Next comes spring, when it's an "All-hands-on-deck" call for volunteers. Painting is a massive project; everything from the winding stairs in the lighthouse to every room in the Keeper's House needs a fresh coat of paint for the coming season. Steered again by Jim Walker, dates are posted and volunteers gathered for the drive out to the compound (which, by the way, is quite stunning during this season!). Volunteers bustle about, working hard to finish in time for our May 1 opening.

Late spring and summer also brings on a very unique type of volunteer: we call them our "Keepers". Reservations Manager Nikki Nunes works to coordinate Keepers with their guest-hosting dates for the upcoming season. On May 1, the first Keepers arrive to welcome our very first guests to the Race Point Keeper's house & Lighthouse. Our volunteer Keeper's duties are quite varied, including picking up guests for the drive (behind the wheel of our big Suburban's (over the two miles of sand dunes), orienting guests to the compound, cleaning and maintaining common areas of the house and lighthouse. Ask any Keeper if all this work is worth it, and you are guaranteed an enthusiastic response.

Not to be overlooked are the "behind-the-scenes" volunteers, donating their time in special capacities, like choosing, purchasing (and cleaning!) our beautiful braided rugs and guest bed duvet sets; acting as guides for public tours of the Lighthouse on summer weekends; maintaining and cleaning our three Suburbans...the list is quite vast! Recently, a large group of volunteers from Americorp donated a tremendous effort in planting sea grass near the Keeper's house; this helps maintain the sand dune's integrity underneath our solar array, and prevents erosion. Our entire solar system, and new in 2007, wind generator, was financed by donations of time, money, materials and special talents.

The Keeper's house also features a Gift Shop - again, cared for by volunteers. The Gift Shop offers items like embroidered sweatshirts and hats, Christmas ornaments, and engraved scrimshaw. The collection is affordably priced for our guests, thanks to sales agents that actually forgo their commissions, manufacturers who cut their costs, and distributors waiving shipping and other fees.

As you can see, every volunteer offers something we need - and is so gracious in donating time, effort, materials, or money. Without our volunteers, the entire Race Point compound - the Keeper's house, Lighthouse, Oil house and Whistle house - would again fall into disrepair. This is unthinkable, but very possible.

The Race Point experience - the glorious sanctity of this magnificent place - is one like no other, and difficult to encompass with words. But we shall never lose the words of thanks we extend to each of our volunteers.

Interested in volunteering for us? Drop us a line by following this link: The Jenkins Group.