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A 6,000-pound buoy, donated by the United States Coast Guard traveled 1200 miles to its new home in front of the Museum of Lighthouse History in Wells, Maine thanks to the efforts of volunteers Carl and Marcia Jahn.

Carl and Marcia who are both active volunteers of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival in Alpena, Michigan said they remembered when Tim Harrison visited the Festival’s Museum last year he commented on the buoys on display in front of the museum, saying how much he’d like to have one in front of the museum in Maine.

Carl mentioned this to CWO Pete Louzao of the Aids to Navigation team in Detroit and “one thing led to another,” said Carl. Before we knew it, the necessary paperwork was filled out and they picked up the buoy. “Since we were planning on driving from Michigan to New England to attend the American Lighthouse Foundation spring fundraiser, we simply hauled it along on a trailer.”

Hauling it was no problem, said Marcia, “I navigated and Carl, who has done lots of long distance hauling before, found the trip a piece of cake.”

Carl said the most exciting part of the trip was crossing the border from the United States into Canada, where the border guards and customs gave him the third degree. Once that was overcome, he was even able to get permission to stop on the bridge so he could take a photo of the buoy at the actual international border.

Tim Harrison, president of the American Lighthouse Foundation, which runs the museum, said this is what volunteerism is all about. “None of this would have been possible if it were not for Carl and Marcia Jahn. The museum and ALF could never have afforded to pay a private company to haul this buoy from Michigan to Maine. They are two wonderful people.”

Carl and Marcia Jahn were recognized for their work at the ALF spring event, as is shown elsewhere in this month’s issue.

The buoy, now freshly painted, is now on display in front of the Museum of Lighthouse History in Wells, Maine.

This story appeared in the July 2003 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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