MARTIN BURKE PHOTO A foggy morning in Dering Harbor.

Over the next several days, the Reporter will be posting our annual Year In Review series of important stories from 2018.

The Dering Harbor Village Board of Trustees have instituted a number of changes in 2018.

To correct longstanding problems with their water system, the board contracted with the Suffolk County Water Authority for operations and maintenance. A new water tank was installed and exploratory steps are being taken toward replacing faulty wells

Considerable improvement in water quality as well as control of excessive leaks was noted once the new tank was installed.

After public debate, the board changed the name of Shore Road to Harbor Lane to end confusion with the road at Crescent Beach; the new name has been adopted in Google Maps and Waze.

Several village regulations covering such issues as zoning were updated and the full set of village laws is being codified and will eventually be searchable online.

The village’s longstanding highway superintendent, Richie Surozenski, retired this fall after four decades on the job. His departure necessitated a number of changes. The Village ceased trash collection services; residents can now contract for them on their own.

The Village is also working closely with the Town of Shelter Island to have services like snow plowing provided by the town highway department.

In response to concerns about proliferation of deer, a revision was made to the village’s hunting ban, to allow Dering Harbor to participate in the Deer Management Program under the auspices of the Shelter Island Police Department.

The post Year in Review: 2018 brought changes to Dering Harbor appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

Town Engineer John Cronin, presenting a 17-point “Pure Water Action Plan” to the Town Board at its Tuesday work session, told members that it was the first “concerted effort to start looking more carefully at water issues.”

Mr. Cronin credited Supervisor Gary Gerth for inspiring and leading the effort to consolidate water issues in one place and have a “roadmap” toward solutions.

The document will be adopted into the town’s Comprehensive Plan as an amendment, Town Attorney Bob DeStefano Jr. said, “to give it permanence and weight.”

Covering everything from optimizing “pumping operations for wells located near shoreline areas to minimize saltwater intrusion,” to funding groundwater monitoring, regulating work involving groundwater at construction sites and modifying existing irrigation laws, many of the points made in the overall plan are to obtain solid information. Without it, Mr. Cronin said, actions by officials are misguided at best.

“If you understand what is happening in the aquifer, you can make decisions about what to do on the ground above it,” Mr. Cronin said.

One key point is ascertaining how much water is pumped from the aquifer in the summer to water lawns and gardens. Mr. Cronin said that every intern he’s employed to study the water situation here has been baffled that there is no metering system for irrigation.

“We currently have no way of knowing how many gallons of water are pumped per minute for irrigation in areas where irrigation is being used,” Mr. Cronin said.

He quoted an astonishing statistic that the Suffolk County Water Authority presented after it had taken over Dering Harbor’s water system. The county found that 38 residences in Dering Harbor were using 38,000 gallons of water per day in the summer. “That’s an extraordinary amount,” Mr. Cronin said.

Metering has come up in the past before the Town Board, but inaction maintained the status quo. Asked by Councilman Jim Colligan if he was in favor of meters, Mr. Cronin said he was, but added that legislation doesn’t have to be “punitive. It would start out as informational, so if a meter is in place on irrigation equipment, we’d have an idea in the summer how many gallons of water are being used.”

Now, he added, “It’s just a guess.”

On meters as well as other points in the overall plan, Mr. Cronin emphasized that, “People are doing things in the absence of understanding,” and not deliberately “doing things to harm the aquifer.”

Several points in the plan cover well testing, which is crucial to understand what steps can be taken to remediate contaminated water, the engineer said. Getting information from Suffolk County’s tests of water quality on Shelter Island required a Freedom of Information request, Mr. Cronin said, and the county, concerned about privacy of individuals, would not name names or specific addresses, but agreed to give information about conditions on certain streets.

He added that it was understandable people would prefer to remain anonymous to protect real estate values.

Town Assessor Craig Wood said his office has “not seen real estate values affected” by water issues since potential buyers know to expect negative reports.

On mandating advanced nitrogen-reducing septic systems, Mr. Cronin said it’s not likely the county legislature will enact legislation. Unlike the East End, there are public sewers in many parts of western Suffolk, so there’s little incentive to pass a law that would mainly benefit the East End. He noted it was up to Southampton, East Hampton, Southold and Shelter Island to find the “political will” to legislate on septic systems.

