Join us for a "virtual telethon" celebrating 40 glorious years of the United States Lighthouse Society! This event will be hosted by USLHS Executive Director Jeff Gales and Historian Jeremy D'Entremont. We'll have special guests representing lighthouses around the U.S., and from other countries, too.
We'll have musical entertainment and we will be showing the five finalists in our 2024 USLHS Lighthouse Dance Off. The audience will vote to pick the winners.
Attendees will have the chance to win special prizes, including overnight stays at a lighthouse.
We hope you'll join us for all or part of this fun virtual party! You don't need to attend the whole event - you can come and go as you please.
Admission is free but advance registration is required. Once you register you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to attend the event.
Here is a schedule:
Times are eastern time zone and are subject to change
First half hour 1:00-1:30
- 1980s USLHS promo
- Recent promo with Mike Vogel
- Greetings: Dianne Wolfer (Australia), Josh Liller (Jupiter, Florida) and Matt Rosenberg (Nubble Light, Maine)
- First dance contest finalist (Great Duck Island, Maine)
- Music: David Coffin
Second half hour 1:30-2:00
- Podcast clips, authors: Sophie Blackall (“Hello Lighthouse”), Chris Mills (“Vanishing Lights”), Eric Jay Dolin (“Brilliant Beacons”)
- Greetings: William Rawlings (Georgia), Shona Riddell (New Zealand), Barry Porter (Newfoundland, Canada)
- Second dance contest finalist (Cape Canaveral, Florida – Dussich Dance Studio)
- Greetings: Jake Grossman (Old Baldy, North Carolina); Alex Dias (Pomham Rocks, Rhode Island)
- Video: Cedar Island, NY
Third half hour 2:00-2:30
- Promo with historian F. Ross Holland
- Third dance contest finalist (East End Seaport, New York)
- Podcast clips with lighthouse keepers: (Jim Pope, Maine; Fred Mikkelsen, Rhode Island; Ian Duff, Scotland; Gerald Butler, Ireland)
- Chesapeake Chapter of the USLHS video
- Greeting from Ralph Krugler, Hillsboro Inlet, Florida
Fourth half hour 2:30-3:00
- Video: “Take a USLHS tour”
- Fourth dance contest finalist (Spring Point Ledge, Maine)
- Music: Katie Malate
Fifth half hour 3:00-3:30
- Music: Matt Reischling
- Greetings from author Theresa Levitt (“A Short Bright Flash”) and actor Joseph Smith
- Fifth dance contest finalist (Cape Canaveral, Florida – Encore Dance Academy)
- Dance contest voting and announcement of winner
- Video: Alligator Reef, Florida
- Greeting from photographer Pete Lerro
Sixth half hour 3:30-4:00
- Video: trailer for documentary “Labor of Love,” about Graves Lighthouse
- Podcast clips with lighthouse owners Dave Waller (Graves, MA) and Ken Morton (Sandy Neck, MA)
- Video: Eldred Rock, Alaska
- Greeting from Bob Trapani, American Lighthouse Foundation
Seventh half hour 4:00-4:30
- 40th anniversary video
- Greeting from Andy Robinson, California Lighthouse Society
- Video: Marshall Point, Maine
- Greeting from Erik Nissen Johansen, Pater Noster, Sweden
- Video: Browns Point, Washington
- Video: Beavertail, Rhode Island
Eighth half hour 4:30-5:00
- Video: Cape Blanco, Oregon
- Greeting from USLHS member Chris Nintzel
- Video: Point Wilson, Washington
- Video: Point No Point, Washington
Ninth half hour (5:00-5:30)
- Presentation by author Elinor DeWire
- Greeting from Museum of Maritime Pets
- Greeting from Kraig Anderson (“Lighthouse Friends”)
- Greeting from photographer David Zapatka
- Greeting from Rear Admiral Dan May, Coast Guard ret.
- Greeting from Marifrances Trivelli, Los Angeles Maritime Museum
Tenth half hour (5:30-6:00)
- Dance contest compilation video
- Greeting from Debra Alderman, Alki Point, Washington
- Greeting from Sally Snowman, retired keeper of Boston Light
- Video: Alcatraz, California
Eleventh half hour (6:00-6:30)
- Passport program discussion
- Preservation grants discussion
- Podcast clips: Buddy Grover (Absecon, NJ); Gene Davis (Coast Guard Museum Northwest, Washington); Rob Benchley (Sankaty Head, Massachusetts)
- Kathy Fleming, vice president USLHS
- Clips, Wayne Wheeler, founder of USLHS
- “Keep a Good Light” video promo