News Release

The People Have Spoken: Three Lighthouses in the Limelight

Louisiana, Michigan and North Carolina lighthouses move onto the final consideration stage

Klamath Falls, Ore. September 18, 2008 —

• Half a million public votes in the JELD-WEN Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative have narrowed 12 lighthouse finalists to three (located in Louisiana, Michigan and North Carolina).
• Winner to receive window and door makeover.
• Three finalists now undergoing thorough evaluation to select final winner by November.
  Photos, videos and interviews with all three finalists are available, more info. accessible via below links

After nearly a half-million public votes cast, the hotly contested race to win JELD-WEN’s Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative is down to three worthy candidates (in alphabetical order): Bodie Island Light Station in North Carolina, Grand Traverse Lighthouse in Michigan and New Canal Lighthouse in Louisiana.

With very different stories, histories and architectural styles, these top lighthouse finalists together generated nearly 70 percent of the public votes, narrowing the field from 12 lighthouse candidates to three. Voting ended Sept. 7, and the next stage will be a thorough evaluation of each lighthouse to determine need, overall restoration plans and historic preservation requirements. The final winner will receive custom JELD-WEN windows and doors.“The outpouring of public support has been incredible and every single vote has made a difference,” said Lynne Butterworth, JELD-WEN lighthouse project manager. “The 12 finalists - indeed all 50 lighthouses that were nominated - are all very deserving of help and support. The people have spoken, and now, we need to complete our due diligence and consider all criteria for the final selection.”

In alphabetical order, the three finalists moving on to the next stage of evaluation for the JELD-WEN Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative include:

Bodie Island Light Station, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, N.C. – A beacon of comfort and light for a dangerous stretch of eastern coastline known as “the graveyard of the Atlantic,” Bodie Island is a visually striking lighthouse with a beautiful black-and-white striped tower. Today, the 136-year-old lighthouse with its original first-order Fresnel lens needs not only new windows and doors, but also major stabilization of the 156-foot tall tower to re-open it to the public and ensure that it will continue to stand proudly well into the future. Video footage is available online.

Grand Traverse Lighthouse, Leelanau State Park, Mich. – With a 150-year history, this stately structure on Lake Michigan is beloved by the community and visitors alike. After the U.S. Coast Guard relocated and automated the light in 1972, a group of volunteers formed the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum to preserve the building’s history. Grand Traverse lighthouse now welcomes nearly 150,000 visitors each year. Video footage is available online.

New Canal Lighthouse, New Orleans, La. – According to “American Lighthouses,” New Canal is widely considered “the nation’s most endangered lighthouse.” This charming landmark lost its brave battle against Hurricane Katrina three years ago. An active aid to navigation since the 1830s, it is currently being reconstructed with materials salvaged from the structure built in 1890 with the goal of restoring its original glory as a working lighthouse and museum. The lighthouse project serves as a symbol of hope to the rebuilding of New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast. Video footage is available online.

Lighthouse enthusiasts, communities and fans throughout the nation deserve the credit for a tremendous outpouring of support. JELD-WEN anticipates that its final evaluation and a decision regarding the ultimate winner of this year’s Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative will be completed this fall.

Other finalists this year (in alphabetical order) included Baltimore Harbor Lighthouse in Maryland; Cedar Island Lighthouse in New York; Grays Harbor Light Station in Washington; New Dungeness Light Station in Washington; Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Maine; Plum Island Station in Wisconsin; Point Arena Light Station in California; Rose Island Lighthouse in Rhode Island; Toledo Harbor Lighthouse in Ohio.

Butterworth also encourages those passionate about helping save the nation’s treasured lighthouses to volunteer, support and advocate for them. More information is available through many local lighthouse organizations, as well as the national U.S. Lighthouse Society and American Lighthouse Foundation.

The JELD-WEN Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative began in 2005 as a way to preserve these beloved U.S. landmarks with the latest window and door technology and help restore the original architecture and performance of the historic structures. Considered “America’s castles,” lighthouses face some of the most severe climate conditions in the world and many are under threat due to age and lack of resources needed for restoration. The next lighthouse selected will follow in the footsteps of three impressive lighthouses that JELD-WEN has helped to restore: Umpqua River Lighthouse in Ore., Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse in Md. and Wind Point Lighthouse in Wis. Follow the progress at
www.jeld-wen.com/lighthouse, Flickr and YouTube. You can also download this PDF of FAQ’s.

About JELD-WEN
JELD-WEN, inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of reliable windows and doors. Based in Klamath Falls, Ore., JELD-WEN began as a small Oregon millwork plant with 15 employees in 1960 and has grown to more than 20,000 employees in nearly 150 locations worldwide. Today the company manufactures a full breadth of windows, doors and garage doors, and has earned numerous awards and endorsements for reliability, innovation and excellence. For more information about the exceptional value and reliability of JELD-WEN® products, or to find a dealer near you, please visit www.jeld-wen.com or call 800-877-9482, ext. PR036.

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