I have started this new thread to return to the original intended topic, discussion of nominees for the 2005 Wacko Badge. As was mentioned in a later post in the first thread, please use this thread to support the nominated lights, but please don't post who you voted for, even if it is obvious.

The nominated lights:
Avery Point, CT
Cedar Island, NY
Isle Of Shoals, NH
North Block, RI
Pottawatomie, WI

DEADLINE for voting is Sunday November 28th at 12:00 Midnight Pacific Standard Time Zone.

Please click over to the link Dennis included in his post, as there are links to sights for each of the lights and the rules for voting are there.

Maybe it would have been better to do any "politicking" during the nomination process rather than during the final voting? (Kinda like no campaigning within so many feet of the polling place.)

I've received a couple of emails asking for my support for a particular lighthouse too. It is indeed a very tough decision this time as all those nominated would be very deserving. I do feel that those who have forum members associated with their restoration efforts have an advantage. That some of these folks feel so strongly about their supported lighthouse that they are using whatever means to garner votes is not surprising.

As far as registering simply in order to vote, I guess if that's an issue that wasn't set forth initially, we have to accept it. Hopefully if some folks do do that they will not drop out but stick with us and participate. We have always encouraged new people to register and join in.

So I don't think Ron should be unduly critized, nor Dennis for expressing his opinons. Both are very supportive of lighthouses and fundraising for them.

(Maybe I've gone "off topic" again here but there have been so many threads associated with this badge deal that it's rather confusing.)

Maybe we should have a wacko cube, then we could feature all the lighthouses nominated and send them each a portion of the proceeds?

Mombo,

The confusion of threads is my fault. I should have either used less for the process or named them differently so as not to be confusing.

Dennis

Our County has 10 lighthouses and Pottawatomie is one of them. Our Inn operates a Self Guided Lighthouse Tour which many LH folks take advantage of. The restoration of the lighthouse is just beautiful and adding a lens would be the icing on the cake. This badge would help see this dream come true. Our County has the most lighthouses of any in the USA.

Frank and Claire-

Welcome aboard! I hope that you will become active members of this forum! Your owning a B&B will surely add a new dimension to our forum!

Just out of curiosity...I had thought I had heard that Suffolk County, NY had the most lights of any county. One of our Long Island members might be able to help better, but now I'm confused.

Again, welcome aboard, and I hope that you will stick around here instead of just joining to vote!

Greg,

You've ben around Lighthouses long enough to know that sometimes two places claim the same feat.

Everybody wants to be the first, oldest, most or something else.

I know one of those knowledgeable Long Islanders will chime in to clear this confusion up for us.

Dennis

I have created another thread in the FSB for discussion of the "Suffolk vs. Door" debate. Please, take all comments on the subeject there. We don't need any more off-topic stuff in this thread.

Here's the link:

http://www.lighthousekeepers.com/cgi-bin/forumscgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=17&t=000233

Diane, if you could, could you cut your excellent coments that you posted here, delete this post, and paste the comments in the new thread?

Some of my thoughts regarding the WACKO BADGE nominees.
Clearly all of the mominees are deserving of our support as I am sure were those who did not make the "cut".
I've viewed the sites provided by Dennis for each of the nominees and have followed w/interest the discussions on the CF's. From this research it appears to me that some of the nominees are further along than others in their renovation efforts. To me this may mean some are not in as desperate need of our support as others. Who is to say (in the long run we will when we vote who to support)Pottawatomie's Frensel Lens is more deserving than the students just starting trying to save Isle of Shoals. As a retired teacher my heart goes out to these kids who may or may not understand the enormity of their undertaking. But again I've read on these Forums and in other places the need to recruit the next generation of LH lovers and HL buyers. Maybe our choosing their LH would encourage this goal.
Any way, as in any election, the voters must give serious thought to how they vote and what they expect from their vote.
Hopefully, like in this great democracy of ours, the loosers will not desert the cause and forget what we stand for. In none of our 40+ national elections have the loosers picked up guns to overthrow the winners and hopefully whatever our choice here our pockets will remain deep and we will support the choice of the majority because we know it's the right thing to do.
Rick

PS: I've purposly avoided opining on the current controversy of the propriety of politicking for a particular candidate. I would however like to take this opportunity to thank Dennis for his efforts in keeping this worthwhile cause alive. I know that he will say Dave Hannum has the hard job of actually producing the Badges. I don't think he or Ron Foster, for that matter, ever expected the ire raised by supporting what they both believe to be right. People who volunteer to do the work that these two LIGHTHOUSE LOVERS do will always have my respect and support whether I agree with them or not.

