Board Members and Docents Sought

The Spring Point Ledge Light Board of Trustees is looking for volunteers interested in serving on the Board or acting as docents, or guides, during next summer's open house events. Here's your chance to give something back to a lighthouse that has stood guard over Portland Harbor for over 100 years.

If interested, especially if you have an accounting or management background, send a brief email of interest to Bill Berman, Chairman, at coordinator@springpointledgelight.com.

Visit Spring Point Light During Maine Lighthouse Day

This weekend, September 17th, Spring Point Ledge Light will be among 25 lighthouses open for the third annual Maine Lighthouse Day. Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse will be open from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and admission will be free.

Maine Lighthouse day was started to bring attention to the many lighthouses in Maine and permit visitors to explore as many towers as possible, some of which are rarely open to the public.

There are some age and height restrictions applicable to children. For details, visit the Events page on our website.

Open House this Weekend

July marks the beginning of our Saturday and Sunday Open House events. This weekend, July 2nd and 3rd, the lighthouse will be open to the public both days. Be sure and come by for a visit and enjoy what is predicted to be a gorgeous weekend.

You can find more information and a complete schedule of Open House events on our website.

Docent Training Events

There are two docent events in June. The first is open to the public, the second is intended for those who have volunteered to be docents this summer.

June 8th
Lighthouse History Lecture & Slideshow plus storytelling
Jewett Auditorium, Southern Maine Community College Campus
Fort Road, South Portland, Maine
Time: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
There will be a call for docents and volunteers to help out at the ligthhouse as well refreshments.

June 15th
Docent training session in the Lighthouse classroom at SMCC near the lighthouse.
Time: 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Summer Coordinator Named

Mark McKenzie is our new summer Docent Coordinator. Mark has loved lighthouses since he was a child and grew particularly fond of Spring Point Ledge Light when he lived on nearby Preble Street in the 70s. Mark has worked with the public for many years, first as a Nursing Unit Coordinator at MMC and more recently as an instructor at Southern Maine Community College. He also brings many diverse talents to the job including photography, graphic art and fine art. Mark also runs a small gallery in downtown Portland called Time Gallery Portland (www.TimeGalleryPortland.com).

Summer Open House Dates Announced

The Spring Point Ledge Light Trust has announced the following dates for its summer Open House series in 2011:

• Saturday – June 18, 2011
• Saturday – June 25, 2011
• Saturday – July 2, 2011
• Sunday – July 3, 2011
• Saturday – July 9, 2011
• Sunday – July 10, 2011
• Saturday – July 16, 2011
• Sunday – July 17, 2011
• Saturday – July 23, 2011
• Sunday – July 24, 2011
• Saturday – July 30, 2011
• Sunday – July 31, 2011
• Saturday – August 6, 2011
• Sunday – August 7, 2011
• Saturday – August 13, 2011
• Sunday – August 14, 2011
• Saturday – August 20, 2011
• Sunday – August 21, 2011
• Saturday – August 27, 2011
• Sunday – August 28, 2011
• Saturday – September 3, 2011 – Labor Day weekend
• Saturday – September 17, 2011 – Maine Lighthouse Day – Date subject to change by Maine Office of Tourism (Special opening time TBA)
• Saturday – October 8, 2011 – Columbus Day weekend

Opening times are 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Everyone is invited to join us on any of these days for an interesting day of lighthouse history and beautiful views of Portland Harbor. Admission is just $5.00 per person and all monies go toward the Trust's mission to preserve and promote the lighthouse.

Summer Coordinator Wanted

The Spring Point Ledge Light Trust is seeking a Summer Coordinator to take charge of lighthouse open houses this summer. This is a paid position.

The job involves openings and tours on Saturdays and Sundays from late June to Labor Day weekend, plus bus tours during the week, primarily from mid-August through October. There will also be special openings on Maine Lighthouse Day in mid-September and on Columbus Day weekend. Hours for most regular openings are from 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM.

The Summer Coordinator must be able to work weekends when Open Houses are scheduled. Duties include opening and closing the lighthouse, setting up and closing down the ticket and merchandise sales areas, installing the daily temporary signs for each opening along Broadway in South Portland, acting as a docent, and managing the inventory of merchandise sold. The Coordinator will also be responsible for scheduling trustees and docents needed for each opening or tour.

The ideal candidate will be reliable and of good character, enjoy working with the public, have access to a computer and be able to use email, and have a sincere interest in Maine lighthouses and history. Training will be provided as necessary.

Interested candidates should contact Bill Berman, SPLLT chairman, at wberman@smccme.edu for an interview.

Coast Guard Converts Spring Point to Solar

The US Coast Guard in late summer of 2010 completed the conversion of the light (navigation) portion of the lighthouse to solar power. Two south-facing solar arrays mounted on supports on the breakwater at the base of the tower now charge battery banks in the basement that illuminate the lamp at night.

The Spring Point Ledge Light Trust voted in late 2010 to assume the costs of electricity supplied by the original

underwater electrical cable to avoid the loss of electricity to the remainder of the tower. This will allow the Trust to have lighting during the summer open houses and while performing interior maintenance, as well as for decorations during the Christmas season.

Main Gallery Roof Refurbishment Completed in 2010

The Spring Point Ledge Light Trust can point to several accomplishments on the maintenance front in 2010. The door between the watch room and the middle gallery was replaced, solving a water leak and replacing a deteriorating door frame.

In addition, roof panels on the main gallery which were improperly finished in 2004 had started to rust within a couple of years. They were removed and refinished in late 2010, with the last ones reinstalled in December.

New Trust Officers Elected for 2011; Priorities Set

The new slate of officers for the Spring Point Ledge Light Trust were set at the January monthly/annual meeting on January 22, 2011.

From left to right, they are: Front-Mary Lynch, Vice Chair; Bill Berman, Chairman; Rear-Judy Davidson, Secretary; John McClean, Treasurer.

The Board of Trustees also established priorities for 2011, foremost of which is maintenance, which includes painting, repair of leaks in and around the lantern room, replacement of missing rail segments on the main gallery, replacement of a missing davit on the main gallery, and reinforcement banding around the lower caisson.