Dear Friends of Serenity:

We have been proud owners of our beloved cabin in Boothbay Harbor for eight years this Labor Day. That also means that we’ve been without Ryan’s dad for those same eight years; we miss his presence in our lives every day.

It is an honor to be stewards of the special place that he and Ryan’s mom Peggy worked so hard for and loved so much. The memories of love and laughter and good vibes remain, and more are made every day. The community that we have built means so much to us, and we know Ryan’s parents would be happy to know what we’ve created.

As time passes, the cabin, affectionately christened “Serenity,” is starting to show her age; she's nearing 100 years young! We’ve made many improvements during our ownership to make the cabin feel more comfortable, safer, and more modern, while attempting to retain her character and charm.

In 2026, we’ll face our biggest update yet. Serenity needs a new roof! The current roof is at least 30 years old, and we dealt with some leaks during the 2025 season. We did our research, got some quotes, and made our decision to do the work in May of 2026 before the rental season. Even the cheapest quote was quite an eye-opener; somewhere between “ouch” and “HOLY SH*T” on the financial scale.

We are incredibly blessed that we’ve been able to make updates while keeping the cost of rentals low. But our financial situation (along with most of America’s) is a bit uncertain now, and we don’t know what to expect for next year. The price for materials will inevitably go up as time passes, not down.

We don’t want to defray the roof costs with higher rental rates. The new rate would have to be a significant increase for us to make a dent. Since it’s important to us that the cost remains manageable for our friends and family, we don’t plan to raise the rate for 2026.

So, we come to you, our Serenity community. Our happy place needs this update to keep us all dry and safe, and we need your help to do it. If the cabin has brought you joy, or peace, if it has given you quality time with your loved ones, if pulling in the driveway causes a happy sigh, please consider donating to our roof fund. We’re incredibly grateful for any amount that you can give.