My vote goes to POTTAWATOMIE although I'm sure all nominees are deserving. Living in the Great Lakes area and being a member of WILD are my main reasons for supporting the wisconsin light. Sorry Ron ..... maybe a New England light will win out without my vote.

Dan

Here are the lighthouses that have previously been supported by the wacko badge:

Esopus Meadows
Bodie Island
SE Block
Morris Island
St. Georges Reef

Four of the five lights that have been supported in the past are from the East Coast.

It would really be nice to support a Great Lakes lighthouse for a change and since the Reunion is in the Great Lakes it would be really great to have a Great Lakes lighthouse on the Wacko Badge for 2005!

That's a good thought! I'm inclined to agree with that idea even though I am a NELL and OBLHS member.
Judy

Judy,

I guess living in Colorado means obviously that you have no local lighthouse organoization to be a part of.

You've got the East Coast covered- now you need to join WILD (or some other Great Lakes group) and a West Coast and a Gulf Coast organization to cover the whole country.

Dennis

Hi Dennis,

Yes, we do have a local organization in Colorado now--Colorado Lighthouse Collectors Club. We just have to decide which light we will adopt in the upcoming year. We are also members of Tampa Bay Harbour Lights Collectors Club and New Dungeness LH as well as the one (Historical Society) for Gray's Harbor in Washington. Looks like the Great Lakes area is the only one we aren't members of! Anyhow since we are land locked and love all the lights around the country we have a greater selection to choose from.

Maybe that is why I like the idea of spreading the "WACKO" Badge support around. I haven't voted yet but that may be a factor in my decision.
Judy

Judy,

Well loving Lighthouses gives you a number of vacation spots to choose from.

Esther and I have either planned our vacations around Lighthouses (and Poco concerts) or tried to visit Lighthouses in areas we have to travel to for other reasons.

We're up to about 225 Lighthouses- most of them since April 1999. We did a few in Maine prior to that but we didn't get bit by the Wacko bug until 1999 for some reason after our visit to the faux Lighgthouse on Hilton Head.

Dennis

I think I had a dream about the Wacko badge voting last night. That's how Wacko I am! I think I dreamed who won, but I'm not telling because a) I don't want to swing the vote and b) I don't remember.

My vote goes to Pottawatomie!

Dennis,

We plan our vacations around lighthousing too. We also try to take a USLHS tour each year. Those are a lot of fun. We are up to 276 now but we just got started with the WACKO bug. It's been great fun and loads of good information. We are looking forward to meeting fellow WACKOs at the Reunion.
Judy

The voting is officiallly over. I will accept no more votes.

I'll announce the winner hopefully later today (11-29).

Thanks to all that participated in the nominations and final vote.

You can be sure of one thing- a deserving Lighthouse will recieve some needed funds from us from this project.

Dennis

Dennis,

I'm anxiously looking forward to the official results of the vote. You did a good job in handling the process. Thank You.

bobo

Dennis, thank you for your efforts in regards to the Wacko Badge vote. I know it wasn't always easy, but your hard work directly contributes to the success of this project.

That's an understatement Dennis! Congrats to all forum members that have supported past, present, and future lighthouse preservation efforts. Also thanks to Dennis in coordinating this vote as well as Dave who founded (and makes the badges) for this worthy fundraiser.

Now make sure you all purchase your Wacko Badge when they become available.

Bob

Is that post a hint-hint, Bob? I can't wait to hear the winner, but I know that whatever light it is, I will wear it on my Wacko Lanyard with pride. Of course, there doesn't even have to be a lighthouse on my badge, and I'll wear it with pride, I love this forum so much.

Greg,

All I can say at this point in time that any guess you have has a 1 in 5 chance of being correct.

I'm still waiting for a reply from the tentative winner.

Dennis