Michigan Lighthouse association looking for volunteers to live, work at

[cyndi]

[font=Georgia, serif]four of its historic lighthouses.[/font]

http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2015/04/lighthouse_association_looking.html

 

[highdesertranger]

that's so cool, what a gig. thanks Cyndi. highdesertranger

 

[offroad]

What an awesome lifestyle for a few months during the year.

 

[Canine]

The key words are"No Pay".

 

[anewbiewannabe]

The key words are"No Pay".

Not only no pay, but association fees to be paid. "No wages are given for working at the lighthouses. Volunteers must be 18 years and older and must be able to climb steps. There is also an association fee."

I have mixed feelings on volunteer positions in some places, especially ones that make big money for the concessionaires. One of the local state parks is managed by a non-profit that is really for profit that wants to run it understaffed and take the fees to use on other properties while having volunteers do everything for them that should be hired out instead. Meanwhile they want to raise the entrance fee so high that local people can no longer afford it and they want donations for basic upkeep that should be part of the basic management costs.

I looked at a volunteer position at a farm in TN a while back and in reality it was a paying position---you pay to be there and work for them. *sigh*

 

[Canine]

Hell,if people are so ready to work for nothing,they should come by my place.I can put them to work clearing brush,cutting firewood,mowing grass and painting.And I won't insult them by trying to pay them.Sounds like a win-win to me.

 

[Bandit2]

I have lived on a lighthouse before ( served as O in C of Plum Island Light , Plum island , L.I. , N.Y. )
It as a great experience if You do not mind being alone ( mine was on a U.S. Gov. Restricted Island ), but You can't beat the views , unless You are in a Foggy Location and have to listen to the fog signal for days on end .

 

[offroad]

Sometimes boondock ideal locations with gorgeous views and free electric and water are hard to come by. Yes volunteer work can be tricky. Think legally you can not make a volunteer stay for any reason. If it's a bad deal they can leave the next day.

 

[cyndi]

Hell,if people are so ready to work for nothing,they should come by my place.I can put them to work clearing brush,cutting firewood,mowing grass and painting.And I won't insult them by trying to pay them.Sounds like a win-win to me.

List your property on workaway or one of the other websites that trade work for a place toland.

I might pay an association fee and work for free for that kind of location.
And I know plenty of full-timers who volunteer aka work for free in many different locations for their FHUs, free-wifi and other perks.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I don't know.  Every time I run across a post about an "opportunity" like this, it reminds me of the time Tom tried to convince me that whitewashing a fence was really a lot of fun.

Regards
John

 

[anewbiewannabe]

I don't know.  Every time I run across a post about an "opportunity" like this, it reminds me of the time Tom tried to convince me that whitewashing a fence was really a lot of fun.

Regards
John

ROFL

 

[offroad]

Mr. Finn?

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

yeah...no way im paying anyone for the priviledge to work.

 

[Almost There]

yeah...no way im paying anyone for the priviledge to work.

The positions are open to members of the Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers Association which has restored and now operates the 4 lighthouses.

A membership in the association that would make one eligible to do one of the resident tours (as opposed to 1 lighthouse that doesn't have anywhere for volunteers to stay) is $60.00.

You're not paying for the privilege to work, you're joining the association.

There are lots of people who are enamored with lighthouses and would be interested in living in or near one for a few weeks and volunteering. I know I would love to do something like that if the opportunity arose here.

The key word is volunteering - something one does because they like to give back to a community or other organization that they see a value or purpose in.

I do volunteer work on hiking trails. It's my way of giving back!

 

[highdesertranger]

wouldn't that be a tax write off too. highdesertranger

 

[Almost There]

wouldn't that be a tax write off too.  highdesertranger

Maybe, depends on a couple of things - first whether you've got an income high enough to need tax write-offs!

Also depends on the tax status of the organization.