Ram Island Lighthouse

Via email — this is the type of membership involvement we hope to maintain.  It makes it human and about the people of the lighthouse.  We are sure there are many more stories, photos and tales to go along with this one we received today! Bob Muller

“I think what your doing is awesome! My father grew up in cape elizabeth as the son of a lighthouse keeper, he grew up right there at two lights, he has some cool stories about those lights! My grandfather is still around, he\’s 89 yes old and currently resides in pownal … He has told me all sorts of stuff about those lights as well as my great grandfather who was a captain on the Portland fireboat (his picture is in the lighthouse museum in cape elisabeth) … I would love to purchase a membership for my father.”

“Feel free to contact me with any questions.”

“Please let me know when the drop dead date is for buying memberships.”

Thank you againKWard

MaineGuy Update 8-Sept-10 Wednesday

Good EveningSorry for the late update.  My brain muscles were so tense and tight after talking on the phone, interviewing and trying to talk with bidders all day.  What a day! I had to go out for a glass of wine.  I have another cardiologist meeting tomorrow morning and have to fast tonight so I wanted my wine early!

I have a request.  Can you friend us and twitter us at the links below if you have not already done so.  It helps get our word out there and the friend-to-friend-to-friend can be powerful.  I think most of you may have already done that though and thanks.  If you have a friend at the national news or Digg or Hollywood that might help too.
 
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ramislandlight
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/RamIslandLighthouse?ref=ts

I think there is a pattern between the neurosurgeon in Scarborough&Brunswick (Jeffery E. Flormand), the entrepreneur in Portland (Art Girard) and the Tugdoctor from Dartmouth NH.  We are at $165K and my personal credit card used to register would be over its limit when the 10% down payment of $16,500 is due at award anyway.  My wife is happy about that. We have gone from $35k to $165k in 6 days.  I can not raise money fast enough for that pace and at that level.  (See the bid pattern of names at the end of this blog).

How does a neurosurgeon or group of doctors bid between surgeries?  And tugdoctor.  We found him/her on eBay rating forum and they buy a lot of things but never sell anything.  They changed their original eBay handle from a name……@dartmouth.edu to tugdoctor.  We sent them a note via eBay contact but nothing back yet.  But the surgeon’s in Portland and tugdoctor from Dartmouth should now know we are onto them.

Also, we noticed how each of them came to the lighthouse after our open message to everyone.  We just wanted you to be able to do “Own The Good You Do”.  Now we will see who attempts to use our innovative model.  In the end, our social network and people’s option was a success.  The lighthouse has probably had more public light shining on it then ever before.  That is good and we met alot of very nice and helpful folks too.  Life is good.

We can only sit on the side and watch what we created through all our efforts and press explaining our people’s option.  The best we can hope for it is that whoever wins will give us a call and we can come to a deal and still work our model.  We have no other option unless a very very significant sponsor walks into our life tomorrow.

We might have a chance albeit slight.  We interviewed with NECH/Boston this afternoon and will have a 2 minute piece about us on their station today and tonight.  Maybe 10,000 viral people will sign up between now and 3pm tomorrow for $50 buck each.

We are putting our support behind Art Girard.  He is from Portland, a local businessman, his intentions are pure, he has a long standing reputation in the area.  He and I have spoken but so far he is non-committal.  There is no sense talking until and if he wins the bid.

Well we did call GSA and ask for a commission.  We suggested that we probably doubled or tripled the governments take.  I guess that is our own little rebate stimulus program!  They agreed.
Where did Pam go?  I called her and left a message but she is probably pursuing more sane business elsewhere.

I am not much of a writer/blogger, so the bid rolls onto another day.  See you tomorrow – again!

Thx
Bob Muller
bob@ramislandlighthouse.com
For those interested, here is the bid link again and the latest status.
http://www.auctionrp.com/Property_details.cfm?id=1152
$165,000.00  AGIRARD  09/08/10 04:40:47 PM 
$160,000.00  tugdocto  09/08/10 04:07:14 PM 
$155,000.00  abcdefg  09/08/10 03:13:22 PM 
$150,000.00  AGIRARD  09/08/10 02:15:04 PM 
$145,000.00  tugdocto  09/08/10 01:57:58 PM 
$140,000.00  abcdefg  09/08/10 01:53:02 PM 
$135,000.00  AGIRARD  09/08/10 01:47:59 PM 
$130,000.00  tugdocto  09/08/10 01:33:37 PM 
$125,000.00  abcdefg  09/08/10 01:16:31 PM 
$120,000.00  AGIRARD  09/08/10 01:03:46 PM 
$115,000.00  abcdefg  09/08/10 12:46:18 PM 
$110,000.00  AGIRARD  09/07/10 09:25:33 PM 
$105,000.00  abcdefg  09/07/10 04:26:52 PM 
$100,000.00  AGIRARD  09/07/10 01:27:16 PM 
$95,000.00  abcdefg  09/07/10 12:12:07 PM 
$90,000.00  AGIRARD  09/07/10 10:51:52 AM 
$85,000.00  abcdefg  09/07/10 08:21:24 AM 
$80,000.00  AGIRARD  09/05/10 05:36:21 PM 
$75,000.00  pamg207  09/04/10 02:43:48 PM 
$70,000.00  AGIRARD  09/03/10 05:06:56 PM 
$65,000.00  tugdocto  09/03/10 01:54:45 PM 
$60,000.00  JCalto  09/03/10 01:15:34 PM 
$55,000.00  tugdocto  09/03/10 12:39:47 PM 
$50,000.00  abcdefg  09/03/10 12:18:20 PM 
$45,000.00  tugdocto  09/03/10 10:46:37 AM 
$40,000.00  abcdefg  09/03/10 10:43:37 AM 
$35,000.00  tugdocto  09/02/10 11:57:20 AM 
$30,000.00  JCalto  08/26/10 07:47:31 PM 
$15,000.00  Maineguy  08/17/10 04:27:34 PM 
$10,000.00  jlucas  07/09/10 02:52:00 PM 

We knew our public model would open our model, mission and game plan to the world. Ours is an open “people’s option” so we communicate. The downside is the social network can not respond quick enough unless our message went viral and 10,000 people bought Lighthouse Keeper Membership Deeds today.

