On Friday, April 15th, the Overfalls Foundation participated in Lake Forest Central Elementary School’s Delaware Day. The school invited many regional organizations to come into the classrooms and explain how their programs enrich our lives as Delawareans.
The Foundation’s contingent was made up of President Tracy Mulveny, John Kyritsis, Susan Trone and David Bernheisel. Each of them took turns telling the Overfalls story to fourth and fifth graders in thirty minute increments. These sessions were highly interactive with lots of questions from the students.
 Overfalls President Tracy Mulveny fields a question from a Lake Forest elementary school student. The Overfalls ship model held the interest of the students. |
The students learned about lightships and their role in helping ship traffic in dangerous and highly crowded shipping channels. Lightships served the same purpose of lighthouses but obviously on the water. The Lightship Overfalls (LV 118) was built in 1938 and spent 34 years serving at three locations until she was decommissioned in 10972.. It has been restored by the Overfalls Foundation and sits proudly in her new slip in historic Lewes waiting for all to visit her.
Many questions were asked by the students, particularly the living conditions aboard the ship while she served on her station. They learned that there were three shifts of crew who served two week shifts on and one shift ashore on leave. The Overfalls group used the ship's four foot model to point out features of the lightship including its warning light and huge fog horn used when conditions made the light signal ineffective.
For more information on the Overfalls Foundation, the lightship and the associated programs, see www.Overfalls.org.