The issue of taking county water as opposed to the Island’s system of wells was discussed. Public water is “not the end-all and be-all,” Mr. Cronin said, and that “we have something small and manageable here.”

Mr. Gerth agreed. “Public water won’t bail us out,” he said.

At the end of the presentation, Councilwoman Amber Brach-Williams, agreeing with her colleagues that the 17-point document should be incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan, cautioned that it should not be an end but a beginning.

She asked that the plan be discussed periodically and members “continue to address the points,” because “adopting a plan is like a ‘Hey, us!’ kind of thing.”

“Like shoving it in the closet,” Councilman Paul Shepherd said.

“Exactly,” Ms. Brach-Williams said.

The post Man with a plan: Engineer presents ‘roadmap’ for pure water appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

REPORTER FILE PHOTO
Ben Jenkins Jr., future Eli, at a community party last summer.

Dering Harbor resident Ben Jenkins Jr. is heading for Yale, partly thanks to his home village.

Last June, Ben made a special request to be allowed to observe the village’s vote-counting process on Election Day.

“I’m just fascinated by all of this,” he said then. He was permitted to sit in on the count at Village Hall, providing he stayed on the far side of the table opposite those handling the ballots.

After contentious elections in the past, Ben witnessed a calm and orderly 2018 vote count. Village officials took time to explain to Ben every step of the process, and why each was being done.

Ballots were counted multiple times and every ballot that had been given out had to be accounted for before every vote was read aloud. Betsy Morgan was elected mayor and Karen Kelsey and Patrick Parcells were re-elected as trustees.

Pollwatchers were present to guarantee integrity. Once the tally was official, they signed a book that has recorded every village election for decades.

Ben cited his election experience in Dering Harbor in his application to Yale.

Fortunately, that experience (as well as several other strong qualifications, no doubt) made a good impression and helped him secure the college admission he sought.

It’s said elections have consequences, and Ben’s achievement proves it.

The post Local politics helps student to Ivy League appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

REPORTER FILE PHOTO
Ben Jenkins Jr., future Eli, second from left, at a community party last summer.

Dering Harbor resident Ben Jenkins Jr. is heading for Yale, partly thanks to his home village.

Last June, Ben made a special request to be allowed to observe the village’s vote-counting process on Election Day.

“I’m just fascinated by all of this,” he said then. He was permitted to sit in on the count at Village Hall, providing he stayed on the far side of the table opposite those handling the ballots.

After contentious elections in the past, Ben witnessed a calm and orderly 2018 vote count. Village officials took time to explain to Ben every step of the process, and why each was being done.

Ballots were counted multiple times and every ballot that had been given out had to be accounted for before every vote was read aloud. Betsy Morgan was elected mayor and Karen Kelsey and Patrick Parcells were re-elected as trustees.

Pollwatchers were present to guarantee integrity. Once the tally was official, they signed a book that has recorded every village election for decades.

Ben cited his election experience in Dering Harbor in his application to Yale.

Fortunately, that experience (as well as several other strong qualifications, no doubt) made a good impression and helped him secure the college admission he sought.

It’s said elections have consequences, and Ben’s achievement proves it.

The post Local politics helps student to Ivy League appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

COURTESY PHOTO
Activities and events on Shelter Island.

EVERY WEEK

50+ drop-in basketball, Sundays, noon to 2 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in basketball, Mondays and Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in soccer, Tuesdays, 8:30 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in volleyball, Wednesdays, 7 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Alcoholics Anonymous, Fridays, beginners meeting, 7:30 p.m., Presbyterian Church. Open discussion Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. St. Mary’s; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.

Al-Anon, Saturdays, 10 a.m., St. Mary’s.

Alignment & Base Exercise, Wednesdays with Callie Atkins, 5:30 p.m., Youth Center, Legion Hall, $5.

Art/Rich Poetry Roundtable, Tuesdays, 4 p.m., library.

Artist’s Way, a spiritual path to higher creativity with June Shatken. Wednesdays, 4:30, library.

Caregiver class, Tuesdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Crafting for kids, Saturdays, 11 a.m., Shelter Island Library. (631) 749-0042.

English as a Second Language, Thursdays, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., library. For adults, free, with Teri Piccozzi.

