Hi all, You may remember my name or face from NELL pictures and posts from the collectors forums. I, like so many of you wear several hats & I wanted to let all you other lighthouse lovers aware of our newest project so you can have the oppurtunity to purchase a personalized brick that will be installed in a commerative walkway leading up to the light once the restoration work is complete. It also comes with a certificate of participation suitable for framing. They make great gifts and memorials as well. If you are interested you can print the form from the web site and mail it to the address on the form. The web site is http://apls.tripod.com/ and if you scroll down to the special information section and click on the first link you can print the form. I hope you will at least look at our web page and see how far we have come in our fund raising efforts to save, restore & relight a small part of our maritime history.

Thanks,
Penny
Nell Treasurer and APLS Brick Chairperson

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=968985&a=13472634&p=56583795&Sequence=0&res=high[/img]

Penny - Just thought that I would help a bit and post the form here for those who wish to read it.

As Penny said, the Avery Point Lighthouse Society (APLS) Website is loaded with information and is an excellent place to learn how the organization has grown so much in such a short time, as well as learn about the lighthouse.

By-the-way, the lantern room is scheduled to come off in the next couple of weeks. A private contractor has been hired to do the work.

Originally, the Navy personnel from the Submarine Base in Groton, CT were going to remove it but, just as they were about to start, the attacks on our country prevented them from being able to do so. They are, of course, performing thier real jobs of protecting our nation which we are all grateful for.

I will try to post some pictures of the removal of the lantern room when it happens.

Thanks Penny for bringing the Avery Point Lighthouse Society Efforts to everyone's attention. The brick project is a very special way to say "I Love You" - so go ahead and buy a brick.

Ron
(CT Keeper)



[This message has been edited by RFoster (edited 11-20-2001).]

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=968985&a=13472634&p=56593252&Sequence=0&res=high[/img]

This is a sample of what the bricks look like.

The company who engraves them, and then fills the lettering with a special grout, is the only company who is permitted to engrave names on the Vietnam Memorial Wall.

The company does high quality work, as you can see, which will last for many years to come.

MJ and I are buying bricks for some friends and family as Christmas gifts, something which is unique and will last a long, long time.

Ron & MJ
(CT Keepers)

This is a great cause and idea. I bought a brick for my family and our organization(Long Island Chapter of US Lighthouse Society).

I was able to see Avery Point the day after the Northeast Regional. It sure does need lots of help as you can see. The history of this light is very interesting and it's setting is super. If you can't afford a brick, buy one of the group's tee shirts, they're really great!

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=39476&a=14017491&p=56640275[/img]

I've never been to the Avery Point lighthouse up close, but I've seen it from a distance up on that hill every time I arrived at New London Harbor from the ferry from Orient Point on Long Island (which has actually been quite a bit over especially the last year or so). It almost just looks like an old and forgotten monument up there, rather than a lighthouse. I remember my husband seeing it a few times and asking me if I knew what it was, and he was pretty surprised when I told him it was a lighthouse. I would love to see that light restored and relit.
I bought one of the APLHS T-shirts at the northeast regional event - It's a really beautiful T-shirt! Shows all of the locations of the Connecticut lighthouses along the Long Island Sound...and then has a large image of Avery Point lighthouse on the bottom of the map. You can see a close up picture of the T-shirt on their web site.
The bricks are really a great idea too. I'm going to definitely have to get one - Very worthy cause.

------------------
KRISTIN ERIN SCROOPE
kristin@scroope.net
http://www.scroope.net/lighthouses/lhlist.htm
http://www.LILighthouseSociety.org

[This message has been edited by kscroope (edited 11-22-2001).]

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=968985&a=14023791&p=56698400&Sequence=0&res=high[/img]
MJ and I went to Avery Point Lighthouse today and took several photos of the work that has just begun to restore the lighthouse.

