Elise Javetski
Swan’s Island, Maine has to be one of the earth’s greatest untouched gems. This quaint lobster fisherman town reeks with the natural beauty that Maine has to offer. From the majestic pine trees that outline the shore of the deep blue Atlantic to the warm hearted locals who welcome you to their lovely lifestyle, Swan’s Island felt like my second home for the two weeks I was there.

From the moment I arrived at the airport and met with my team leader, Will, and group, all my nervousness and insecurities melted away. I learned that the great thing about Landmark volunteers is that they are exactly like you; people who want to have fun and enhance the already vibrant beauty in the world. As we rode the ferry to our new home, we all began to form lasting friendships without even realizing it. Finally, we reached the island, and it came to us as a shock, we were only 6 miles off shore however it seemed like a gorgeous world away.

For the next two weeks we helped out at the library by cataloging books and helping build a new storage room for all the treasured artifacts the library stored. With the guidance of Siobhan and Candi, two librarians and artifact coordinators, we helped out at the town’s Seaside Hall Museum by moving all the historic artifacts that dated back to the town’s first existence in 1784 to a better equipped spot back at the library. The team helped clean up the Island’s community center called Oddfellows Hall. This grand old building serves as a town meeting place, a performing arts center, and a Sunday morning diner but most importantly it caters to the people a sense of security, love, and happiness. This building is the epitome of the locals who make up Swan’s Island.

Even though we were secluded on an island of about 350 people, life never slowed down. We went out on a lobster boat, played basketball, went for nightly drives to the island’s prized light house, swam in the Quarry pond (c.1920’s), played cards and most importantly we had fun as we worked. Even with our action packed schedules we never failed to learn more about the town’s history, about our peers and most of all, about ourselves.

Our work was insightful, rewarding, and fun. Learning about the town’s past through work and play was the best history lesson I ever had. The natural beauty was breath taking but the beauty that the locals showed us truly outdid any scenery. They housed us in their school, provided us with snacks, and opened their doors to us for pasta and potpie dinners.

Sadly though our time expired and we were lugged back to shore on the ferry one last time. It wasn’t until I boarded my plane that I realized what a gift I had experienced. I helped change the history of an untouched gem with some of the best friends I had ever made.

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