The following was written to be published in the BE&K Construction Co... Quarterly News Letter, which is distributed to all BE&K employees nation wide.




On Saturday July 31, 2004 Joe and Stephanie Dingler both of whom are BE&K employees also known as “Troll and Shortcake”, took a step back in time as they did volunteer work at Cedar Keys Lighthouse, Florida.

Joe and Stephanie have been doing volunteer work as Tour Guides at this lighthouse for the last three years. They say that that they wouldn't miss it for the world. They have traveled hundreds of miles every July and Oct. just to do their weekend duty. So far in three years they have only miss one Open House and that is because they where working a 7 day week for BE&K in Franklin, GA. This however was a special weekend for them, and the reason for the Civil War attire. Joe in his Union Navy Uniform and Stephanie in an Annabellum Mourning Dress.

Joe is also known (on the island) as the Graveyard Historian, as he does the Graveyard Tours. He tells the visitors all that he knows about the people buried there. The first Lighthouse Keeper “William Wilson d.1855”, A keeper's wife “Catharine Hobday d.1879”(who was an assistant keeper herself), 3 Union Navy Soldiers and others. It is also know that there are several other graves with no headstone or information about who they are. Joe in his desire to learn more about the unmarked graves has done many hours of research through National Archives, Navel Archives, etc. And through his studies he learned the name of a forth Union Navy Soldier ( Seaman John Bishop) that was documented as being killed in the area and buried on the island.

Therefore, this weekend was indeed a very special one, with lots of VIP's on the island, as it was:
The 150th Anniversary of the Cedar Keys Light Station, first lit in 1854.
The 75th Anniversary of Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1929 by President Herbert Hoover.
And a Ceremony of: Dedication of Headstone Honoring Seaman John Bishop, Union Navy.

The Cedar Keys Lighthouse is located on Seahorse Key, FL. And can only be accessed by boat. The island is owned by the National Wildlife Service and leased to the University of Florida for use as a marine research lab. The students often use the Lighthouse itself as a dormitory, during their tempory stays on the island. The island is not open to the public, except one Sat. in July and the 3rd weekend of Oct. when the NWR holds an Open House.

edited to add picture

Nice article that will be shared with your fellow employees, Stephanie. Maybe you can pick up a few more folks interested in lighthouses!

Great article and picture. It must be great fun to do something like that every year. It must have been a little on the warm side, however, in those outfits.

Great story and nice picture!

It wouldn't be possible to spread the word about our historic lighthouses without dedicated volunteers like Joe & Stephanie!

What would an open house be without volunteers to guide the visitors to the top of the lights and explain the history of the lights and their keepers?

Keep up the good work Joe & Stephanie!

All my best,
Paul Conlin
Secretary,
ALF

Great photo, Shortcake! Looks like fun and your contribution to the open house and your hubby's to the history of the cemetary are priceless.

Thanks for sharing. Email that photo and caption to Harbour Lights. They might use it in a future Legacy.

John

Thanks John, It really was a fun day! I had my picture taken about a hundred times that day. A real boost to one's ego! And almost made the heat worthwhile.

Kudos to Stephanie and Joe for all they do for Cedar Key!!!

Way to go Joe(Troll???) and Shortcake! I'll have to get down there for a lighthouse and graveyard tour.
Bob

Nice article... and, thanks to The Dinglers for such fine service. Perhaps I can sneak away this October...

John