Essentrics, low impact workout with Laury Dowd, Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Functional Fitness, with Maggie Davis. Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Kahootin’ Tuesday, for young adults, 3 p.m., Shelter Island Library. Quizzes, trivia, fun.

Knitting and crocheting club, Mondays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Knitting club, Thursdays, 4:30 p.m., library.

Lego challenges, for kids, Wednesdays, 2:30 p.m. Shelter Island Library. (631) 749-0042

Mah jongg club, Monday at 10:00 a.m., library lower level. Instruction available. Stephanie Zinger (631) 749-8805.

Open gym, for grades 6 through 12, Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m., sign in by 8. School. (631) 749-0309.

Pickle ball, at the school courts, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m.

PiYo, Pilates/yoga based exercise with Julia Weisenberg. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m., Tuesdays, 6 p.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5. (516) 659-9155.

Poker table, Thursdays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior Mah jongg, Fridays and Mondays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior yoga, Fridays and Mondays, 10 a.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Sensory exploration, young children play at multiple stations. Wednesdays, 11:15 a.m., library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Shelter Island All-Faith Youth Group, grades 8 to 12. Wednesdays 6 to 7:30 p.m., Camp Quinipet’s welcome center.

Silver Circle Social Club, Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Watercolor class, with June Shatken. Thursdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Yoga, gentle flow with Dawn Hedberg. Thursdays, 5 p.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Yoga, hatha flow with Lila Piccozzi. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-noon. All levels. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Yoga story time, for children. One Saturday per month, 11 a.m., library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Youth Yoga, for ages 6 to 12 with Kelci McIntosh. Thursdays, 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Zumba, with Susan Binder and Melanie Matz. Mondays, 5:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 a.m. and Saturdays at 9:15 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Zumba Gold, with Susan Binder. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

EVENTS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21

Kids’ Winter Break Workshop: At Mashomack Preserve, 2 to 3:30 p.m. What’s out and about in the “dead of winter?” Hike, look for tracks, learn how animals survive, make a snack. Grades K and up. (631) 749-1001.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22

Stress relief: Breathing and movement for stress relief at 10:30 a.m. at Shelter Island Library. Cultivate space for positive transformation by releasing stress and tension in the mind and body. Class offers breathing exercises, gentle movements to encourage muscle relaxation and silent meditation with instructor Jennifer Squires. Bring a mat, sign up required. Fee: $5.

Friday Night Dialogues: At Shelter Island Library at 7 p.m., featuring Christopher Verga, Ph.D. on civil rights on Long Island. In an illustrated lecture, Dr. Verga will trace Long Island’s civil rights history. Long Island had the largest slave population in the North, a large Ku Klux Klan presence, a history of disenfranchisement, as well as school and housing discrimination. Professor Verga teaches American History at Suffolk County Community College.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23

Classics book club: At Shelter Island Library discussing “Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin at 11 a.m. This 1956 novel focuses on David, an expatriate American in Paris who struggles with his love for both a man and a woman. This moving work explores the mysteries of love and passion and the tension between impulse and conventional morality.

Shakespeare in the community: At Shelter Island Library discussing “Two Gentlemen of Verona” at 12:30 p.m. This comedy is thought to be one of Shakespeare’s earliest works and is rarely performed. Themes of love, betrayal and disguise are woven through this tale of two friends in love with the same woman. Beck Cole leads the discussion. New members are welcome. Pick up copies of the play at the Circulation Desk.

Mashomack Point: A tour of the Katherine Ordway Wildlife Refuge, 1 to 4 p.m. Mashomack Point is open for a guided walk just once a year. Explore this unique area’s woodlands, kettles, and fields, culminating with a breathtaking view of Northwest Harbor. (631) 749-1001.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25

Mystery book club: At Shelter Island Library discussing “The Tourist” by Olen Steinhauer at 5 p.m. Details: jozolins@silibrary.org.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26

Silk scarf painting: No need to be an expert painter to take this class at the Shelter Island Youth Center from 11 a.m. to noon. on creating a painted silk scarf. A variety of different techniques, with complete examples, will be provided. Materials included, but please bring a smock or old shirt since the fabric dyes we will be using will stain clothing. For 18 and older with Lorraine Pepper. Fee: $20 per resident; $25 per non-resident.

