Lighthouse Environmental Programs

A valued partnership 

Lighthouse Environmental Programs (LEP) is a valued partner of SWS and has provided tens of thousands of dollars over more than two decades to help us accomplish our missions.

LEP was created by Don Meehan, founder of WSU Beach Watchers (now SWS) to provide a 501-C-3 charity arm supporting it, keeping Admiralty Head Lighthouse open to the public, and the WSU Waste Wise waste-reduction program.

That funding stream has been critical to SWS and is made possible by the proceeds generated each year by Washington vehicle owners who subscribe to the specialized vehicle license plate with the watercolor print of a lighthouse on it. The artwork was created by Coupeville artist and SWS member Janet Orso.

Each license plate subscription delivers $28 to LEP, which then allocates ninety per cent to other organizations and activities it determines are best aligned with its goals. SWS, Waste Wise, and the Admiralty Head Lighthouse Docents were original organizations LEP endeavored to support, along with other projects and efforts to preserve and maintain Washington’s surviving public lighthouses. Recently, LEP has also provided grants to other complimentary grassroots environmental organizations, including the Orca Network.    

SWS encourages every member and friend to ‘upgrade’ to the lighthouse plate and to encourage your neighbors to as well. They may be enticed by that plate with the Orca on it (which supports the state department of fish and wildlife), but make sure they know that no plate does more to support local efforts that provide a greater effect on our coastal ecology, aquatic life, and environmental resiliency to climate change than the one with the lighthouse on it!