NEWSLETTER
Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse
PO Box 26, Biddeford Pool, ME 04006
photograph by Bill Edmunds our website Tech Support
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Happy Birthday!
In honor of this birthday,
a special fundraiser will be held at the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport.
A party and auction of original artworks done all along the coast.
Save the Date - July 13th!
"Capture the Coast"
Meet Aaron Fox
our new
Membership Chair
and
Webmaster
Aaron gets the scoop from keeper Cliff Trebilcock.
Aaron has a New Website in the making!
The American Lighthouse Foundation awards Sean Murphy and Shirley Stallings
"Volunteers of the Year" for Wood Island Lighthouse.
He is a 5 year old Norfolk terrier bred by an upstate New York breeder who names all her dogs after lighthouses!
Woody summers in Maine with his family. They chose him because his name is "Wood Island Light", and they love the beauty of Wood Island and the coast of Maine.
Sean Murphy
Sean does everthing. He captains Lightrunner after almost single handedly arranging for her design and fabrication. He sees to her care and maintenance, puts her in when spring arrives and hauls her out when the season is over. He is VP in charge of restoration which is a big job and he heads up our Work Days. He was the motivator for our painting of the dwelling house last summer. He lends his professional photography skills to FOWIL and helps out any other way that anyone asks him to. On top of all that, he was the person who got our original website going. Many thanks to our great volunteer!
Shirley Stallings
Shirley is our fantastic treasurer who helps our money grow as we raise it. She participates in all of our activities, is an island hosts, tour coordinator for large group tours and a major force in our new merchandising effort.
Thank you Shirley!
Brrrrrrr..................... No tours during the winter
but Lightrunner will start her journeys to the island in the summer check back this summer on the tour schedule link.
The Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse recognize America's veterans.
Each year we fly a flag in honor of a particular veteran who was related to local residents or families who have a special connection to Wood Island. Hugh Duncan MacGillivray was honored in 2005, Keeper Laurier Burnham in 2006 and Mathew Poftak in 2007. In this way, we are able to honor all of America's veterans.
Shipwreck
"Queen of the West"
This small 2 masted American schooner out of Bucksport was heading to Bangor from Boston on November 27, 1898. She was anchored in Wood Island Harbor and dragged anchor during a fierce storm.She struck a ledge off of the island and was lost but her crew was rescued by the life savers.
2006
Lily Burnahm Yarnell, Holly and Tammy Burnham raise the flag in honor of their husband and father Laurier Burnham. He served in the Coast Guard with many assignments including keeper at West Quoddy Head Light, Halfway Rock Light and Wood Island Light. He passed away in 1997.
2005
This flag honors Hugh Duncan MacGillivray, father of local resident, Robert MacGillivray. He served in WWI and passed away in 1975.
2007
Mathew H, Poftak takes down the flag flown in honor of his father, Cpl. Mathew Poftak, veteran of the Korean War. Cpl. Poftak passed away in 1991
The Friends of
Wood Island Lighthouse
is a chapter of the
American Lighthouse Foundation.
It was formed in the Spring of 2003 specifically to
preserve and restore the Wood Island Light Station.
Please visit our website.
photo by Sean Murphy