The coins have been adding up slowly but surely for the Pennies for Preservation Project.

Program organizers presented a check for more than $2,600 to the Port of Coupeville last week to help with maintenance and construction projects at the wharf.

Organizer Vickie Chambers, who is director of the Coupeville Historic Waterfront Association, said she first got the idea for the project through a magazine article.

Partnering with the Coupeville Chamber and other community members, jars have been out at various Coupeville businesses for more than a year.

Volunteers check the donation jars regularly and help roll coins for deposit at the bank.

The $2,600 donation will specifically go to help cover the cost of repairs to the stairs by the port office on Front Street that lead down to the beach. Those stairs were closed due to safety concerns more than two years ago.

In 2014, the port looked into having the stairs fixed, but engineering services alone were estimated at more than $17,000.

The stairs are part of a larger problem connected to the port office foundation.

Chambers said that during the summer when she’s working her hot dog stand on Front Street she sees an average of 20 people a day ignoring the closed sign on the stairs.

“We want to create some urgency,” Chambers said. “(And) hopefully some renewed attention.”

All donations made to Pennies for Preservation go to help fix the wharf.

Donations can be made directly through the waterfront association website at www.coupevillehistoricwaterfront.com