| |
|
The American Lighthouse Foundation (ALF) headquartered in
Wells, Maine, recently announced the election of Sylvia C. Paneris of
Biddeford, Maine as the organization’s new 1st
Vice-President. ALF is a lighthouse preservation and education nonprofit
organization that currently has 22 historic lighthouses under their
auspices – 11 located within the state of |
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
New ALF 1st Vice-President,
Sylvia C. Paneris
|
|
|
| |
Maine. In
addition, ALF owns and operates the Museum of Lighthouse History, in Wells.
Ms. Paneris was born and raised in the coastal York County area and later
attended Notre Dame College in Manchester, New Hampshire, and graduated
summa cum laude in 1996 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English literature.
Ms. Paneris later attended the University of Maine School of Law in Portland
where she was active in several student organizations, including the Health
Law Association, the Animal Law Association, and the Maine Association for
Public Interest Law. She also received a Greenburg Scholarship, which is
awarded to deserving students concentrating in business law.
Her diverse professional background will make Ms. Paneris a valuable
addition to the ever-growing mission of the American Lighthouse Foundation
to save our nation’s lighthouse heritage. “I wanted to join the ALF because
I feel it is important to preserve our maritime history,” said Paneris. “It
would be a shame for a child of a future generation to wonder about a
lighthouse, to read about one in a book but to never have a chance to see
one because lighthouses became obsolete and fell into ruin.”
ALF executive director Bob Trapani, Jr. is looking forward to working with
Ms. Paneris as she joins the board of directors under the leadership of
President Timothy Harrison. “With each passing year in our ever-changing
world, lighthouse preservation becomes more challenging and complex. To keep
pace and grow our mission to preserve these stately icons that are so
important to a state like Maine, a passionate and skillful group of leaders
is needed. Ms. Paneris will be an excellent addition to the ALF board in
this respect, for her talents and areas of expertise are equally matched by
her desire to make a difference.”
After graduating from law school, Ms. Paneris relocated to the Washington,
D.C. area to pursue insurance and real estate law opportunities but in 2005
she returned home to Maine, where she now focuses on real estate law. Her
move back home rekindled her lifelong love for the Maine coast. Ms. Paneris
reflected, “On a more personal note, lighthouses are special to me because
of the ocean – having grown up on the coast of Maine, the ocean has always
been a big part of my life. But on a deeper level, I am comforted by the
idea of the light in the darkness that guides you home - that leads you into
safe harbor. In this way, a lighthouse is a metaphor of hope.” |
|
