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The Keeper's Times
The Old Baldy Foundation Community Newsletter
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Old Baldy COVID-19 Update
The Old Baldy Foundation continues to be humbled by the support we have received from the community of Bald Head Island during the COVID-19 crisis. The organization is proud to be offering virtual programming twice a day during this time, to serve the mission of historical preservation and educational outreach. Viewers have tuned in to Facebook Live at 10 am & 2 pm for an in-depth look at the Old Baldy archival collection and tours of historically significant spots on the island. Old Baldy would present this content if even just one viewer tuned in to learn, but is thrilled to have an average of 1,500 viewers per video. These viewers are tuning in from across the entire county and abroad. School children and teachers are using these videos as a tool for virtual learning, Bald Head Island lovers are using them as a way to connect with the community they miss, history buffs are expanding their knowledge, along with many others. Whatever the reason, the Old Baldy Foundation is honored to be reaching this many people in these trying times.
Not only has the Old Baldy Foundation received a welcome response to our virtual programming, but the Foundation has also been honored by the financial donations and contributions received. Old Baldy heavily relies on revenue from lighthouse admissions, historic tours, gift shop sales, special events, and more to fulfill our mission. With all of these avenues shut down due to the pandemic, worry set in about how operations would continue. The Old Baldy Foundation debuted a new website that includes an online shop with merchandise from the gift store, a place to make donations, online sales of the annual lighthouse pass, and even to adopt a duck for our annual duck race. The BHI community has once again shown their support of the Old Baldy Foundation as online orders and contributions have helped to allow operations to continue.
Another way to support Old Baldy when the island opens back up is to participate in one of the many community events it will host throughout the summer. Please follow
oldbaldy.org
for schedule updates and changes due to COVID-19. Join Old Baldy in celebrating the rich history of our island and community by attending events, volunteering, sponsoring, and more. COVID-19 will be an important piece in the historical story of Bald Head Island. Be a part of this story by celebrating our community with Old Baldy when we are on the other side of the health crisis.
Old Baldy has stood tall for over 200 years, and the Foundation will weather this pandemic by the support shown from our community.
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Earth Day Sale at Old Baldy's Online Shop!
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Old Baldy is proud to stand tall on a pristine piece of the earth, Bald Head Island! To celebrate, we are offering a sale on all products in our gift store that promote reuse!
Reusable totes, reusable tumblers, ec0-notebooks, recycled suncatchers, and more 15% off!
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A Call for Volunteers!
This summer, more than ever, Old Baldy will be relying on the help of volunteers to safely control the flow of visitors to the Lighthouse.
We anticipate having to limit the guests in the Lighthouse for the immediate future. Implementing this will require the assistance of volunteers.
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Are you interested in volunteering?
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LOCATION
Old Baldy
DATE AND TIME
04/24/20
1:00pm -
08/31/20
5:00pm
If you are interested in volunteer opportunities please respond below! An Old Baldy staff member will reach out with more information!
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Old Baldy Volunteer honored due to service work!
Jackson Fender is a resident of Asheville, NC, who spends his summers on Bald Head Island with family. He has been a dedicated steward to Old Baldy, spending countless hours of his summer vacation doing volunteer work at our cultural treasure!
Recently he has been honored with an impressive award due to his outstanding volunteer work, both here at Old Baldy and other organizations in his home town. He has put over 175 hours of volunteer time. Jackson is always up for any task. He operates the cash register in our gift shop, assists with Historical Tours, moves tables and tents during special events, sorts and organizes files for the Old Baldy archival collection, and countless other duties.
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Old Baldy Summer Event Updates
Please stay tuned for the next edition of the Keeper's Times coming out in early May. We will be making official announcements for the plans for our first summer events. The staff has been working diligently to plan ways to postpone and repurpose our upcoming events, so they are safe and accessible for everyone! For now, see the following updates:
Historic Happy Hour on May 20th
- Taking place virtually (see information below)
Memorial Day Service on May 25th
- Taking place virtually (information will be available in the next Keeper's Times)
North Carolina Treasures Weekend June 12th-14th
- TBD ( We understand it is unlikely this event can be hosted in early June. We are working to move the celebrations to a later date.)
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Virtual Historic Happy Hour
May, 20th at 5pm!
On May 4, 1893, keeper Sonny Dosher welcomed Herbert Bamber to Bald Head Island. Throughout two spring days, Bamber took a series of four photographs depicting Old Baldy Lighthouse near the turn of the 20th century. In many photographs, keeper Dosher stands proudly beneath the Lighthouse, wearing his uniform, posing beside his daughters Lillian and Catherine. These photographs are the oldest known pictures of Old Baldy. Join the Old Baldy Foundation in exploring these photographs and the history of Herbert Bamber at a virtual Historic Happy Hour. Guest speakers, John and Aida Havel from the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society, will be joining us for this virtual celebration!
We will be using the GoToMeeting platform to have up to 50 virtual users join us from their own homes.
Anyone interested in joining must make a reservation. Information on how to join the private live streaming will be emailed before the event.
Due to the virtual nature of this Happy Hour, the event will be "Virtually Free"! Use promo code VirtualHappyHour to sign up at no cost. Donations are gladly accepted and encouraged in place of the registration fee.
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Is it time to renew your annual pass to Old Baldy?
Last year around this time, the Old Baldy Foundation debuted a new lighthouse annual pass. We were met with great success and rave reviews from the pass holders.
The annual pass program features two tiers with different levels of access to Old Baldy, but both include annual access to climb and tour tickets.
You can renew your annual pass online today!
This is a great way to support Old Baldy durning these trying times. All annual passes purchased while we are shut down due to COVID- 19 will have the start date as the date we reopen.
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Adopt a Duck for a chance to win $500!
Our readers that frequent the Maritime Market during the spring and summer may be accustomed to seeing smiling Old Baldy volunteers selling ducks for our annual duck race!
Our volunteers were getting everything in order to begin selling ducks over Easter, but COVID-19 has changed those plans. Instead of waiting to adopt your duck at the market, how about adopt your duck online?
It is just $10 to adopt one duck for the race, but you can spend $100 and receive a bonus duck and have eleven ducks enter the race. The owner of the winning duck will win $500!
The duck race will take place over National Lighthouse Weekend on Saturday, August 8th at 2pm. We invite you to join the festivities, but you do not need to be present to win. We will contact the winner immediately after the race!
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2020 Sponsorship Opportunities!
As the Old Baldy Foundation changes event plans due to
COVID-19, we remain hopeful a majority of our yearly festivities will still be able to take place! We understand that this pandemic has created financial hardships, in addition to the many health worries, but still would like to extend an invitation to work with the Old Baldy Foundation as a sponsor in 2020!
Our sponsorship package was created prior to the widespread implications of the pandemic. We are eager to work with anyone to customize a sponsorship package that fits your needs or create an in-kind sponsorship arrangement.
By supporting the Old Baldy Foundation as a sponsor, not only will you be directly helping the Old Baldy Foundation work to preserve Old Baldy as a beloved monument to North Carolina, but you will receive exclusive access to the events and unique marketing opportunities.
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