North Manitou Light Keepers announce final capital campaign to complete restoration of “The Crib”
Photo by Mae Stier
From staff reports
North Manitou Light Keepers (NMLK) have announced the launch of the final phase of the Campaign for the Crib. This capital campaign supports restoration of the North Manitou Shoal Light. The goal of this phase is to raise the $300,000 needed to complete major restoration of the historic offshore lighthouse in the Manitou Passage.
Click here to read our feature story from November 2021 about the North Manitou Light Keepers’ effort to restore the Crib.
With this funding, NMLK will install new electrical and plumbing systems, as well as new interior fixtures and finishes. This work will complete the major restoration of the Crib and could be done by the end of 2025. Overnight stays and other experiences, in addition to currently offered day tours, can then be possible for members and the public.
NMLK so far has raised $175,000 of its $300,000 goal. This momentum is anchored by a $100,000 lead gift from Daniel and Anna Oginsky, which brings their total support of the Crib’s restoration to about $500,000 since 2017.
“Bringing the Crib back to life has become a calling, and we are all determined to see the job through,” said Daniel Oginsky, who currently serves as NMLK’s President. “As a piece of Michigan maritime history, a part of the beauty of the Manitou Passage, and a symbol of light, our whole team is excited to make the Crib open for appreciation, education, and amazing experiences.”
Several sponsorship opportunities are available for donors to help finish restoring the Crib. Sponsorship allows an individual or family to fund a piece of restoration and make their mark on the Crib. Sponsors will be honored with permanent signage in the Crib. Notable sponsorship opportunities include funding the installation of the electrical system ($75,000), the plumbing system ($75,000), and providing funding for interior fixtures and finishes, including:
- Lantern House Sponsor: $7,500 (3 remaining)
- Window Sponsor: $5,000 (4 remaining)
- Kitchen Cabinets and Fixtures: $10,000
- Kitchen Appliances: $5,000
- Bathroom Cabinets and Fixtures: $10,000
- Museum Displays: $5,000
- Furnish a Room (Kitchen and Living Room remaining): $2,000
- Sponsor a Step in the Crib’s Stairs: $1,000
NMLK acquired the Crib from the federal government in 2017, and immediately started restoration efforts. Under the leadership of Dave McWilliam, NMLK’s Chief of Operations and Restoration, the non-profit organization saved the lighthouse from water intrusion and damage, refinished its exterior, restored all of its original windows and lantern house glass, resurfaced decks, and completed other restoration and maintenance work.
“It’s a labor of love for sure,” Dave said, “and rewarding to work with so many people to make this happen too.”
The work completed by NMLK so far has been made possible by a robust membership of more than 375 people, and a combination of $850,000 in private donations and $150,000 in grants from the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, the Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Foundation, and the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation. “So much of this effort is about connection . . . with other people, with history, and with that bigger purpose you feel working on something like this,” said Jake Kaberle, an NMLK founding member and current Board Member. “You feel that connection to something bigger out in the Manitou Passage too,” he said.
NMLK is a 501c(3) non-profit organization founded in 2016. Its mission is to restore the North Manitou Shoal Light, make it and its history available to the public for education and appreciation, and cultivate an active community of stewardship for this piece of Michigan maritime history that stands amidst one of America’s most beautiful locations.
For more information about North Manitou Light Keepers, visit: www.northmanitoulightkeepers.org.
