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American Lighthouse Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 565
Rockland,
Maine 04841
Phone: 207-594-4174
Fax: 207-596-1091
info@lighthousefoundation.org
The American Lighthouse Foundation is a
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization dedicated to the
preservation of America's historic
lighthouses & lightships and
their heritage.
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ALF Honors Two FOWIL
Volunteers for 2007
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On November 3, 2007 the American Lighthouse Foundation
recognized a total of 17 individuals within the organization at a
special dinner in Woburn, MA, for their outstanding volunteer efforts
this past year, including two volunteers from the Friends of Wood Island
Lighthouse (FOWIL), located in Biddeford Pool, Maine.
Sean Murphy, FOWIL vice-president, and |
Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani
Sheri Poftak (left) and Brad Coupe
(right)
present Sean Murphy with his
ALF volunteer award
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Shirley Stallings,
FOWIL treasurer, were selected by their peers within the group to be
recipients of the American Lighthouse Foundation’s “Len Hadley Volunteerism
Award” for 2007.
FOWIL president
Brad Coupe, FOWIL historian Sheri Poftak and ALF executive director Bob
Trapani, Jr. presented Sean Murphy with his volunteer award, with Coupe
accepting a similar award on behalf of Shirley Stallings, who was unable to
attend the event.
Brad Coupe’s remark that he shared with the dinner audience on why Murphy
and Stallings were chosen by the Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse, a
chapter of ALF, to be honored for their dedication in 2007, are listed
below:
“The Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse are pleased this year to recognize
and applaud the work and accomplishments of two of our most dedicated and
hardworking members, Sean Murphy and Shirley Stallings. They are
models of what it means to be a volunteer – unpaid, of course; dedicated to
the cause; tireless in their efforts; and perhaps, most important, seeing
any task through to completion. Together with our Volunteer from the last
dinner, Sheri Poftak, Sean and Shirley comprise a dynamic trio without who,
FOWIL would have foundered years ago.”
Speaking about Sean Murphy:
“Sean is the vice-chair of FOWIL. He was present at the creation of our
group but his affection for the lighthouse predates the founding of FOWIL |
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Sean Murphy at the helm of LightRunner
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by years. When it comes to knowing the property, the
light, the building and its operation, he takes a backseat to no one,
not even the Coast Guard. Sean is responsible for the design and
procurement of our well-known and much-admired landing craft-style boat,
the |
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Lightrunner. He is the head captain of the boat and is responsible
for its operation, maintenance and general care.
One of three captains, Sean is also responsible for staffing the boat and
operating it for our regular tours in the summer, for work parties and for
special events. He pulls a regular tour schedule and is the default captain
for anything unscheduled that comes up, like taking the Biddeford eighth
grade class to the island, or the island wedding of former keeper Cliff
Trebilcock. Others plan these events, but Sean is the early cog in the wheel
that makes it work.
Sean also heads up the maintenance and restoration activities. This year
especially, he organized, supplied the raw materials and logistics of a
summer dedicated to getting the light station repainted. He is leading the
effort to get the tower stairs accessible for tours this coming summer
(2008), working with our architect and local builder (who, themselves
deserve recognition for their efforts).
When something needs doing, there is one guy who is there to make it happen.
He has the know-how, and despite a long distance work commute, and generally
murderous schedule, he gets it done. Sean Murphy is a key to FOWIL’s
success. If he has a life outside of his job and Wood Island Lighthouse, it
is hard to imagine how he fits it in during the summer. We are proud to
nominate Sean for this distinction.”
Speaking about Shirley Stallings:
“Shirley is our treasurer, a host, a merchandise salesperson and one of our
reservations takers. This list is neither complete nor truly reflective of |
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the commitment of time and energy she dedicates to the
success of FOWIL. She spends about 6 months a year in Biddeford Pool,
leaving in October to return to Evansville, Indiana. But in her summer
on the coast, she is effectively FOWIL full-time.
In her capacity as treasurer, you would think she is
managing her personal finances. She is like a hawk managing and growing
our treasury. Every dollar we see is watched over by Shirley. As dollars
accumulate during the tour months or as we hold events, any excess over
anticipated operating needs gets put into CDs. If you need to
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Photo by Sean Murphy
Shirley Stallings, FOWIL treasurer
& 2007 recipient of ALF's "Len
Hadley Volunteerism Award"
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know what CD rates
or options banks in the region are offering, Shirley can tell you.
As we begin selling merchandise this year, Shirley was working both ends –
she or Sheri Poftak would set up a table in the village several days each
week and sell sweatshirts tee-shirts and hats. They pushed more than $7,000
worth of merchandise during the season. Then, Shirley set up a second bank
account to track those sales and the sales tax. She paid the manufacturer,
reports the taxes and squirrels the excess away in a CD.
And, if you take a tour to the Wood Island Lighthouse, you can well expect
to find Shirley as your host (and her husband Mal as your captain) on at
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Photo by Sean Murphy
Mal & Shirley Stallings, dedicated
volunteers for the Friends of Wood
Island Lighthouse
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least one
evening tour each week, and usually for special group tours that she and
Sheri organize.
When it comes
to fundraising events or events celebrating the lighthouse, Shirley will
be there making it happen, but not seeking or taking the glory. A lot of
us combine the work for |
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FOWIL with the fun of being out on the island. Shirley does some of that,
but much of her work is unseen and tedious. She is one of those who labor
tirelessly on the tough things that need doing. We couldn’t look as good as
we do without Shirley.
Again, we are proud to nominate Shirley for this distinction and to have her
unsung work recognized.” – Brad Coupe, FOWIL
President
Posted: 12/20/2007 |
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