I'm very pleased to report to you that the 2001 Pin Project raised $1,375.04 for the St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society. I spoke to their President on Friday and he asked that I convey his society's immense gratitude to all who contributed. In his own words, "It's a Godsend".

On behalf of the pin committee we thank you, too. You deserve a commendation for helping to preserve another of our great nation's historical maritime sentinels.

Congratulations Commitee and all who purchased pins. Good job. We should be able to add around $600 to this total from the sale of Connected Collector name tags for the Reunion. Every little bit helps.

Dave

Thanks for the info Dave. That's great; I know the money will be much appreciated and put to good use.
Darlene

Congratulations on the money you raised from the sale of the WACKO 2001 pin sales.
I'm new at this. How do I purchase a pin?
Will I be able to buy a WACKO 2002 pin?
When will it be available? I joined the forum too late to vote for the 2002 pin.

Joanie: The 2001 pins are sold out. Stay tuned here in the forums for details of the 2002 pin. You will certainly be able to order that one but you won't see it for some time as the whole process takes quite a while.

I sure have been frustrated not being able to post on the Forums. Henry and I just returned from a summer of camping in the "wilds" of the north Wisconsin lake country. No digital towers there cancelled our idea of getting a cell phone that could do e-mail; and there were no phone lines into the campsites to hook up my webtv ensemble. We could read your Forum posts by going to the area library's computer, but couldn't enter our own posts. Thank you goes to Darlene aka Ladybug for putting out my wacko pin nomination and voting procedure postings this summer. And thanks to both Darlene and Barb Kepple for efficiently handling the various procedures on nominations and voting to arrive at another lucky lighthouse winner for the upcoming and new 2002 Wacko pin.

Lamar has just posted here the total 2001 pin sales donation and is to be thanked for all of his conscientious efforts this year despite his serious injury. Our donation from the pin sales increased from last year's 2000 pin; and hopefully the amount will continue to increase each year as more lighthouse enthusiasts hear of this project. You all can be a big help in spreading the word about the 2002 pin. It is hoped that we can get an article into the Legacy also so that those readers who do not tune into the Forums here will be aware of this project and their ability to purchase a pin(s) for 2002.

For Dave H. --- my huge and heartfelt thank you for donating the proceeds from your Connected Collector badges to the Wacko pin recipient for this year -- St. George Reef Light. I know that their committee will be absolutely thrilled to see yet another check come in from our Forum group.

And remember -- they are hoping to soon start up helicopter flights out to the Light as a means of raising more funds to work on restoring the interior of the light and to hire a helicopter company to re-attach the newly rebuilt lantern room. Keep that in mind for a special vacation activity.

But I guess my biggest thank you's should go to all of you Forum readers and wackos who so enthusiastically cooperated to make this wacko pin project a success in its second year by purchasing the 2001 pin. It was a total sell-out !!!

You have done a great job of nominating and voting for the new 2002 pin, whose winner will be announced by Lamar as soon as he can finish his contacts and negotiations with the light's committee. I am hoping this will happen before I leave for Baltimore, but that might be cutting it a bit close. But I am hoping to at least have a stack of notices available, with Darlene's e-mail and street address, for any attendee to contact her for ordering the new pin. With an attendance of over 700, that will hopefully result in some new, interested lighthouse enthusiasts learning of the pin and also tuning in to the HL website and the Collector Forums.

To answer Joanie O's question and others who may be wondering: there are no 2001 St. George Reef pins left for sale. But the new 2002 pin can be purchased by ANYONE who is interested. THe more sales, the more money to donate to the lucky lighthouse winner. Just keep reading the General Forum here and watch for announcements on who won, how and when to order the pin, and the progress of the pin. It takes a whole year for the committee to complete the cycle for the pin, from nominations and voting, to its design, manufacturing process in China, and final mailing out to you late next spring or summer.

Henry and I look forward to seeing you next week in Baltimore, and we will be wearing those striking Connected Collector name badges.

And look for the big display boards on both Morris Island and St. George to see how YOUR money will be helping these lights.

KTF
Barbara Hupp, Ladylightkeeper
Chairman, Wacko Pin Committee

Committee: Lamar Bevil, Darlene Cook, Henry Hupp, Barb Kepple

Barbara- Nice to have you back. Hope you had a great time. Hope to see you at the reunion and finish our conversation about Portsmouth. Have a great trip to Baltimore.

Thank you all for the wonderful hard work put into the pins and collector badges. We all will be proudly wearing them on Thursday