Thursday, April 12, 2012

The Bucket Brigade at Cape Henry Lighthouse

The iconic Cape Henry Lighthouse has implemented a new strategy to raise money for the protection of its exposed and eroded limestone foundation. In partnership with the Virginia Department of Transportation, Preservation Virginia is raising the money necessary to replenish the sand on the top of the dune, to once again protect the foundation of the lighthouse.


Yours for a $5 donation!!!

Cape Henry's Bucket Brigade provides visitors a tangible way to help the lighthouse in this endeavor. Sand pails with the "Bucket Brigade" logo are available as a keepsake for a $5 donation. Visitors can fill the bucket with sand (located right before the ascent up the dune). New signs explaining the history of Bucket Brigades dot the ascent to the top of the dune. Once they reach the top, there is an allocated sand dumping spot. We are hoping that this "preservation in action" approach will move the lighthouse quickly, in the direction of having a completed dune restoration with in the next two years.

Local interest about the topic has been peaked, as is evident by the Tidewater Newspaper, the Virginian-Pilot: http://hamptonroads.com/2012/04/cape-henry-lighthouse-get-erosion-protection
Cape Henry Lighthouse Site Coordinator, Charles Morgan shows some of the wear around the base of the lighthouse
So come out to Cape Henry Lighthouse during your summer trip to Virginia Beach, buy a bucket, and be part of preservation history!