As we continue to have beautiful weather to spend time together on the island, it is almost bittersweet as crisp mornings and cool evenings hint toward the arrival of fall. However, the first couple of weeks in August are always the most busy and fun times on Squirrel. Between the fair, long tennis matches, Hennessey and cocktail parties, there is almost no time to rest. The past two weeks have been no exception.

On Thursday, Aug. 1, the Squirrel Island Historical Society held their annual fundraiser party. Cheeky and Bear Draper hosted the event in their beautiful cottage “Grand View.” A large crowd attended the party, and spent the evening with friends enjoying cocktails and delicious hors d’ouvres. Several raffle items, including a beautiful wooden bowl and lampshades of Squirrel, were given out by the end of the night.

The party was a huge success, and the funds raised will be used to continue the Historical Society’s efforts to preserve and collect the history and heritage of Squirrel Island for present and future generations. Many thanks go to the Drapers, the SIHS Board and everyone who attended the event and bought raffle tickets.

With Saturday afternoon came the arrival of the Squirrel Island Fair in the Town Hall. The fair, which is a fundraiser for the Ladies Improvement Association, was hosted by Beth Hastings. Beth did a superb job in planning, organizing and carrying out the fair. There were several vendors, selling everything from food to photographs and art, as well as the sacred White Elephant Sale. Lucy Hastings and E.J. Thomas held games for the kids, and a Silent Auction took place as well.

Dr. Bud and Olive Kerr’s memorial reception also took place on Saturday afternoon, at John and Debbie Kerr’s cottage. The reception was lovely, with a large turnout and many hours spent reminiscing about the wonderful couple. Dr. Kerr and Olive made countless contributions to the Island, as well as the world. Though they are greatly missed today, their presence will always be remembered and felt on Squirrel Island.

Later that evening, the second All Island Cocktail Party of the summer took place. Organized by the Splaines and Schweppes, it was not an event to miss. Dressed to impress, an impressive number of Squirrels made an appearance at the Town Hall to have cocktails and food with friends. Entertainment was provided by Mathias Reed on the piano, and everyone went home content after a fun evening.

The following Thursday, the Squirrel Island Library sponsored a trip to Bigelow Labs, where a group of about twenty Squirrels were invited for lunch and a tour of the laboratories, which formally opened on December 14, 2012. Prior to the tour, many Squirrels could look at Bigelow materials in the library to introduce themselves to some of the worldwide research on microscopic sea life that Bigelow scientists conduct around the world.

We are very grateful for the opportunity that Bigelow Laboratories presented us Squirrels, and look forward to learning more from its research in the near future.

On Saturday night, all usual activities were nixed as Square Dancing took place in the Town Hall as a benefit by the LIA for breast cancer research. Run by a professional caller, a crowd of all ages donned bandanas and their best dancing boots for an evening of country music and fun. After a “talk-through-walk-through” of instructions and a bit of practice, Squirrels simply followed the calls and looked like professionals by the end of the night.