For those new to the Forums, a wacko pin is a method of raising money for a non-profit lighthouse's much-needed restoration. This year Forum registrants nominated a selecton of these needy lighthouses and then voted to arrive at one winner, which will receive our funds. The winner for 2002 is SOUTHEAST LIGHT, Block Island, RI.

As soon as the committee receives Paul Brady's photo of the Harbour Lights sculpture of this lighthouse, our graphic designer is ready to design the pin, which then goes to China for production of a prototype. When approved, this sample is then put into full production, so that Forumites and ANYONE INTERESTED in saving lighthouses can order this pin. All net profits go to the lighthouse. Orders are usually taken after Christmas and the pin is mailed out to purchasers sometime in late spring or early summer.

As SOUTHEAST LIGHT is such a popular light with both HL collectors and general lighthouse enthusiasts, we expect to raise a generous amount of money for the light, especially after you see the POOR condition of this light. Please help us raise even more money by spreading the word of this project to your friends who like lighthouses and to all other collectors.

SO --- ARE YOU READY FOR THE BIG EXCITEMENT? This year's wacko pin project will have a bonus for those ordering one or more wacko pins. Hold onto your lighthouse keepers' hats! You might just end up being the proud owner of a LIMITED EDITION Southeast Light, BLock Island, RI, sculpture. HL-128 is a retired and hard to obtain Harbour Lights Limited Edition.

This piece was donated to the Wacko Pin Project by a Harbour Lights Collector and Forum participant who has a significant interest in lighthouse preservation and restoration. This piece is #5249 of 5,500 pieces. If you don't have this piece in your collection, wouldn't you just love to be the lucky one to win it?

How can YOU possibly win it? Our pin committee is sponsoring an Opportunity Drawing to stimulate pin sales of this third pin so as to make as much money as possible for Southeast Light. The pin will have the image of this light on it. For EACH pin ordered on an advance-paid basis, the purchaser's name will be entered into the Opportunity Drawing.
If someone orders two pins, then his/her name will be entered twice, and so on. Committee members and their family, though ordering pins, will not be eligible to win this prize.

The winner will be announced in late spring or early summer, upon completion of the sale of all pins and their mailing to purchasers. The HL-128 sculpture will be shipped to the lucky winner.

All net profits from the pin sales will be donated to SOUTHEAST LIGHT, a non-profit association, for the preservation of the lighthouse. This lighthouse is in very poor condition and truly needs our support.

So enter into the fun; cross your fingers that you will be the lucky winner; and order your pin(s) when the time comes. (Notification will be posted here when it is time to take pin orders; and will also be sent out by Darlene Cook if you wish to register with her directly for e-mail notices at Committee responsibilities have been shifted this year due to work and travel plans, so that Darlene will be accepting all pin orders and mailing the pins out to you this time.

All of us here on the Wacko Pin Committee thank the donor, who at his request wishes to remain anonymous, for this rare Southeast Light Limited Edition piece. Please share his interest in lighthouse preservation by ordering your 2002 Wacko Pin and supporting SOUTHEAST LIGHT, Block Island, RI. Thank you for your interest.

Keeping the Flame,
Chairperson: Barbara Hupp, Ladylightkeeper

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

Sounds like a SUPER idea! This will most definitely sell many pins. Hopefully lots of money will be raised for this special project on this great lighthouse! Great job once again to all involved!

I'm so happy that I just happened to click on to the GENERAL FORUM and read about the WACKO pin for 2002. I definitely plan to order at least one, perhaps more.
I'll keep "tuned in" for more information.
JoanieO

Just can't wait till after Christmas???
Any chance of an early order????

------------------
RIP

Rip: Thank you for your encouraging enthusiasm over the wacko pin. However, this is no pin for you to order yet, and you would not get anything at Christmas to put in your stocking. Sorry. My post explained that it takes a long cycle of time to create this pin each year. We start taking orders in 2002 after we have seen and approved the final design. We are not at that stage yet. So I hope you will be patient. Do sign up for Ladybug's e-mail notification list, and you will be sure to hear when the ordering date has been set.

