Lighthouse license plates distributed

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) - The Friends of Plum Beach Lighthouse have handed out more than 1,400 of the new Rhode Island Lighthouse license plates sets during an event on Saturday in North Kingstown.

The plates, depicting the Plum Beach Lighthouse , is the first state license plate to show a local Rhode Island landmark. The non-profit group is the deed-holder to the iconic lighthouse that sits beneath the Jamestown Bridge on Narragansett Bay in North Kingstown.

"The Plate Event was completely amazing and we were totally surprised by its success," says Friends president David Zapatka of North Kingstown. "we didn't know what to expect leading up to the weekend event because we've never held anything like this, but it's a testament to the hard work of all our volunteers that it went off so well."

Each set of plates cost the applicant $41.50 and $20 of each order goes to the group as a fund raiser to repaint the lighthouse which was renovated in 2003 after sitting abandoned and neglected for 62 years. The lighthouse is is dire need of repainting having sat in the harsh marine environment with little maintenance since the renovation. Work is schedule to begin at the lighthouse next month.

The official Rhode Island DMV count reveals only 181 of 1640 plates were not distributed and are currently available at the Pawtucket headquarters. They expect a huge increase in plate sales.

• Click here to order a Plum Beach Lighthouse License Plate