a reverse osmosis water purification system for converting sea water to drinking water. The island is staffed by a crew of 90 young adults, mostly college students, termed "Pelicans", who live on Star Island for the summer and do everything from transporting luggage to washing dishes, painting buildings, weeding, and making beds.
On Star Island there are multiple hotel buildings, the largest of which is the Oceanic Hotel. Others are named for YPRU (Young People's Religious Union), James Caswell, Leland Baker, and Capt. John Smith. There is a marine lab, a floating dock often used by swimmers, two tennis courts, two playgrounds, the "Kiddie Barn" where childcare services are given, an old stone chapel, a scenic gazebo termed the Summerhouse, Vaughn Cottage where the historical records are kept, and beautiful scenery all around. The sunsets are breathtaking; those viewed from the Summerhouse and from the Oceanic's front porch are famous.
Transportation to Star Island was by the steamship-replica Thomas Laighton out of Portsmouth from 1985 through 2004. In 2005 this changed to The Captain's Lady fleet from Rye, causing conference day change-overs to be made in two trips. Service via Isles of Shoals Steamship Company and the Thomas Laighton resumed in 2010. Day trips are possible and information about boat schedules can be found on the island's website.
The Star Island conference center is owned and operated by the Star Island Corporation, a not-for-profit United States Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) membership organization incorporated in the state of Massachusetts. The corporation also is charged with preserving the Isles of Shoals for future generations. It is affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ.
The town of Rye prevented the conference center on Star Island from opening on its usual schedule in early June 2007, due to fire safety concerns. In late July, the fire marshal said there were no longer issues to prevent the conference center from opening, and the island opened for visitors in late July, with conferences resuming in early August.
Read more about this topic: Star Island
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