>> Click to enlarge << Jessica, age 9, wrote in her essay, “I think we ...

The Ground Round Restaurant in Schenectady, New York recently hosted a “Kids Save the Light” coloring/essay program, which raised money for the American Lighthouse Foundation and the Save Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Commission.

>> Click to enlarge << Julianna, age 8, wrote, “Because so then they ...

The kids or their parents would buy the coloring/essay sheet for $1.00 with the proceeds being divided up between the two non-profit lighthouse groups. A return coupon was given for a free mini dessert at the popular restaurant.

>> Click to enlarge << Hailey, age 6, wrote in her essay, “We should ...

Three winners were picked from among the hundreds of entries. The winners received a gift cheque, a “Kids Save the Light” T-shirt and an honorary dinner in their honor by the Ground Round.

>> Click to enlarge <<

The idea was the brainchild of Karen Paige, who is the general manager of the Ground Round. Her passion, after her family, is lighthouses and along with her husband and three children they have visited over 50 lighthouses. She and her family have climbed towers, explored the parks around lighthouses and learned the history of them.

Congratulations to the winners Jessica Marini, Julianna Ferrari, and Hailey Marini. Also, a special thanks to Karen Paige, who came up with the idea. Karen says the program was so successful that she plans to duplicate it again in the near future. If more restaurants around the country would follow her lead, our nation’s kids could save many of our endangered lighthouses. Now, wouldn’t that be something!

The program raised $845.00 for lighthouses and the money was evenly divided between the American Lighthouse Foundation and the Save Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Commission.

This story appeared in the May 2003 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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