Donna Pucci and Adair Heyl of the Friends of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse were honored with ALF Len Hadley Volunteer Awards during the American Lighthouse Foundation’s annual Gala, which was held at the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport, Maine, on November 5, 2023.
Donna Pucci

FPPL volunteer Donna Pucci.
(FPPL photo)
Donna Pucci saw two needs and cleverly devised a way to meet both of them – to help the environment, and to help the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse raise money for restoration projects.
Local fishermen often switch to new nylon ropes to keep the tension perfect for the job at hand, and are replacing long lengths of floating rope to avoid entanglements with marine life, including the critically endangered Right Whale. Discarded rope ends up in landfills or our waterways. Donna had an idea: She looked at YouTube videos to learn how to make door mats from salvaged ropes – mats that she could give to the lighthouse to sell with all proceeds going directly to the lighthouse’s maintenance account.
Making mats is not an easy task. Donna drives an hour to collect a pick-up truck-full of rope that she power washes in her driveway. Then she sorts the tangled mass into large bins according to color and length. With her husband’s help, they made a weaving loom by drilling holes in a wooden frame that would hold PVC piping. Each mat takes a minimum of an hour and a half to weave and plenty of shoulder action, strength to turn the loom, and caution to not burn herself as she splices rope to join colors. Then, the mats are power washed again, stretched if needed, and taken to the lighthouse.

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse
(Bob Trapani, Jr. photo)
Leftover pieces of rope are made into colorful fly swatters —a design and skill Donna developed on her own. These are donated to the lighthouse, as well.
Weaving these mats takes time, expertise, and effort, something that Donna cheerfully donates to our ALF Chapter. She toils away in solitude throughout the year without anyone knowing what she is making; she doesn’t seek any praise or attention for her work. Her dedicated actions are a selfless service. Our lighthouse salutes Donna Pucci’s efforts to raise money for us while helping the environment, too.
We are pleased to honor Donna Pucci with a 2022 Len Hadley Volunteer Award!
Adair Heyl

FPPL volunteer Adair Heyl.
(FPPL photo)
Right from her start as a volunteer with the Friends of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse (FPPL), Adair has been enthusiastic, knowledgeable and will do whatever it takes for our chapter to function smoothly and successfully.
This year Adair joined FPPL’s chapter leadership committee, partnering with chapter chair Marty Welt on the critical task of docent scheduling. Since taking on this responsibility, Adair’s infectious enthusiasm has become a cornerstone of the Friends of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse team. She sees opportunity and pounces on it; a great example is her work initiating the FPPL Instagram page.
Adair is not just a team player, she’s a team leader. She is absolutely reliable, quick to respond, and does so always with a sense of humor. She knows that we’re a herd of retiree volunteers and she manages to get the most cooperation from everyone. Even in the few cases when no one was available to staff a shift at the lighthouse, Adair was quick to rearrange her schedule and take the shift herself. Frankly, it’s hard to imagine how we would have managed this season without Adair.
We are pleased to honor Adair Heyl with a 2023 Len Hadley Volunteer Award!

(L to R) ALF Treasurer Alan Ells, ALF 1st Vice-President Nick Korstad, Adair Heyl and ALF Executive Director Bob Trapani, Jr.
Adair Heyl of the Friends of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse was presented with a 2023 Len Hadley Volunteer Award for her dedicated efforts. Adair also accepted a similar award on behalf of Donna Pucci, who was unable to attend the ALF Gala. (Photo by Dominic Trapani)