The people bidding now would never have known about the lighthouse had it not been for our messaging getting out there. The good news is, the Federal Government is benefiting by getting an unusually higher price for a little lonely lighthouse in Portland Maine.

It is now at $120k this afternoon.  Oh wow, correct that — $140K.  This is crazy!

Bob – From Maine, USA

Ram Island -- A Member Photo

We need to some how go viral and get 4,000 – 10,000 members to sign up.  That is a very tall order but if you can lend a hand some how, please go for it.  thx Bob

Here are some of your overnight email comments. 

I just got back from my first visit to Portland-and Maine for that matter.  When I got back, I “liked” Beckys Diner, then saw the Portland, Maine link, then the ILovePortlandMaine link, then the article about the auction of the lighthouse and island.  You know, the whole friend of friend of friend thing? K Lattman (KL sent along a photo but I could not add his .png image -need jpg)

Have home in lincolnville beach. Took this picture last year. This is where interest began PHorowitz

I’m from Maryland and my good friend lives in Maine and we are both lighthouse lovers – she sent me the info. I then contacted lighthouse groups in NJ, NC, DC, NY, RI and VA. Whether any of them did anything I do not know – but if I contacted them – then others probably did also – so someone in those states joined! Great showing! JL Williams.

I live in Montana and found out about the Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse from my brother who lives in Auburn and is an avid sea kayaker.  My brother sent me a link to your home page with the question:  Do you want to buy a lighthouse.   I have followed you blog with great interest and find your process innovative. R Tieman

Ram Island Ledge still remains as a landmark to Portland Harbor

http://www.mpbn.net/Television/LocalTelevisionPrograms/MPBNCommunityFilms/TheFilms/tabid/1163/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3485/ItemId/9562/Default.aspx

Maineguy Update 6:00 pm Saturday 4-Sept-2010

I am making a call for action – if anyone knows of the private parties bidding and can get my phone number to them, please have them call me at 207-956-0699.

1.  $75,000.00  pamg207  09/04/10 02:43:48 PM 
2. $70,000.00  AGIRARD  09/03/10 05:06:56 PM
3. $65,000.00  tugdocto  09/03/10 01:54:45 PM
4. $60,000.00  JCalto  09/03/10 01:15:34 PM
5. $55,000.00  tugdocto  09/03/10 12:39:47 PM

We have two other bidders in the race driving the price upwards.  I am not sure whether we have a cause going, an ego going, a private individual, a New York finance group or a business causing going on with them.

While I cannot comment on anyone else’s private intentions or plans, we are the only group with a well thought out sustainable plan to keep the lighthouse ownership in Maine.  We certainly are the only ones with the plan for a unique “people’s option” to get the lighthouse into the hands of interested average individuals.  And, our model also pays local taxes while supporting the lighthouse for the average person to be engaged.  It is not perfect but it is a good approach for kids, gifts and plain fun.

Private individuals or other organizations have not provided such an engaging way to help sustain and take care of the lighthouse.  They may have a committee or small group making substantial decisions without the knowledge of members or the public.  Ours is as open as we could imagine.

Our model benefits all lighthouses with our plan to help various non-profit lighthouse and estuary causes.  We put our plan out for all to see.  Why haven’t the others?  Maybe they do have a better plan and sustainable model.  It would be nice to review it for ourselves.

Instead of competing and simply driving the price up for the benefit of the government, I would like to join forces with other serious bidders.  So, I make that action request now – if you know them, please have them call me or give me their number and I will gladly call them.  Again, mine is 207-956-0699.

In the end, I think all good has come to us so far.  Ram Island Ledges Lighthouse is now getting the attention it really deserves. It has been neglected for along time.
Bob@ramislandlighthouse.com

The bid went from $30K to $65K in just under a couple of hours today.  We (Maineguy) did not bid.

We have to consider our options and see if we can participate at this new level.

According to the auction rules, the close date now rolls over to Tuesday.  So, if nobody bids $70K, todays high bidder wins.

You can see the bidders at http://www.auctionrp.com/Property_details.cfm?id=1152

More updates later.  What a crazy day.

We succeed in raising the funds we needed.  Just in time to be out bid with a $35k bid.

Need everyone to touch base with companies and philanthropists to pledge support for our Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse — not only keep it in Maine but keep it the peoples option to “own a little piece of a working Maine lighthouse” and get your Keeper Membership Deed and a home mini block of granite.

Bob — Good Night From Maine, USA

We will not make our goal without the support of our Maine iconic businesses as well as from our more wealthy individuals who can support the community.

We need pledges from them of $40-$50,000 by 2pm tomorrow 9/2/2010 to reach a doable winning bid.

Send an email to bob@ramislandlighthouse.com with pledge in the subject along with an amount.

We need $40,000 to $50,000 to beat the bid from New York for the Portland Harbor Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse.  People have been donating rapidly.  But we need Portland and Maine business leadership help to fill a large gap in order to bid and keep ownership in Maine. 

We almost doubled our donation membership but we will fall far short of the needed funds to win the bid.   I called a couple of business contacts and left them messages.  Sent a note to LLBean too.  While individuals have been most supportive, given the short time frame we need rapid business leadership support.