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Eric Bunnell's People: Grassroots effort could help save Port Burwell lighthouse

Community support could be key in obtaining a crucial federal grant

Just maybe, knitted dishcloths will help save Port Burwell’s historic lighthouse.

A local resident’s handiwork is raising money for the restoration of the 1840 landmark. So far, she has donated $317 from sales to the cause.

Eric Bunnell's People: Grassroots effort could help save Port Burwell lighthouse Back to video

And that’s just one example of the welling grassroots community support for the project, says Ken Kokko, president of Port Burwell Historical Society that is leading the initiative to save the deteriorated structure.

“I go to the mailbox and there’s $50 cheques, $100 cheques – just people who want to get involved. I’m so pleased with that. . . .  It’s the grassroots. It’s the people that care about the lighthouse. It’s the people in our community that want to see it saved.”

Another example is interest-free loans from two businesses to boost the society’s bid last week for dollar-for-dollar matching federal Build Communities Strong funding.

The loans will bridge the society until ongoing fundraising comes through, and pledges already in hand are also realized.

“Two people stepped up and said, ‘Hey, can we at least loan you money to get to that spot?’”

The loans, again, were part of a community response to a push by the society to meet a looming deadline for that federal money.

And, as a result, the organization was able to apply for a dollar-for-dollar matching $720,000 grant. If the application is successful, the society will have close to the $1.5 million it says is necessary to repair the lighthouse, with other irons yet in the fire.

Click to pbhistoricalsociety.ca for more info.

Golly. I almost feel like I’m part of the solution. Just the tiniest bit of a part, to be sure – but still, a part.

After visiting last week with Frank and Effie Lattanzio to chat about their work rearing monarch butterflies on the countertop of their kitchen island in support of rebuilding the endangered species’ population, I got to........

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