Member Highlight
The Carpenter’s Boat Shop – 45th Anniversary
The Carpenter's Boat Shop's 45th Anniversary in 2024
By Kevin Callahan
Kcallahan@urbanpromiseusa.org
Every weekday morning, the Carpenters Boat Shop puts down sweaty tools and picks up steamy cups.
Alicia Witham, the Executive Director, calls this traditional tea break with visitors, staff, and builders “special.”
“It’s a lot of things to different people and for our apprentices that are in class, it’s a nice morning break, and for our visitors, it’s a nice way to engage with our community,” reflected Witham, who said anywhere from 10 to 40 tea drinkers will gather.
“For staff, it’s kind of nice to lift your head up and see different faces for a few minutes. And, for me, it’s a really great opportunity to meet the people typically that are supporting us one way or another, whether it’s as a volunteer or as a donor or a potential student.
“So it’s great.”
The Carpenter boat builders have been pausing for this special time together for over four decades now in Penquid, Maine.
“The most important thing that we do is, hopefully, to inspire human connection with one another,” Witham said.
This is an inspiring and connective year for The Carpenters Boat Shop – celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2024.
The four-day festivities begin on August 8th with a 100-person catered, sit-down dinner and auction. The next day, Friday, the shop will host an invited event from 5 to 10 p.m. of live music, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and dinner.
On Saturday, the 10th,, there will be a family-style barbecue from 3 to 6 pm. And, on Sunday, the Carpenters will top a morning on campus with an ice cream social.
“We have a lot that we’re planning, the reason we’re stretching it out over four days is to allow folks to engage in different ways here on our campus,” Witham explained. “For example, the 8th is going to be a sit-down dinner where people pay and there’s an auction, whereas every other event after that will be free.”
Also free is the Carpenter’s Boat Shop nine-month apprenticeship for 18-year-olds and over. Running from mid-March through mid-November, the program provides on-campus room and board for the apprentices, who reciprocate by maintaining the facilities and sharing in meal preparation.
The Carpenter’s Boat Shop also offers fee-based classes to defray the cost of the apprentice program. These open sessions attract 20 to 80-year-olds.
“I see it as the reason that we do these classes and the reason that I keep continue to add them is the tuition piece is incredibly helpful,” Witham said. “Often times people come here and kind of feel the magic of this place.”
Located about an hour and 15 minutes north of Portland, the Carpenter’s Boat Shop was started when the Ives, who met while studying in Scotland, moved to the coast of Maine in 1973. Ruth was a teacher and Bobby was a minister and lobster fisherman.
“We’ve gone through many growth phases since then,” said Witham, who grew up in Portland, and started working for the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in 1996.
Witham is assisted at the Boat Shop by program director Chelsea Fisher and wooden boat building instructor Luke Small.
Witham said her commitment for 2024 is to continue to grow the open enrollment programs.
“And, we just started an artist-in-residence program,” she added. “We have an amazing space for artists to come to live, to create, to be a part of our community, to support the arts.”
And to drink tea.
“It is obviously very fulfilling,” Witham said. “I walk into tea time feeling however I feel on any given day and then I often times walk away remarking on what a unique encounter that I just had with someone.”
These special encounters have been happening for 45 years now and counting.
“Our tagline is building boats, nurturing lives, and helping others,” Witham said. “We don’t build boats, boats build people.”