Stonington — With a $1.3 million restoration effort already underway at the Old Lighthouse Museum, the Stonington Historical Society now sets its sights on the second phase of the project, costing $1.45 million, to make the 1840 landmark building handicapped accessible and improve its surrounding landscaping and grounds.

It's a big goal for an organization with 450 members. But so is the $100,000 the historical society hopes to earn from its June 27 Cannon Ball, the annual fundraiser that this year will be conducted entirely online because of COVID-19.

"It's been really exciting to see how much people love their history here," said Aimee Newell, the new executive director of the Stonington Historical Society, in a Zoom conference call June 1. "It's a great community ... but we're dealing with the unknown."

Frances Ashley, co-chair of the event and member of the historical society's board, said she has high hopes for this year's Cannon Ball, despite having to move the event online to Facebook Live. The event annually has provided about a quarter of the society's budget, so moving it to the fall was considered but rejected because, she said, "no one knows what tomorrow is going to bring."

Instead, Newell and the board worked hard at planning an event that would be interactive and fun. Everyone, for instance, will receive a gift basket with a bottle of wine, cheese plate and other items to give the feel of an actual get-together, and the basket will contain trivia questions so people can play along during the live-stream event. The baskets can be picked up at the historical society's Nathaniel B. Palmer House the day of the event and will be delivered to shut-ins.

A half-hour musical event at 6:30 p.m. featuring Charlie Holland will kick off the Cannon Ball, and it will conclude with announcements about winners of the annual silent auction (opening online June 22) that raises the bulk of the money on the night. In between, the annual Hero Award will be announced live, honoring a key member of the historical society community.

Tickets are available at three levels: $50, $100 and $500 at thecannonball.givesmart.com. Two drawings will be held for $500 cash prizes, and there will also be an opportunity to attend a party at the estate of Eva Franchi in August.

"It's tough times," Ashley said. "Everyone's going about it in different ways."

The great thing about going online, added publicist Laurie Hobbs, is that it potentially expands the reach of the Cannon Ball to longtime Stonington residents who have moved out of town.

"They can be part of this," she said.

The Cannon Ball, usually a dinner attracting between 200 and 300 people, had been planned this year at Little Pond Farm with the theme of "celebrating our farmlands" since farming goes way back to the very beginnings of Stonington. Future events will likely celebrate other types of local industries, such as manufacturing, fishing and tourism, Ashley said.

Newell said the historical society has been trying to reach out to residents online during the height of the pandemic, offering virtual talks about items from its collection. She also has been working to collect COVID-19 stories from students at Stonington High School, understanding that we are currently living through a historic event.

In keeping with this year's agricultural theme, one of the auction items up for bid will be a picnic lunch for 10 at Stone Acres Farm. Another unusual item will be the Borough Blast, offering up to 20 people a walking party at three special places: one offering cocktails, another dinner and the third dessert.

"There are no vacations to Italy or South African safaris this year," Newell said. "Many of the auction items are experiential and educational."

For more information, go to www.stoningtonhistory.org or call (860) 535-8445.

l.howard@theday.com