Recently I heard it said that people argue in all communities, but in some communities these arguments are over how to become more vibrant, with an emphasis on more. A place is doing well, and its residents want to do better, and they struggle over what that means.
In other communities the tenor of discussion is more tragic, over how a place is dying.
Struggles over the trajectory of places pervade our lives. We grapple with how places become meaningful based on a history of vivid experiences, stories told, personal and collective losses, and new life celebrated.
During the wrap up session for Sustainable Island Living 2010 I had the opportunity to interview island leaders from Maine and beyond about their commitments to creating more vibrant island communities. Very personal stories were told with passion, humor and humility about aspects of everyday life that make the overall island experience meaningful.
Hannah Pingree, North Haven resident, former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, and now on the North Haven school board, North Haven affordable housing board, and Island Institute board (she is not slowing down at all), spoke lightheartedly about her husband Jason’s transition into the community. His aunt lived on the island so Jason and his identical twin brother visited often. Perhaps Jason visited more often after he met Hannah, for they fell in love and he ultimately stayed, joining Hannah’s sister Cecily as a partner in Pull Start Pictures, a film production company. Hannah reflected on how Jason needs to get away on occasion, when the island makes him crazy. The audience of island residents nodded knowingly.
Irene Novaczek from Prince Edward Island talked about the complicated relationship between tourism and economic development on her island, captured through stories she shared about coping with her island as home to the mythic Anne of Green Gables. But Irene’s community is not beholden to the “Anne fetish.” Rather, she talked about the sense of pride, and downright fun that she and her neighbors are having as they build a sense of place through outrageous arts and music events that are drawing young people into their community.
Shey Conover, an Islesboro resident, school board member, childcare center board member and Island Institute senior programs director, spoke of her commute to the mainland as a key component to making her island life possible. In a matter-of-fact way she shared the details of her daily two-hour commute (each way) from Islesboro to the Island Institute: getting bags ready the night before, dressing and undressing two toddlers twice each way (jackets on and off and on again from car to ferry to car, snacks on the ferry, scraping two cars, impatient people behind her, day-care on both sides if needed. Two people commented to me that if Shey were to leave the island, they might have to leave too-she is a sign of hope to them, that they live in a community where young families can live. They hope Shey will persevere.
Karen Amspacher of Harkers Island, in “Downeast” North Carolina made the trip to Maine after years of reaching out to connect with people here. Years ago she gathered the cultural history of Harkers Island through cooking in the award winning cookbook “Island Born and Bred”. She told a very powerful and heart-wrenching story about her family’s 60 acres on the heel (the high point) on Harkers, eleven feet above sea level. For a variety of reasons he father lost the family home, and she recounted the pain and anger wrapped up in not being able to go back to that place as it was. She went on to build the Core Sound Museum and Heritage Center on Harkers to celebrate the culture of the island past and present.
Eva Murray of Matinicus told a story about what happens at her home when the lights go out: she and husband Paul care for the diesel-powered power station, so when the light go out they figure out how to get it going again. With great humor, Eva told of how it was like having a third child. You line up a sitter when your’re going to leave the island, and you check in often and make sure that the unpredictable toddler is okay. She joked that she should have a third stone in her mothers ring, the color of diesel.
Alton Ballance of Ocracoke Island, North Carolina concluded with a message of hope, underscoring the critical role that kids play in island communities, and the need to invest every resource a community can muster to ensure that young families can make a home on islands.
These were, above all, deeply personal stories about what goes into making a place work and what makes it meaningful, and in their telling a tone is established and a set of commitments are made that suggests a future trajectory toward making these places more vibrant.
Rob Snyder is executive vice-president at the Island Institute.