Forever grateful to the U.S. Embassy, Nassau!
In 2020, the ERLS applied for the 2021 U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) Grant established to help countries preserve cultural heritage and to demonstrate U.S. respect for other cultures. AFCP accepts requests for aid from more than 100 countries outside of the U.S.A.
In early 2021 the ERLS was advised that we had made it through the first round, thereby allowing us to enter into the final round through the oversight of Daniel Durazo, Public Affairs Officer. In July 2021, Daniel Durazo told the ERLS the news that they had been awarded the grant! ERLS was one of several recipients that received an AFCP grant out of a large applicant pool, and the ERLS grant was the largest awarded in the Western Hemisphere in 2021!
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Photo Captions Above:
Top Right: North Abaco MP Kirk Cornish, Minister of Education, Glenys Hanna-Martin, MP for Central and South Abaco, John Pinder II, Minister of Transport and Housing, Jobeth Colbey-Davis and Chargé d'Affaires Usha Pitts, U.S. Embassy
Middle Right: The ERLS Team with former Executive Director, Lory Kenyon (in red).
Lower Right: Chargé d'Affaires Usha Pitts, U.S. Embassy, Bahamas with Principal Keeper, Jeffery Forbes Jr.
Photo Captions Left:
Top Left: ERLS Restoration Crew pose with Ministry of Transport and Port Department.
Middle Left: Daniel Durazo, Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Embassy who oversaw the grant process and advocated for the ERLS!
Bottom Left: Speaker: Prime Minister, Philip Edward "Brave" Davis QC MP
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Chargé d'Affaires, Usha Pitts urged the audience of gathered dignitaries to "remember this is an important historic marker of our shared human history."
The restoration of the Elbow Reef Lighthouse is yet another dimension of the enduring friendship between The Bahamas and the United States, and honors the architecture, history and culture of The Bahamas, and supports Bahamian livelihoods.
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Hopetown, Abaco, Friday, February 18, 2022.
From left, Minister of State for the Office of the Prime Minister, Mike Laroda; Minister of Economic Affairs, Michael Halkitis; Central and South Abaco MP John Pinder II; Minister of Transport and Housing Jobeth Colby-Davis; US Chargé d'Affaires Pitts, U.S. Embassy, Nassau; Prime Minister, Philip “Brave” Davis; Minister of Education Glenys Hanna-Martin; Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Michael Darville; and North Abaco, MP Kirk Cornish.
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Thank you to our partner, The Elbow Reef Foundation, the joint applicant in the grant! The US 501(c)(3) Foundation is dedicated to assisting the ERLS to fully complete the restoration of Hope Town's 1863 Elbow Reef Lightstation!
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The Bahamas Government sign a Memorandum of Understanding with ERLS; An historic day for Abaco!
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Pictured Top Row: ERLS NPO Directors, Marjorie Chapman, Treasurer, DP Patterson, Secretary, Heather Forde-Prosa, President.
Front Row: Sr. Commander Berne Wright, Acting Port Controller, Port Department, Permanent Secretary Antionette Thompson and JoBeth Coleby-Davis, Minister of Transportation and Housing.
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The Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society, a Bahamian non-profit organization, and The Bahamas Government by way of The Bahamas Port Department, Ministry of Transport and Housing, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on February 18, 2022.
The MOU formalizes specific terms and conditions for the partnership. Historically, while the Port Department and its related section have been responsible for lighthouses and navigation aids (including the housing and salaries and fuel for the keepers), the Department has consistently relied on the Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society to execute financial, custodial, and practical oversight for the Elbow Reef Light station’s lighttower and its outbuildings.
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ASSISTANT KEEPER'S QUARTERS VERANDA PROJECT UPDATE |
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This is the Assistant Keeper's home. We have 20% of the sections of the veranda roof to finish, which includes adding the roof shakes (roof tiles) and the ridge caps to the veranda roof. Once completed, we will move on to the Principal Keeper's home. These two projects are funded by our retail store sales, private donations, and various fundraisers. |
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New deck repairs and porch railings |
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New steps, fresh paint and safety railings! |
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The Keepers' families are very happy! |
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Songwriters in Paradise help Elbow Reef's Keepers
We share our gratitude to all of the members of the "Songwriters In Paradise" Team who gave the Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society so much support on February 12, 2022 during an event at Firefly Sunset Resort. $22,000 was raised with much excitement which included the auctioning off a $5,000 guitar donated by Chris and Lisa Ballard. $5,000 was put towards purchasing much needed items for the Gift Shoppes in order to continue to pay forward the donation by allowing us to raise more money for the restoration. The remainder of the funds raised, ($17,000) were put towards the $97,000 project to complete the verandas, porches and rain capture system on the two Keepers' quarters.
Pictured left to right: Heather Forde-Prosa and Lisa Ballard (of the ERLS) with Patrick Davis, singer/songwriter.
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Thank you to the Petway Family for supporting the ERLS during one of our hardest times. Your contribution has been so valued by our team; especially because it reminded us to keep going even when times were tough! |
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Meet the new V.P. of the Elbow Reef Foundation, Laura Gallagher.
Laura, a Florida native, and Scotland Cay resident, has been boating in The Bahamas since she was a teenager. Laura has a degree in Biology from Florida State University and has worked extensively with marine mammals. After seeing the unbelievable hurricane damage in 2019, Laura and her family moved full-time to Abaco to help rebuild the community. Becoming a member of the Elbow Reef Foundation's board is Laura's way of giving back. A real estate agent in Delray Beach since 1997, Laura spends as most of her free time with her family at their home on Scotland Cay.
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Announcing the new Elbow Reef Foundation Treasurer, James W. Tivy, CPA.
James was born in The Bahamas and lived most of his life between The Bahamas and the U.S.A. with some years spent in the UK while attending boarding school. James works full-time as the CFO for The LGL Group. Having fond memories of Abaco and the Historic Elbow Reef Lighthouse, James volunteers his valuable personal time to help the ERLS receive financial support via incoming donations to the Foundation. Welcome to the board, James! The Elbow Reef Foundation is grateful for your guidance.
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Facebook unpublished our original page due to fundraising activity
and we have been unsuccessful in getting it restored.
Please rejoin our new FACEBOOK PAGE:
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We have another MATCH GRANT from an anonymous donor! If we can raise $2000 by the END OF MAY, the donor will double all monies raised up to $2000.
Donations and our retail shoppe have sustained all of the work completed to date, yet there is much more to do on the outbuildings.
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To Make Hope Town Shine Again and
to Turn $2000 into $4000, donate below and make the match grant a reality!
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(242) 699-4000
erlsbahamas@gmail.com
elbowreeflight.com
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