Further extending the celebration, the Saint Simons Island, Georgia-headquartered company has launched a new Lighthouse Selections line of “better-for-you” frozen seafood products sold in retail stores nationwide.
Erected in 1767, the original Morris Island Lighthouse was replaced in 1838 by a taller lighthouse, which was subsequently destroyed during the Civil War that pitted the North against the South. The third version, which is the present-day lighthouse, began operation in 1876. Since then, significant erosion has stranded the structure, which originally stood hundreds of yards inland on Morris Island, in offshore isolation on a postage-stamp-sized piece of land.
It’s all smiles as SeaPak donates $10,000 to the US Lighthouse Society to save Charleston’s aging offshore tower are (left to right): Mayor Tim Goodwin of Folly Beach; Al Hitchcock, Save the Light’s chairman of the board; Henry Gonzalez, the US Lighthouse Society board of director’s vice president; Ciera Womack, SeaPak’s associate marketing manager; and Dean Riegel, City of Charleston District # 10 council member.
The Morris Island Lighthouse was decommissioned in 1962, after a modern lighthouse was built nearby. When plans to tear down the aging tower were announced, area residents organized a preservation effort called “Save the Light,” which in 1999 purchased the structure for $75,000. Since then, campaigners have been working to raise money to stabilize and preserve the lighthouse for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.
“No local person who is alive today has ever known a time when the Morris Island Lighthouse wasn’t there at the entrance to Charleston Harbor,” said Al Hitchcock, chairman of Save the Light. “It is the most-beloved symbol of South Carolina’s maritime roots, but without our help, it is a certainty that our children and grandchildren will see it crumble and be lost.”
SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood, through a new alliance with the US Lighthouse Society, was drawn to the opportunity to help the Morris Island Lighthouse overcome its vulnerable state. Its donation on August 8 will go toward the preservation efforts led by Save the Light.
“As a company with a strong coastal heritage, we have a special fondness for lighthouses and coastal history. And through our quality seafood products, we’ve long been committed to making life ‘more coastal’ for our consumers,” said Megan Grinstead, SeaPak’s director of marketing. “When we started searching for ways to support the country’s coastline, it became clear that a partnership with the US Lighthouse Society would be one of the most meaningful ways we could help preserve America’s coastal history.”
The grant from SeaPak will contribute to funding an assessment of the current condition of the lighthouse and help determine what steps are necessary to further preserve the coastal icon.
Educational Beacon
The United States Lighthouse Society, which started the lighthouse preservation movement in America 30 years ago, strives to provide information that allows users to educate themselves and others about lighthouses and to locate specific information about any of the numerous US lighthouses still dotting America’s seashores and internal coastlines.
“While the 300-year era of manned lighthouses in the United States has ended, lighthouses remain a precious symbol of our maritime heritage,” said Jeff Gales, executive director of the US Lighthouse Society. “This donation from SeaPak for the Morris Island Lighthouse will go a long way toward preserving an incredible piece of Charleston and American history and furthering education about lighthouses and their role in the history of the United States.”
Across the country, many of the lighthouses remaining today have been converted into museums, living history centers and even hotels. Each year, thousands of visitors learn about lighthouses and their storied pasts, gaining a new appreciation of their unique architecture.
About SeaPak and Lighthouse Selections
SeaPak has been using coastal-inspired recipes to make shrimp and seafood products for more than 65 years. The company produces America’s top-selling retail frozen shrimp brand within the specialty seafood category.
SeaPak’s Lighthouse Selections are made with certified-sustainable, farm-raised shrimp that are high in lean protein, fresh in flavor, on-trend with seasonings, and void of preservatives or gluten. Available at retail stores across the country, the product line features Creamy Garlic Shrimp, Shrimp & Veggie Grillers, Chili Lime Marinated Shrimp and Salmon Burgers.
