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Local filmmaker to raffle the ‘Sanibel Lighthouse’

By Staff | Jun 20, 2011

Rusty Farst, left, and with Richard Johnson, general manager of Bailey’s General Store, pose in front of the Sanibel Lighthouse replica.

If you’ve recently visited Bailey’s General Store and noticed an accurate scale replica of the Sanibel Lighthouse, standing prominently in the front of the store, and wondered what was that all about, then wonder no more.

Rusty Farst, a Sanibel filmmaker, together with Bailey’s General Store, is selling $10 raffle tickets for the model lighthouse and the lucky winner gets to take it home. Part of the proceeds will go to start a fund that will pay for repainting the original Sanibel Lighthouse.

The replica is a 1/10th scale model of the best known and much loved Sanibel landmark: seen and recognized as a sign that we have returned to our most favorite place as we come over the causeway or visit the Lighthouse Beach.

Its creator, Ken Idle, spent nearly 60 hours welding and assembling this perfect replica, accurate in almost every detail.

Idle has been a welder for over 45 years and does specialty work on boats and other marine structures. The lighthouse was built with aviation aluminum for its lightness and strength, stands about 10 feet tall, weighs only about 70 pounds and is the winner’s to keep. The additional perk is that the light at the top actually works and due to the chosen material, it will never rust.

“It’s a great opportunity to own a piece of Sanibel history, but in much smaller form,” said Farst. “There are so many creative things that someone can do with it, but more importantly, it will help us repaint the original.”

More than half of the available 700 tickets have been sold, so make sure to stop by and purchase one. If you’d like, you can give them to friends, employees and family as gifts.

Tickets can be bought at Bailey’s General Store or from Rusty Farst, whom you can contact via e-mail at rustyfarst@rustyfarst.com.