What has 15 hands, 30 feet, and one head? 
That would be Wellfleet’s Preservation Hall Board, of course. Members work well together, walk in step, and seem to have singular vision. I saw five of them during the half-hour I spent at the crafts fair and wreath pageant yesterday. What a joyous occasion it was! If you missed “Deck This Hall” because of the inclement weather, let me share my impressions without wasting any more time. The wreaths were set up in the future great hall, along un-insulated walls, and on tables. To the left, Tracy Plaut, one of the main organizers, assigns numbers for the silent auction. Crafts people had set up stands both upstairs and down.
Lots of fun Christmas gifts were available for sale. Cape Codders were buying candy, Wellfleet greeting cards, pottery, T-shirts, jewelry, tote bags made of recycled material, and much, much more. During the afternoon, it was possible to tour the renovated building. At the doorway, Dede Ledkovsky hawked lottery tickets. Santa came at 1 pm, stopping at the Lighthouse Restaurant, a few doors up Main Street.And, of course, there were the wreaths.
I loved Kim Shkapich and Jim Lotti’s train tracks and Lego creation with the words LOVE and HOPE spelled out in wooden blocks. Professional landscaper Victoria Pecoraro dreamed up For The Birds, Too, which offered birds a home and food. The bidding began at $75 for this wreath. At 1:30, the price was up to $90. By the end of the day, most of the wreaths had found homes.Just look at the beautiful
stained glass windows from the former Catholic Church! The renovation may not yet be complete, but it was clear that the space is already serving its purpose: bringing the community together. Friends would hug as they went from wreath to wreath and stall to stall. “I know you!” someone exclaimed behind me. “I see you all the time. I’m Teresa!” Wherever I looked, people embraced.Before leaving, I stopped on the front steps to speak with Prez. Hall Vice President Anne Suggs, who said in a wistful voice, “We were standing in there last night, imagining it when the walls are actually white!”
What was she referring to? Completion of our marvelous GREEN community center and the wedding ceremonies that will take place in Preservation Hall, starting in June, as well as, seven months later, the 5th Annual “Deck This Hall” 2011. Mark your calendars now!