And please check the General Forum from time to time for updates. Our message has been "moved" and we are hoping to get it put back on the General Forum where it has always been posted for the past two pins, as that is where more people would see it and it would result in more pin orders and hence a larger donation for Southeast Light. It really won't attract much attention in this Forum as there is not enough traffic. Our goal is to raise as much money as we can for this lighthouse that is in such poor condition; and to do that, we need to have everyone become aware of what we are doing.

Thank you for supporting our project.

------------------
ladylightkeeper

If you wish to get an e-mail notification when it is time to order your pin, please write to Darlene Cook at her address below and request to be put on her list.

bugqueen@earthlink.net

Sorry, I tried to highlight this address so you could just click onto it, and used the
< > symbols, but it will not come up in this posting correctly. Maybe someone can correct for me?? Thanks.

[This message has been edited by ladylightkeeper (edited 11-15-2001).]

[This message has been edited by ladylightkeeper (edited 11-15-2001).]

Not meaning to be critical here but I was just wondering if this year we could try for a pin that stays together better? I've been hesitant to wear them as those dojiggers that go onto the pointy part don't seem to want to stay on. I'd be willing to pay a bit more.

Thanks to all involved in this project.

Mombo: Thank you for making me aware of the pin clutch problem on your pin. I wish you would have written me much sooner, as I would have tried to get you some new "clutches -- the brass knobs". I have been wearing my 2000 and 2001 pins quite a bit and have not had any problems. I am sorry you have a "lemon" knob so to speak. I will ask Lamar to contact our pin rep and see if we can get some extra knobs for you. Meanwhile, do you have other pins with this same style of knob that you could "borrown" until we can send you a replacement knob, so that you can wear your pin?

If anyone else has had a problem with this brass knob, please let Lamar know at lamar@gs.verio.net so that he can order more replacement spares.

We will definitely mention this problem to our rep and have him deal with it at the manufacturing end and their quality control.

Mombo,it is so kind of you to express your warm words of appreciation for all of our work. That gives us a "lift". This next pin project should attract a lot of attention as Southeast is such a well-known light, yet needs so much repair. We would appreciate every Forum reader helping us by doing some "networking" and spreading the word about the pin and the Opportunity Drawing. We need as much exposure on this project as we can get in order to raise a nice chunk of money for the light's preservation.

If you or a friend belong to an HL Club or a lighthouse association, it would be of great value to also let them know of this preservation effort. Right now I have some flyers I would like to mail out to clubs and associations. The difficulty is in finding a street address for mailing, as the HL list of clubs has mainly phone numbers which will necessitate lots of expensive long distance calling. If anyone has street addresses for a club president or secretary, I would appreciate receiving them. Many thanks.

Barb

------------------
ladylightkeeper

Mombo: I just got an e-mail message from Lamar with a valuable tip for you and anyone else who may have a pin knob that was not working securely. He says that most cities have specialty shops where they take orders for imprinted items, have pins made for groups, etc. They would have these brass pin knobs in stock, and I am sure the price is very nominal. That might work better rather than waiting months to get something from China! Let me know if this works for you.

------------------
ladylightkeeper

Thanks for your suggestion Barbara. I used to have a ton of pins from another type of collection but for some reason I tossed them. The other day I.O. bought us new flag pins. When he came home the next day he said, "I have a problem with my pin, the back keeps coming off". I just chuckled a bit. I can try the back of my old flag pin next.

Sue,

Use the good old eraser off the end of a pencil or from a mechanical pencil - just the right size and holds pretty well. Of course, you don't want to be moving the pin from place to place as the eraser will give out after multiple "stabbings". Got to believe your son , the ring knocker, used this trick at least once during his time in uniform.

Dave

You can also find them at any store that sells uniforms- such as police, fire, etc.

Quite often their name tags, whistles etc are held on by these type knobs.

I usually could get them for about .10 each.

Dennis