In the past five years, Harbour Lights and lighthouse enthusiasts have formed lighthouse clubs, throughout the United States. Many of those clubs, North Georgia Beacon Brigade being one of them, have dedicated their efforts to lighthouse preservation.

At a recent Board Meeting of the NGBB, a challenge was formulated to unite all lighthouse clubs with one common goal: To raise money for lighthouse preservation.

The North Georgia Beacon Brigade Challenge: A competition amoung all lighthouse clubs to raise money for lighthouse preservation during the period of January 1, 2002 - May 31, 2002.

The North Georgia Beacon Brigade looks forward to seeing your club in Chicago where we will join together to see how much money is raised.

Rules for the Lightouse Fundrasing Challenge 2002.

1. The challenge begins on January 1, 2002 and ends May 31, 2002.

2. Each club will choose the lighthouse where they will donate money.

3. Only money donated duting this period can be counted.

4. At the end of the challenge each club will need to provide to Harbour Lights the contact person at the lighthouse or lighthouses where money has been donated so that Harbour Lights can verify the money donated.

5. The results of each clubs donations will be announced at the Regional Event in Chicago on June 29, 2002.

6. If a club representative can not attend the regional event then H.L. will announce the donation.

Much thanks to H.L. for supporting this challenge and offering great incentives to participate in this challenge.

1st Place Prize - The club that raises the most money will get to choose a future lighthouse for H.L. to produce in 2004. Also, a club picture in the Legacy.

2nd-3rd Place Prizes - Merchandise from H.L.

If your club would like to participate in this fundrasier please contact the North Georgia Beacon Brigade and Harbour Lights.

We look forward to seeing how much money we can all raise in the next 5 months.

How will you adjust for clubs of different sizes? Won't a club with 100+ members easily raise more funds than one with 15-20?

Great idea, but you have to find a way to weight the results based on group size as John indicated. Further, new membership to the various clubs during the period must also factored into the mix...and this was going to be sooooooooo easy!! Lots of luck though; the intent is terrific.

And how 'bout us northern clubs that find it hard to get together these months because of weather conditions? IMHO if all decisions and transactions had to take place over the phone or internet, that would surely be a time delaying and confusing handicap.

As far as I know, the Hoosier Club is planning on supplying physical more than financial assistance to our "adopted" light as soon as weather permits. I think out treasury was hit pretty hard with our financial aid so far this late fall/early winter.

The idea of the fund-raising contest is cool, don't get me wrong. I just think it would be hard to get a plan organized and executed in such short notice when it is hard for the members to get together "face-to-face" which I feel is a must to organize a major fund-raiser.

Well I don't much care for what competition brings out but it is for a good cause. I also don't think a challenge was necessary to "unite clubs" to raise money for preservation. What's that all about? I haven't seen one yet that doesn't have that listed in it's charter, imho. Is this going to be an annual competition? Is the club that wins this year going to be able to participate next year? The Lighthouse that is picked should be the lighthouse that Harbour Lights will also model, imho. One last note about this whole thing, I am personally getting a little bit overwhelmed by this constant request of lighthouse donation. My gosh pretty soon I will be auctioning off my collection of Harbour Lights to try and keep up with the requests.

That said, what are we going to do? Meaning this forum, are we going to give this a whirl?
[This message has been edited by SThompson (edited 12-29-2001).]

Just follwing up on what Sean said in his post about the forum giving it a whirl:

Didn't I read somewhere here in the forums earlier that Harbour Lights considered us (the Collectors Forums) as a collertors club or group?

Are we as this group eligible for the contest?

Just a thought and question,

-Todd

Sounds to me like the Wacko Pin project. One lighthouse modeled by HL, chosen AND supported by members of these fora.

Any project to help preserve a lighthouse is worthy. But it would be a shame to so closely duplicate an existing fundraising project that is into its third year of existence. This would just dilute the amount of money that could be raised in a significant amount for a lighthouse that Forum members have themselves picked out to be the recipient of their generosity.

I am speaking of the Wacko Pin project, which is currently working on the third pin, which will raise funds for Southeast Light on Block Island, RI. This lighthouse was among the nominated lights and was voted in by registered Forumites who are wackos and newcomers.

Though the first pin was aimed at Wackos only, I followed your wishes and opened the second pin up to newbies also. This third year, I have opened the pin up to ANYONE who wishes to purchase it and help preserve this lighthouse. That includes clubs as an entity and any interested club members. I sent out packets describing this fundraiser in late November to any club who had a registered e-mail or street address, and invited them to join this annual Wacko pin fundraiser so that a significant amount of money could be channeled to one light, which was in extreme need of financial help.

I also explained what the General Forums were about; how to find it on the internet; and suggested that those who weren't familiar with it might want to "tune in" and register. Any club members doing this would then be considered Forumites and eligible to make nominations and vote for the fourth 2003 Wacko pin being initiated this spring. It has been the committee's hope that the clubs would come together each year and support this over-all project as both HL Collectors and lighthouse enthusiasts.

Our project is not based on a competitive spirit, but rather one of cooperation through mutual concern for our lighthouses. This avoids the problems mentioned in the above postings about size of club membership vs. fairness in determining a "winning club" With our wacko pin project, the only winner of importance will be the lighthouse who will receive our and your donations.

If you have not received a club packet from me, please contact me at ladylightkeeper@webtv.net
And if you do not have an e-mail address and club rep listed on the Forums HL list of clubs, it would be much appreciated by any group as a fast and easy way to contact clubs.

GOOD NEWS: The pin design for Southeast Light on Block Island is almost finished and will be posted by Lamar as soon as a few details are finished up. Then ordering instructions will be posted. Anyone may order as many pins as they wish. Each pin ordered will result in an entry put into the Opportunity Drawing. The prize is a Retired Limited HL edition of Southeast Light on Block Island.

So club presidents, reps, and members, please refer to the information sent to your club.

Thank you all for helping Keep the Flame burning at Southeast Light.

Barbara Hupp, Chairman of the Wacko Pin Project, and Founder of the New England Lighthouse Lovers (NELL) HL Club.

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ladylightkeeper

[This message has been edited by ladylightkeeper (edited 01-17-2002).]