New Dungeness Light Station needs your vote

Sequim icon in running for new windows

Your vote could help the New Dungeness Lighthouse win more than 30 new windows and doors — all it takes is the click of a mouse.

For the second year in a row, the New Dungeness Lighthouse Station Association has entered a coast-to-coast contest sponsored by Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors. This year, Sequim’s icon is among 12 lighthouse finalists out of 49 applications. Jeld-Wen began its Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative in 2005 as a way to preserve U.S. landmarks with the latest in window and door technology while maintaining their historical accuracy. If Sequim wins, it would mean a boon of $30,000 to $40,000, according to Barry Dove, general manager.

“If we won, it would mean we could start the second phase of restoring the interiors after making sure the lighthouse is watertight,” Dove said. “The windows were put in around 1904 — they’re single pane with no energy efficiency and many of the frames are rotten. We just can’t afford to do it at this time, but it is in our long-range plans.” Winning the makeover would cut years off the association’s “maintenance must” list.

The lighthouse marked its 150th anniversary last year and each year about 7,000 visitors from around the world make the 11-mile round trip trek to tour it and the 1904 keeper’s house. The New Dungeness Light Station Association is a nonprofit organization with approximately 900 members and supports its maintenance program solely through dues and donations.

Dove noted that New Dungeness has many more windows than most lighthouses, thus it’s a greater challenge to replace them with custom built and historically accurate windows that are energy efficient.

“If we could win, it really would be a blessing for us because they would make that building truly watertight,” Dove said.

He is rallying all association members and the entire Sequim-Port Angeles community to vote online at www.jeld-wen.com/lighthouse before Sept. 7. Other contenders are in California, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. Washington state holds the distinction of having both the New Dungeness Light Station and Grays Harbor Light Station among the top dozen.

“We entered last year, too, so it’s really neat to know we have a 1 in 12 chance,” Dove said. “We want to let people know that their voting will help determine the winner.”

For more information, visit www.newdungenesslighthouse.com.