PONCE INLET LIGHTHOUSE ASSOCIATION
The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse is once again lighting the way with its educational programing.
After a lull in programming due to COVID-19, the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse programs department is once again bringing high-quality education to people of all ages throughout Volusia County.
The new school year has reinvigorated interest in presentations and field trips to the lighthouse. Schools across Volusia County and beyond are registering for in-person and virtual workshops as well as class trips to the lighthouse. These trips are the highlight of the year for many students. The new focus of the programs department is combining the fun of a day at the lighthouse with rigorous, academic-based learning.
Aside from school tours, the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association will also be focusing on adult education programs. Dates for presentations by the lighthouse’s knowledgeable staff are coming forward. On October 23rd, lead docent John Mann will give a presentation at DeBary Hall for their Lemonade Lecture Series. On Veterans Day, November 11th, Director of Operations Mike Bennett will deliver a presentation on the history of the Coast Guard and their connection to the lighthouse. All presentations will also be available virtually. More presentations in this lecture series will be announced throughout Fall and Winter 2021.
In September, the lighthouse’s programs department jumpstarted its outreach program by participating in the Port Orange Family Days event. The outreach has continued into October with participation in the Volusia County Schools Families and Community Together (F.A.C.T.) Fair at DeLand High School. This collaboration worked to inform families across western Volusia County of the lighthouse’s educational offerings. The next outreach opportunity will be at the Fall Country Jamboree at Barberville on Saturday and Sunday, November 6th and 7th. Be sure to stop by the booth!
One of the most popular onsite offerings here at the lighthouse is our monthly Climb to the Moon event. This event offers guests the opportunity to toast the setting of the sun and the rise of the full moon with a spectacular view unlike anywhere else. Anyone interested in booking a date for Climb to the Moon in 2022, please contact the lighthouse at (386) 761-1821 ext. 10. We encourage you to make early reservations, as these dates fill up months in advance. Prices are $35 for non-members and $30 for members.
In November, the programs department will host Fall Homeschool Day on Thursday, November 18th from 10 A.M. until 3:30 P.M. This five-and-a-half-hour event will be a day of learning and fun for students across the state. Registration begins on Monday, October 18th, and the cost will be $6.95 per participant. Registration will be open to the first 100 students.
After that, the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse will celebrate veterans during its Veterans Day event on Thursday, November 11th. The event will include a U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation team with a rescue craft interacting with all lighthouse visitors, a flag-raising ceremony at 11 A.M., and a special presentation by Director of Operations Mike Bennett honoring the history of the Coast Guard and its long relationship to the U.S. Lighthouse Service. There will also be keeper-docents in United States Lighthouse Service uniforms answering questions, conducting tours of the light station, and bringing historic figures to life. A special craft activity will allow visitors and their children to make and take home their own American Flag.
The success of all of the programs provided by the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse rely on the dedication and hard work of our amazing volunteer corps. They are the backbone of the programs department and we appreciate everything that they do for the us. The Preservation Association is always looking for individuals interested in becoming volunteers. Monthly meetings and trainings will be provided for all volunteers, as well as the opportunity to preserve and interpret the history of a National Historic Landmark. Any individuals interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact Programs Manager Zach Hopple by email at zhopple@ponceinlet.org or by phone at (386)761-1821 ext. 18.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 1 – Town of Ponce Inlet
Page 2 – Citizens for Ponce Inlet (C4Pi)
Page 3 – Garden Club of Ponce Inlet
Page 4 – Ponce Animal Welfare (PAW), Women’s Club
Page 5 – Ponce Inlet Lions Club
Page 6 – PICCI – Ponce Inlet Community Center
Page 7 – Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Assoc.
Page 8 – Ponce Inlet Veterans Assoc.
Page 9 – Marine Science Center
Page 10 – Ponce Church