Blessley Harp Quest, Pacific Northwest Waters

Valerie Blessley's Millenium Harp Quest

The Harpers for Harmony Foundation is an organization whose mission is "To promote harmony and community, locally and globally through harp music. As harpers for harmony, we play for peace." In the past few years, many harpers in the US and other countries have declared a "Millenium Harp Quest" through this organization. (See Links page for URL.)

To do so, the quests must be "a stretch" for the harper, challenging him or her to reach new goals and to bring harp music to people and places where it might otherwise not be heard. One of Ft. Vancouver Power Squadron's new members, Valerie Blessley (a new boater who was, until taking a Boat Smart class, scared even to walk on docks), has declared a quest, which is listed below.

Photos from Valerie's quest will be added periodically throughout the year, so stop in from time to time to take a look.

[ Quest Voyages 1-5 | Quest Voyages 6-10 | Quest Voyages 11-15 | Quest Voyages 16-20]

I, Valerie Klemetti Blessley, hereby declare my quest to become the Millenium Harper of Pacific Northwest Waters.

To complete the quest, I will play my harp on or beside various bodies of water in Washington and Oregon on at least 25 occasions and/or in at least 25 locations. These locations will include: The Columbia River, The Willamette River, The Multnomah Channel, Vancouver Lake, Lacamas Lake, and various other bays, coves, tributaries, marinas, banks and beaches on or near them. I will bless these bodies of water with music from my harp or kantele (Finnish harp) on land, on docks and in a boat, especially on our own "Andante." Since these mighty rivers flow to the Pacific Ocean, may those blessings flow to those who travel the waterways, and across the ocean to other parts of the world.

I will provide the necessary documentation in the form of witness signatures and/or photographs as evidence of my completion of the quest. This quest will be completed within one year -- before March 17, 2003, St. Patrick's Day.

The Millenium Harp Quest Voyages on "Andante"

Andante is a 28 foot, 1971 Carver cruising mini-yacht. She is the boat on which Valerie will be traveling to Quest locations. Mark and Valerie purchased Andante in September, 2001, and have been lovingly restoring her ever since. Of course, Andante is made of wood. What harp builder wouldn't have as much wood as possible on his/her boat? There's even a plaque on Andante that states:

"If God had wanted us to have fiberglass boats, he'd have made fiberglass trees!"

Andante proudly sports her new name on her transom. Notice the harp, a portrait of Valerie's new Rhapsody, which will be traveling to various ports of call for the Quest.

[Quest Voyages 1-5 | Quest Voyages 6-10 | Quest Voyages 11-15 | Quest Voyages 16-20]