Spirit of Christmas Makes it Offshore to Pomham Rocks Lighthouse
By Bob Trapani, Jr.
The beauty of the Christmas spirit is that it doesn’t
matter how big or small the gesture proves to be, for it is the
heartwarming intention of its presenters that invariably adds a special
touch of joy to our lives during the Yuletide season.
Sometimes the Christmas spirit isn’t even a gift to be
held, but rather a gift to
be seen.
Photo courtesy of Ron Sanda
(L to R) FPRL volunteers David
Kelleher,
Chris Allen, Rob Charbonneau and Ron
Sanda with the Christmas wreath
established on the oil house
at Pomham Rocks Light
Such is the case for shoreline onlookers admiring Pomham Rocks Lighthouse on
the Providence River, Rhode Island, this Christmas.
Despite the blustery conditions sweeping across the river on December 13,
2009, five volunteers from the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse (Don
Doucette, David Kelleher, Rob Charbonneau, Chris Allen and Ron Sanda) set
out for the sentinel with one goal in mind – to share the joy of Christmas
with others in the local community.
The intrepid group endured the frigid seascape long enough to establish a
festive wreath at their stately lighthouse, which they affixed to the east
wall of the light station’s oil house.
The wreath, which is highly visible from the Riverside community shoreline,
may be a lone decoration for Christmas, but to the Friends of Pomham Rocks
Lighthouse (FPRL), a chapter of the American Lighthouse
Photo courtesy by Ron Sanda
Pomham Rocks Lighthouse
on December 13, 2009
Foundation, the symbolism of the wreath goes far beyond
what can be seen with the eye.
“The wreath is a beauty at the lighthouse,” said Don
Doucette, FPRL chairman. “It is smaller than we had hoped, but isn’t it
the spirit of the season with placing it there that counts?”
Doucette went on to note, “There was much in the way of
time and resources expended by several of our volunteers this busy time
of year just to get the wreath out to the island and in place.”
No one exemplified this spirit of giving more than Rob Charbonneau who
contributed the use of his lobster boat – Melora, as the means of
transporting the volunteers and wreath to the lighthouse so that FPRL could
visually communicate a merry salutation to all those drawn to the mystique
and beauty of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse.
“This year we might call the suspended Pomham Rocks greenery our ‘Tiny Tim
Wreath,’ said Doucette. “It is my fondest sentiment that this example of
Christmas spirit will meaningfully and freely bubble and spread to others
throughout the coming year.”
