Half of the 287 bulbs must be replaced, two pieces of neon tubing must be replicated, and thanks to a $1,000 check presented to the Beaufort County Arts Council Monday night, the Turnage Theater marquee is well on its way to lighting up Main Street, Washington, again.

The check was given to BCAC Executive Director Joey Toler by the board of the Beaufort County Traditional Music Association; the funds, proceeds from the twice-yearly Tar Landing Jam held Oct. 26 in Bath. According to Toler, the donation means much to the arts council.

“It’s very significant that this is being donated to us specifically for this reason,” Toler said. “This in one of many expenses the arts council is taking on by moving to the theater.”

Toler said employees with Signsmith, Inc., out of Greenville, blocked off part of Main Street last week in order to get a good, long look at the sign’s needed repairs. While the nonworking bulbs can be ordered, the broken neon tubing will have to be custom made. The cost for the repair work remains to be seen, Toler said.

“We have not gotten a quote, but I suspect it will take every bit of that $1,000, if not more,” Toler laughed.

According to BCTMA founder Rob Cuthrell, the donation was an extension of BCTMA’s love of the Turnage.

“It fits right in with the type of community involvement that we like to be a part of,” Cuthrell said of the BCTMA’s donation. “The arts council is a big supporter of ours.”

Cuthrell said the Tar Landing Jam was a success, not only because of the good music, with acts like the Carolina Yellow Hammers, Bourbon Rebellion and Carolina Still frontman Justin Casey, but because of the good food.

“One of the best parts was the food. My cousin is a shrimp boat captain, and he’s a great cook,” Cuthrell explained. ”He made shrimp creole and a big pot of rice — it was some of the best food I ever put in my mouth. It was awesome.”

As was the music, he added.

Toler expects the marquee to be lighting up Main Street by the end of next week. In the meantime, he and other arts council staff will be packing up for the move from the building the organization has occupied for decades to the Turnage. Toler said the move will take place over a series of days in December, immediately following the arts council’s annual Holiday Arts and Crafts show.

“We’re going to literally close for that week, week and a half, leading up to the holiday,” Toler said. “If people want to help us move, we’ll be glad to have them.”

Toler said many have offered to help, so he will be putting together a schedule of tasks, and the days on which they will undertaken, and issuing an open invitation to the community. He’s also hoping that BCTMA’s donation to fix the Turnage Theater marquee will inspire others to help in similar ways.

“That way, people get to pick and choose what they want to support and sometimes that encourages people to give more,” he said.