Hats Off to Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse Volunteers

This feature originally appeared in the Fall 2010 edition of the “Portsmouth Harbor Beacon,” newsletter of the Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses, a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation

2010 was a banner season for public access at Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

For the first time in our organization’s history, FPHL held open houses every Sunday in 2010. We provided educational tours of the lighthouse for about 2,600 people this season. Nearly 40 different volunteers helped at this year’s FPHL events. Visitors from 36 states and 10 foreign countries signed our guestbook.

Bob Trapani, Jr., executive director of FPHL’s parent organization, the American Lighthouse Foundation, said, “Often with lighthouse preservation, one of the most challenging aspects is to improve upon a record of excellence achieved in the past, especially one driven by volunteers, but the Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses have done just that this year. With the FPHL further elevating their efforts during the 2010 open houses that occurred every Sunday this summer, the chapter not only forged a big win for Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse and the visiting public, but also for the spirit of volunteerism and the great things it is capable of achieving.”

FPHL Volunteers (L to R) Ross Tracy, Jeremy D'Entremont, Robert Kearns, Jennifer Kearns, Pat Heffernan, Ruth Knowles and Sam Knowles

“No doubt visitors were able to greatly benefit from the educational and cultural value of the open houses, but the benefits did not stop here. The consistency of the open houses also allowed for the ongoing preservation project to obtain more widespread community awareness, which is a key to the long-term success of the project.”

“Yet for all the public and preservation benefits that the 2010 FPHL open house schedule achieved, it could not have become reality without a yeoman’s effort on the part of nearly 40 dedicated FPHL volunteers. These individuals teamed up to not just open the lighthouse and talk about history, but to share their heartwarming passion with each and every visitor – a passion that has unquestionably made a lasting impression on many visitors.”

“Hats off to all the volunteers who played a part in this noteworthy success. Your efforts are both inspirational to your fellow lighthouse preservationists and a vital contribution to Portsmouth Harbor Light’s ongoing care!”

FPHL Volunteer Ross Tracy welcomes visitors and begins their tour of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

FPHL Volunteer Jeremy D'Entremont talks with visitors about the history of the light station's keepers (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

FPHL Volunteers like Robert Kearns talk with visitors about the light's Fresnel lens and what they see on the seascape (Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)

FPHL Volunteers (L to R) Robert Hancock, Joanne Yeaton and Pat Heffernan (Photo by Bob Trapani. Jr.)