Digest>Archives> January 1999

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Loved Flying Santa Tribute

Dear Editor,

That was a wonderful tribute you did on the Flying Santa and that program. I am glad to be a small part of it. I was a helper of Ed Snow on his lecture tours for a while and learned many things on local history. He is very much missed.

One story he told was of an unusual surprise he received during a Flying Santa trip. He was asked to drop a bundle for a Brownie troop in New Hampshire as he flew over them on his way to the Maine lighthouses, which he agreed. He packed an appropriate bundle and dropped it with no trouble. He received a mystifying thank you a few days later which asked him what littles girls would do with cigars, razor blades and racy paperbacks. It seems the only Brownies Ed knew were of the L-Street type, the then men-only club in South Boston who celebrate the New Year by diving into the frigid waters of Boston Harbor. He didn't realize at the time that there was an identical named group of pre-Girl Scouts.

The photo of him at Barnegat Light is, I believe, 1953 and the one of him in a Coast Guard helicopter at Boston Light was in 1945 when wartime restrictions were still in effect.

Snow also had a plaque to the memory of his friend and pilot, Al Aucoin, placed on the Nobska Light tower in 1964. In 1948, he also placed a plaque on the tower at Highland Lighthouse to the memory of the steamer Portland, which had sunk in a the great gale of 1898. I have visited both of them at various times and I could not recall ever seeing either plaque. I wonder what became of them?

A most Happy 1999.

Bob Fraser

Cohasset, MA

Hello from California!

There are a number of things that I want to convey to you:

1. THANK YOU so much for being a significant sponsor for the PBS Legendary Lighthouse series. I am enjoying it greatly.

2. Your new Lighthouse Tea Set is brilliant! Such a creative idea. I've put in on my holiday gift "want" list, (many of my friends also receive your catalog).

3. Fresnel Lens sculpture. Have you ever considered offering for sale a fine crystal replica of a Fresnel lens? I know you'll agree that they are a work of art. A table top Fresnel would be a show piece. I'd be curious to hear what you think of my idea.

4. I've been in your store and am still recovering from the shock and delight of it. You are the focal point for us lighthouse lovers, much like the towers themselves. Thank you!

Barbara H. Paley

Editors Reply: Thanks for the kind words. Yes, a crystal replica of a Fresnel lens would be a brilliant item for us. Now, all we have to do is find someone to manufacture it for us. We'll work on it.

She Looks Like Hatteras!

Dear Lighthouse Digest

Thank you for being such an outstanding publication. I look forward every month to the latest issue. Although I've always liked lighthouses, recently I've gotten into them in a big way, and your magazine has been an educational godsend. And if that wasn't enough good fortune, my sister shares my passion as well.

Here she is this past Halloween dressed up as the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Thanks again.

Vita Solorio

Downey, CA

Best Issue Ever

Dear Friends,

Just got my December issue. What a great issue!!!! Especially the front cover and the Santa of the Lighthouses story. The new slick paper is also great. This has got to be the best issue published to date. You guys did a real bang-up job. A big thank you also from the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society for the brief bit on our request for help.

Mike Olivere

New York

Editors reply: We received lots of letters and E-mail about the new paper and about the cover. We're glad everyone likes it! Please remember, that we do love to get mail from our readers. Because of the volume, we can't reply to every letter, but please keep writing us with your thoughts, ideas, comments, or story ideas. We sincerely appreciate each and every one.

By the way, we forgot to mention that Virginia Souza, who painted the lighthouse painting on the cover of the December issue, works right here at Lighthouse Digest. The idea of the painting was a last minute decision. We asked Virginia if she could paint a holiday Christmas cover in the three hours before we went to press. Amazingly, she painted it in only 2 1/2 hours. If you liked it as much as we did, I'm sure she'd love to hear from you by E-mail or simply a post card.

The 'Common Folk' Reply

I do hope that you do not think un-kindly of the residents of Pennsylvania based on the elitist reply you received from Dan Guerrein regarding your earlier article on Presque Isle Lighthouse.

