NEWSLETTER
What are these?
These sealed wooden barrels, which are labeled "Wood Island" on the top, were recently donated by the Parenteau family.
Let us know what you think they are.
sheri@woodislandlighthouse.org
RECENT NEWS
In case you missed our recent news, ALF has received $340,000 in Federal funds to help restore and maintain three federally owned lighthouses. Wood Island Lighthouse is one of these and will share in the appropriation, really good news!!
FOWIL 2003-2009
FOWIL is in it's 6th year after being founded in 2003. This is a good time to take stock of what has been accomplished.
TOWER - Handrails designed and installed, iron stanchions painted, lightning rod repaired, repairs to deteriorated flashing to stop leaking. Some cleaning of tower.
DWELLING HOUSE AND GROUNDS - Outside painted, electricity and plumbing made functional, roof on porch reroofed, new bulkhead installed, well cover reroofed and painted, yard established and maintained around house and down to oil house, poison ivy and lichen removed from oil house, new flag pole installed on old base with night lighting.
BOAT RAMP AND BOARDWALK - Boat ramp timbers replaced as needed, boardwalk structural repairs and on going surface board replacement.
FUNDRAISING - Several hundreds of thousand dollars have been raised through many events: Fresh Paint I, Fresh Paint II, Haunting Event, Capture the Coast, sale of our merchandise, membership, tours and donations from many people. Tools and equipment have been purchased and donated, including a small tractor and trailer.
BOAT - boat designed, purchased, upgraded and maintained.
OTHER - Website, electronic newsletter, line of merchandise, online store, summer tours to the facility, educational displays for visitors, outreach presentations, educational efforts with Biddeford 8th grade, history researched and archived, keeper families found and interviewed, creation of 4 booklets, shipwreck map, rack cards and brochure, participation in Biddeford Pool 4th of July parade, 200th birthday celebration - many public general meetings. This summer will be exciting with plans to rehab the tower.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The EC welcomes Caryn Firebaugh and Kyle Noble onto the Executive
Committee. Both bring a great knowledge base, ideas and energy to the board. Diane Noble who took care of Public Relations from the founding of FOWIL has retired. Other members of the EC are; Brad Coupe, Aaron Fox, Judy MacGillivray, Sean Murphy, Sheri Poftak, Shirley Stallings and Kathleen White. Brad Coupe also serves on the board of the American Lighthouse Foundation.
New Book by Jeremy D'Entremont
NEW BOOK
There is a great new book listing all 65 of Maine's Lighthouses in a simple easy to find format. The author is Jeremy D'Entremont, historian for the American Lighthouse Foundation and the author of many lighthouse related books. Wood Island Lighthouse is one of only a handful of these lighthouses which are open to the public.
The book may be purchased on Amazon.com or here:
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 ~ Pilot Mal Stallings