The National Lighthouse Museum will honor Kingsborough Community College and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at its third annual Light Keeper’s Gala Reception Wednesday, June 12, at the ABOVE Rooftop in the Hilton Garden Inn, Bloomfield.
Peter Samton of Gruzen Samton Architects, is guest speaker.
John Catsimatidis, chairman of the Gristedes Supermarket chain and a candidate for New York City mayor in the upcoming election – and the son of a lighthouse keeper — is honorary chairperson.
“Kingsborough Community College/CUNY, which is adjacent to Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn, is site of the country’s newest beacon,” says Linda Dianto, the museum’s Executive Director. “Mr. Samton’s firm designed that lighthouse for the City University of New York, and he will explain why a new beacon was built into the Kingsborough Community Colleges’ Marine Studies Building.”
NOAA’s roots date back to 1807 when the agency was entrusted to manage the country’s coastal and marine resources. The National Lighthouse Museum is recognizing NOAA’s ever-present coastal management role in the maritime world.
Catsimatidis’ father, Andreas, was a lighthouse keeper on Kandelioussa Island, a tiny island off the coast of Greece, from 1931-1947.
As chairman of the Red Apple Group, Catsimatidis has holdings in oil refining, retail petroleum products, convenience stores, supermarkets, real estate and aviation. Red Apple posted annual sales last year of $4.4 billion. With 10,000 employees, it is a major employer in the New York City metropolitan area and in upstate New York.
Among local organizations to which Catsimatidis volunteers his time are the Staten Island Bread of Life Food Drive, Hellenic Scholarship Foundation, Police Athletic League and Alzheimer’s Foundation.
The event begins at 7 p.m. with a cocktail reception. Entertainment is by Bob Wright and Harbortown.
Tickets are priced at $150 per person and can be purchased from the museum online at www.lighthousemuseum.org or by calling 1-855-NLM-SINY.
The National Lighthouse Museums’ intent is to establish themselves at the site of the old U.S. Lighthouse Service General Depot adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry terminal in St. George. The museum initially plans to open an Educational Resource Center in Building #11. Its goal is to promote and support historical, educational, cultural, recreational and related activities at the site, while maintaining the navigational significance and maritime heritage of lighthouses throughout the world.
Back by popular demand are our lighthouse boat tours around New York Harbor. All tours will be with NY Water Taxi and leave from inside Battery Park, Slip # 6 (opposite Castle Clinton) starting at 11:00am. These boats have comfortable indoor and outdoor seating, toilet facilities and a well-stocked snack bar.
National Lighthouse Museum tour advisors will provide information and history of the various lighthouses and points of interest along the way. Spend a day on the water in one of the greatest cities of the world.
Sunday, May 19th – Circumnavigate Staten Island. Will also cover several lighthouses.
Sunday, June 16th – New York Harbor
Sunday, July 14th – Long Island Sound as far as Execution Rock
Sunday, August 4th – New York Harbor
Saturday, September 7th – Hudson River Tour
Registration information will be forthcoming.
We Need Your Help to Keep the National Lighthouse Museum Afloat!
This is a crucial time for the National Lighthouse Museum in St. George, Staten Island. We are moving forward with plans to renovate our new building and install exciting exhibits in the next few months.
Please consider becoming a Lightkeeper Member of the museum today. Members are critical to our ability to successfully open the museum, as they:
- Provide evidence to city planners that our museum has the support of the community
- Demonstrate our ability to fund the necessary upgrades to the building and our initial exhibits
- Show interested supporters from around the country that we are in Staten Island to stay!
The NLM Leadership Team is working hard to make this museum a reality, but we can’t do it without your help. Join us today!
Email us at the address below to enroll as a member, and/or to make a contribution, to help get your museum opened on time next spring. We need to raise over $300,000 in the next few months to make this happen. Your contribution will help us get there!
info@lighthousemuseum.org
Thanks and best regards,
John Arntzen, Chairman, NLM Membership Committee
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National Lightouse Museum
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Here are some lighthouse videos worth watching.
