BATH — Friends of Seguin Island Light Station, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Seguin Island lighthouse, have announced that it raised $7,000 during its July Summerfest fundraiser at Maine Maritime Museum in Bath.

“We are thrilled with the success of this important fundraising effort, and are forever grateful to our generous supporters, volunteers, and donors who allow us to maintain this important historic Maine landmark,” said Deb McKenna, FOSILS president. “One of our primary goals is to make the island more accessible to those who want to visit it, and we can do that with continued fundraising successes such as this.”

This summer’s light station keepers, Larry and T’Ann Naugle of Texas, delivered a presentation, describing their experiences on the island. Every year, F.O.S.I.L.S. invites couples to apply for a position as light station keepers for the summer season. Applications are due by Dec. 15, and the review committee will contact leading candidates by January 15.

Plans for Summerfest 2016 will begin in the fall, with discussions underway to address the island tram, which is no longer in use and has been deemed unsafe due to its decaying framework. The tram is believed to be one of the only remaining of its kind in the United States.

McKenna said that all of the proceeds from the event are targeted to the preservation and maintenance of Seguin Island, its light station, and surrounding buildings and structures on the island, one of which houses its First Order Fresnel Lens, comprised of 282 individual glass prisms.

The light station was commissioned by George Washington in 1795 and is the tallest and second-oldest in the state. For more information about F.O.S.I.L.S., Seguin Island, or Summerfest, or to make a donation to the Seguin Island Light Station, contact McKenna at [email protected], (207) 329-8903 or www.SeguinIsland.org.