Today, November 23, 2001, Mattern Costruction, Inc. set up staging and began to do the carpentry work necessary to prepare the lantern room for removal. The lifting of the lantern room will be performed by Marino Crane. This work is being co-ordinated by Jim Brown, from the University of Connecticut, Avery Point Campus.

Below is a link to the photos that I took today. Today's photos show the workers building a crib just under the lantern room. To do this they had to knock holes in the concrete just below the wooden lantern room. If you look closely you will see some new beams protruding through these holes.

I will be posting additional photos as the work continues.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=968985&a=14023791&f=0

"Keeping The Flame Alive in New England"
Ron

Really wonderful to have individuals like Penny Patch-Bartnicki and Ron Foster on the Steering Committee for the Avery Point Lighthouse Society. They have been instrumental in getting the project to the point where it is now.

Needless to say, we still have a long way to go and any help you can provide will certainly assist in obtaining the goals of saving, restoring and relighting this historic and signficant lighthouse.

The Avery Point "Buy-A-Brick" Program is our primary fundraiser at this time and by purchasing a brick you are not only helping to relight a part of our country's maritime history but you are creating a lasting memory for yourself, your families and friends to relfect upon in the years to come.

We are asking for you to become part of this effort of restoring the only lighthouse which was reportedly constructed as a memorial to all other lighthouses and light keepers. Please buy a brick!!

Thanks

Jim Streeter
Co-Chairman
Avery Point Lighthouse Society

Welcome to the Collector Forums Jim and thanks for the compliments.

Some of the folks who visit these forums like to hear from the new members of the forums in a section called "WWW.el.come Start Here", which can be found by clicking the following link:

http://www.lighthousekeepers.com/cgi-bin...e=30&LastLogin=

You may wish to let the folks know alittle about you and in turn get to know alittle about them. I invite you to place a post in the forum (which is linked above). You will find that we are all family here an enjoy the opportunity that this website offers.

Ron
(CT Keeper)

I visited the lighthouse again today and took another 34 pictures of the ongoing preparation for the removal of the lantern room.

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=968985&a=14023791&p=56804225&Sequence=0&res=high[/img]
Above is the "crib" which is being built just below the wooden part of the lantern room. You can see that holes had to be made through the cinder blocks to accomodate the beams. This will be the platform that the lantern room will rest on during the lift.

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=968985&a=14023791&p=56809653&Sequence=0&res=high[/img]
Phil Labbe, from Mattern Construction, Inc. in Baltic, CT, takes a measurement while working to build the "crib" (which you can see protruding through the cinder block walls).

Click on the following link to see all 52 pictures I have taken to date of this restoration project.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=968985&a=14023791&f=0&vt=vp

I should note that the mansion which you will see in the above photo album was once the estate of the late Morton Plante. It is now the property of the State of Connecticut and houses Administration Offices for the University of Connecticut Avery Point Campus, as well as a large formal Ballroom which can be rented.

I would like to remind folks that this lighthouse was built by the USCG during WWII, when they had a training site here. It was built as both an aid to navigation as well as a Memorial to Lighthouse Keepers and Lighthouses everywhere. It ramained an active light until 1967, when the USCG vacated the site. I think it would make a great Harbour Lights Piece.

Thank you all for your interest in this restoration effort.

Ron
(CT Keeper)

[This message has been edited by RFoster (edited 11-26-2001).]

In honor of our fellow Wacko, Bill "oseabee" O'Brien, we will be purchasing two bricks at the Avery Point Light. The bricks will serve as a permanent memorial for our friend. Thank you all for your support of this project.

Dave

That is just too Is there a chance that someone can get a picture of the bricks once they are in place and post it here on the Forums! Bill would be just so proud of all of us WACKO's for doing this...don't ya think!
Ruthie

I will be happy to take pictures of Bill's Memorial Bricks. The walkway with the bricks will probably be installed in the Fall of 2003.

Avery Point Lighthouse Society is still selling bricks if anyone else is interested.

Ron
(CT Keeper)