I was humiliated to read his letter and the 'explanation' given on the license plate issue. As I drive around the state and see the 'Save the Wildlife' plates and other `cause' related plates . . . . several of which are practically un-readable , , , I have to laugh out loud at the pathetic reasoning presented to you for Pennsylvania not having a lighthouse plate. I guess the State Police `missed' those plates. Or maybe not enough `affluent' legislatures were given the right incentives.

As far as fund-raising . . . . well, the fact that we even have lighthouses in the state is a well guarded secret - I have never seen any publicity on Presque Isle, let alone any requests to us 'Common Folks' for funds, or advertisements to visit them. Perhaps the fact that in Pennsylvania, public domain sites, such as the Presque Isle Light are in the hands of private partnerships, is why those of us Common Folks who can, patronize the lighthouses on the New Jersey shore instead.

I am usually proud to say I am from Pennsylvania, but I am not proud that our lighthouses are in the hands of someone like Mr. Guerrein and his select group of patrons, nor am I proud that our state is being run by the likes of Governor Ridge.

Keep the Lights Burning,

Susan Kirn

Philadelphia, PA

Editors Reply: Your letter says it all, now it's up to the people of Pennsylvania to write their Congressmen and Governor. Letters do work (in most states) as is evident by the thousands of letters written by lighthouse buffs all over the United States to save North Carolina's Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. One state where letters did not work was in Maine, where the school children were rebuked on their fight for a Maine lighthouse plate. In my opinion the entire Maine State Senate should have resigned in disgrace for the way the school children were publicly humiliated by many senators. The problem was that the Maine newspapers are generally editorially weak and never wrote about it. People need to remind themselves that this is a government run by the people and they need to write letters to their representatives, and then keep it up.

By the way, another state, Virginia, may soon join the many other states in having a lighthouse license plate, and one to benefit the Florida Lighthouse Association is in the works in Florida. What really surprises me is Michigan, a state that has been extremely progressive in promoting its lighthouses, still does not have a lighthouse plate.

Dear Friends,

What a wonderful surprise! One day last week, I found a Priority Mail box on my porch. I didn't remember ordering anything. Then I saw it was from Lighthouse Depot/Digest. I bought a lot of merchandise from your table at the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival in Alpena, Michigan, but didn't remember ordering anything. Upon opening the box, I discovered I'd won your raffle and had won a wonderful Christmas lighthouse afghan. Thank you so much!!!!

Linda Dickensheets

Wyoming, Michigan

Dear Friends,

What a wonderful surprise! One day last week, I found a Priority Mail box on my porch. I didn't remember ordering anything. Then I saw it was from Lighthouse Depot/Digest. I bought a lot of merchandise from your table at the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival in Alpena, Michigan, but didn't remember ordering anything. Upon opening the box, I discovered I'd won your raffle and had won a wonderful Christmas lighthouse afghan. Thank you so much!!!!

Linda Dickensheets

Wyoming, Michigan

A Hearty Thank You with an Idea

To all of you,

My husband and I came upon your store by accident as we were exploring the Maine coast on one of our several visits to your state. I fell in love with it the minute we walked thru the door. I have ordered several items at different times from your catalog and was pleased with everything. Recently, I ordered two videos and Christmas cards from you and just had to let you know about the wonderful people who work in the catalog area. The young lady, I must admit, I don't know her name, was so helpful and understanding of my many questions. Never did I expect to have them delivered Priority Mail. I called to thank you and first spoke to Sandra and then to Virginia, and I had to let you know that they are the nicest people ever.

I have a den in my home that is done entirely in lighthouse decor and many of the items are from your catalog and the covers are part of that decor.

I just wanted all of you to know how I appreciate all of you and what a pleasure it is to deal with VERY nice people. See you soon.

Geri & Mike Carey

Island Park, New York

Editors Reply: Your note has been passed around the office. It always gives us great pleasure when we hear from satisfied customers.

This story appeared in the January 1999 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.

All contents copyright © 1995-2024 by Lighthouse Digest®, Inc. No story, photograph, or any other item on this website may be reprinted or reproduced without the express permission of Lighthouse Digest. For contact information, click here.


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