The Lantern Room

Photos and article by Ron Foster, President

New England Lighthouse Lovers (NELL), a chapter of The American Lighthouse Foundation (ALF) has certainly grown in the four short years since approximately 25 Harbour Lights collectors gathered in Massachusetts following the 1998 Harbour Lights Collectors Reunion, in Providence, RI.   Initially formed as the New England Harbour Lights Collectors Club (NEHLCC) it soon became evident that there were other folks who loved lighthouses, but didn’t necessarily collect Harbour Lights miniatures, who wanted to join.

Today, New England Lighthouse Lovers is approximately 180 people strong and has members from as far south as Florida and as far west as California, even though most of the members reside in New England.  The majority of the membership are collectors of Harbour Lights and we have become increasingly more involved with lighthouse preservation by raising awareness and funds.  To date NELL has donated over $10,000 to various lighthouses throughout New England for preservation projects.

NELL raises preservation dollars in various ways including the sale of NELL merchandise (shirts, hats, pins, prints and note cards), raffles and silent auctions at NELL events, and donations.  A huge “Thank You” goes to Harbour Lights for their continued support of NELL through donations of Harbour Lights products for our raffles and auctions.  100% of the money raised with these Harbour Lights products goes into the NELL Preservation Fund.  Another well deserved “Thank You” goes to Mark and Beverly Taylor, Taylor’d Touch (a Harbour Lights Dealer in Marlborough, CT), who held a special opportunity drawing for a Thomas Kincaid framed print and  then donated the $250 raised in the drawing to the NELL Preservation Fund (earmarked for Avery Point lighthouse in Groton, CT).  The winner of the print, by the way, was NELL member Elizabeth Briggs.  Of course, the biggest “Thank You” is to our membership who takes an active roll in supporting the various fundraisers we have throughout the year at our events.

With August came our second “NELL Hands-On Preservation Efforts” (NELL-HOPE), this time at New London Ledge lighthouse (New London, CT).  Seven NELL members (including Art Minor, Margaret De Libero-Minor, Penny Patch-Bartnicki, Shirin Pagels, Jim & Irma Streeter, and me), along with Brae Rafferty (Project Oceanology and New London Ledge Light Foundation), worked Saturday and Sunday scraping, wire brushing, priming and painting the entire lantern room (inside and out) as well as preparing one of the large living quarter rooms for painting.  The weather was very hot and humid and the work required muscles that hadn’t been used in quite some time.  The newly painted lantern room was quite visible, and very rewarding to see, as we pulled away from the lighthouse on the Project Oceanology boat that transported us back to shore Sunday afternoon.

Learn about this project and view some more of the pictures through the following link. art2

There will be more NELL-HOPE in the future.  Not long ago I spoke with Dave Lombardi, Dutch Island Lighthouse Society (DILS), also a chapter of ALF, about doing some NELL-HOPE at Dutch Island lighthouse.  Dave welcomes the offer of help at Dutch Island light and as soon as I know more details concerning this possible project I will send out a notice to the membership.  There are many lighthouses throughout New England that need the help of NELL volunteers with the skills and willingness to make a difference.  If you know of lighthouse projects in New England that may need NELL-HOPE please contact NELL Preservation Co-Chairs Frank Carbone FCarboneJr@aol.com or Walt Mills walter.mills@snet.net or me, Ron Foster ronjfoster@comcast.net .

At the NELL Fall Business Meeting in New Bedford, MA the names of those lighthouses chosen to receive NELL Preservation Grants for 2002 were Thacher Island lighthouse (MA) $1000 for replacing the porch & stairs to the assistant keepers house, Avery Point lighthouse (CT)($1500 for the new tower entrance door, and North Light Block Island (RI) $1500 for a new stairway between the second and third floors.  This makes 2002 the biggest single year for NELL with regards to the amount of money NELL has donated for lighthouse preservation.  Thanks to all of you Lighthouse Lovers everywhere for your support of NELL fundraising activities.  You may wish to continue supporting New England Lighthouse Lovers Preservation Fund with the purchase of the new Exclusive Limited Edition Prints of Portland Head Light and Portsmouth Harbor Light by artist Steve “Digger” Ervin. 

If you have not yet ordered your copies of these beautiful prints (or the note cards) you should do so before they are all gone. Visit them and other NELL merchandise on this website at 

Also in August several NELL members traveled to New Bedford, MA for the official unveiling of the USCG Lightship Sailors Memorial.  This memorial now has engraved, on its granite block foundation, the names of all of those sailors who lost their lives while serving their country on lightships.  NELL donations helped to make this possible.  The ceremony was a touching tribute to these heroes and was attended by several family members, friends and relatives of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.  Jim Gill (USLSSA), Mayor Frederic Kalisz and Art Motta (New Bedford’s Director of Tourism) each spoke.  Bill Collette (USLSSA & ALF Vice President) was recognized for his hard work and contributions to getting the memorial from an idea to a reality.  NELL member Doug Bingham (USLSSA, ALF, NELL) who also worked toward this same end was also part of this ceremony.

This years Fall Meeting brought several changes to the NELL Board of Directors.  Tom Pregman (Hamden, CT) became the new Vice President, replacing Bill Kent (Wilmington, MA); Art Minor (Bristol, CT) is the new Membership Chairperson, replacing Christine Thumm (Salem, CT); Arlene Winkleman (Brookline, MA) replaced Augie Kurdt (Rochester, NH) as Director at Large; Shirin Pagels (Norwalk, CT) assumed the Publicity Chairperson duties, previously performed by Odette Kent (Wilmington, MA); and Chuck Bartnicki (Groton, CT) filled the new Merchandising Co-Chairperson position.

I wish to thank all of those former Board Members, mentioned above, for their dedication and hard work in helping to bring NELL to the level it was when the new Board Members took over their duties.  You have helped a fledgling group of serious Harbour Lights Collectors grow into an organization that is well known and respected within the lighthouse community.

I also want to thank the new Board Members, as well as the remaining current Board of Directors, for stepping up to continue to improve our organization and the plight of our lighthouses for the benefit of all while having fun in the process.  I am certain that you will continue the NELL mission to make a difference for the lighthouses we so dearly love.  Keep in mind the fine examples and continuing efforts of Harbour Lights and the American Lighthouse Foundation as we continue to grow.

At our family picnic this year we were blessed with the company of the First Lady of Light, Connie Small, who turned 101 years old. Connie is such a wonderful person and a real crowd pleaser.  Many NELL members were pleased with the opportunity to share conversation about lighthouses with her.

The picnic was held at the same location as the first year, Great Island Common in New Castle, NH, within site of Portsmouth Harbor lighthouse (where Connie and her husband were last keepers).  My brother, George Foster (Professional Auctioneer & Appraiser from The Complete Auction Service in Epsom, NH), surprised us all by donating some nautical related items which he auctioned off, along with lighthouse items donated by Reg & Mo Kitching.  The monies raised in this fun auction were earmarked for the NELL Preservation Fund.  Thanks to all who donated and bid – this was not only fun but it raised some much needed dollars.  A special thank you to Augie Kurdt for getting to the park long before the gate opened to be the first to reserve the picnic area under cover and for arranging to pick up Connie Small and for bringing her to the picnic.  Thank you also goes to Jeremy d’Entremont (ALF, Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Light) for opening the Portsmouth Harbor lighthouse tower to us.  It is always a great day when you have the opportunity to climb a lighthouse tower.  Turnout at this year’s picnic almost doubled and I hope that if you were unable to attend you will be able to join us at the next one.