The Gene Oakes Memorial License Plate Fund

We want to give you the opportunity to display this beautiful art as your Florida license plate.  While displaying your love of lighthouses you will be helping generate funds to restore these state treasures.  You can help us by generously contributing to the fund being gathered to present the submission to the State of Florida as a new specialty license plate.

Note: The bill authorizing the "Visit Our Lights" tag was approved by the Florida Senate on April 28, 2008 by a vote of 35-4.  On April 29 the House of Representatives gave it a 118-1 approval.  All we need now is the governor's signature and the plate will become a reality.  Thank all of you for your support in bringing this about.  We hope that the license will become available by February, 2009.  Now we can all give our full support by purchasing these tags and proudly displaying them on our cars.

Read a tribute to Gene    
Planting of Oak Tree       

Please mail your tax deductible donation to:
The Florida Lighthouse Association
Lighthouse Specialty Plate Project
81 Lighthouse Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32080

Who Are We?

The Florida Lighthouse Association was founded in 1996 for the purpose of creating awareness of Florida's many lighthouses.  As a maritime state with extensive coastlines, our state has many lighthouses of various construction.  Our lighthouses are a state treasure and a national treasure as well.  Each of these structure is unique in history and architecture.  Unfortunately, many of Florida's lighthouses are in disrepair and we are in danger of losing them.

The Association is a consortium of the individual lighthouse organizations and interested individuals from across Florida and the nation.  We meet quarterly, rotating the meetings among the various lighthouses.  This gives us an opportunity to allow membership to personally experience each lighthouse and encourage the membership to support the member lighthouses.

What are our Objectives?

• The Association has as its objective the preservation of Florida's lighthouses for future generations.  Our goals are to assist in the restoration process, to educate the public regarding lighthouse history, to bring awareness of their present condition and to provide as much financial assistance as possible to the preservation effort.

• We are committed to providing every assistance possible to preserve all of Florida's lighthouses.  This assistance is a multi-faceted approach.  We provide information to the local  lighthouse organizations in the form of advice and guidance in navigating legislative issues. 

• we assist in educating the public regarding circumstances surrounding specific lighthouse issues.  We provide funds through the issuance of grants to local lighthouse organizations to assist them in meeting financial obligations that are incurred in the restoration, maintenance and preservation process.

• Florida's lighthouses are a source of pride to Floridians.  They are sentinels of the past and they represent where we have been.

• By preserving Florida's lighthouses we can honor our heritage, preserve our past, show appreciation for artisanship and integrity, experience and appreciate the efforts and accomplishments of prior generations and inspire future generations of architects, engineers and historians.