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

Kids in zen: Kids can get crafty during the Kids Zenbroidery Class from 2:45 to 4 p.m. March 1, 8 and 15 at the Shelter Island Youth Center. Students in grades 2 to 6 will learn basic stitches to create their own embroidery with instructor Lorraine Pepper. Children will be picked up by a Recreation Aide after school and brought over to the youth center. There is no need for a parent or guardian to be present. Must sign up for all three classes; max 15 kids. Fee: $30 per child for all three classes.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

Hay Beach Spring Meeting: At St. Mary’s Hall from 2 to 4 p.m. Guest speaker will be Gordon Gooding, chair of the Community Land Preservation Fund, speaking on its goals, acquisition process, water quality, a list of the current properties and their locations and future plans. All residents of Hay Beach are welcome.

Concert: Shelter Island Friends of Music presents pianist Peter Dugan, guest host of National Public Radio, “From the Top.” At Shelter Island Presbyterian Church at 8 p.m. Free. peterduganpiano.com, shelterislandfriendsofmusic.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 1

Concert: Shelter Island Friends of Music presents vocalist Alejandra Sandoval, top prizewinner XXIV National Opera Competition in Mexico. At Shelter Island Presbyterian Church at 8 p.m. Free. alejandrasandoval.com, shelterislandfriendsofmusic.org.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

Concert: Shelter Island Friends of Music presents vocalist Jakub Jozef Orlinski, winner XXIV Grand Finals Metropolitan National Auditions. At Shelter Island Presbyterian Church at 8 p.m. Free. jakubjozeforlinski.com, shelterislandfriendsofmusic.org.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13

Concert: Shelter Island Friends of Music presents a four virtuosi cello collaboration featuring Ani Kalayjian (anikalayjian.com), Laura Metcalf (laurametcalf.com), Andrew Yee (attaccaquartet.com) and Caleb van der Swaagh (calebvanderswaagh.com). At Shelter Island Presbyterian Church at 3 p.m. Free. shelterislandfriendsofmusic.org.

MEETINGS

(At Town Hall unless otherwise noted)

February 25: Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Center Firehouse, 7:30 p.m.

March 2: Dering Harbor Board Meeting, Village Hall, 9 a.m.

March 12: Taylor’s Island Preservation and Management Committee, 9 a.m.

March 25: Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Center Firehouse, 7:30 p.m.

The post Island calendar: February 21, 2019 appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

MARTIN BURKE PHOTO Dawn over Dering Harbor from the Shelter Island Yacht Club.

The National Weather Service is calling for a bright, cool spring on Shelter Island.

There will be plenty of sunshine and a high temperature of 46 degrees. A north wind at 8 to 16 mph will bring wind chill values between 15 and 25 degrees this morning.

Tonight will remain clear, according to the NWS, with a low around 24 degrees. The wind will stay out of the north at about 13 mph.

The post Weather Service: Bright and cool for Tuesday appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

COURTESY PHOTO
Activities and events on Shelter Island.

EVERY WEEK

50+ drop-in basketball: Sundays, noon to 2 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in basketball: Mondays and Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in soccer: Tuesdays, 7:30 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in tennis: Saturdays, 9 to 10 a.m., school courts. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in volleyball: Wednesdays, 7 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Alcoholics Anonymous: Fridays, beginners meeting, 7:30 p.m., Presbyterian Church. Open discussion Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. St. Mary’s; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.

Al-Anon: Saturdays, 10 a.m., St. Mary’s.

Alignment & Base Exercise: Wednesdays with Callie Atkins, 5:30 p.m., Youth Center, Legion Hall, $5.

Art/Rich Poetry Roundtable: Tuesdays, 4 p.m., Library.

Artist’s Way: A spiritual path to higher creativity with June Shatken. Wednesdays, 4:30, Library.

Crafting for kids: Saturdays, 11 a.m., Shelter Island Library. (631) 749-0042.

English as a Second Language: Thursdays, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Library. For adults, free, with Teri Piccozzi.

Essentrics: Low impact workout with Laury Dowd, Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Functional Fitness: With Maggie Davis. Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Kahootin’ Tuesday: For young adults, 3 p.m., Library. Quizzes, trivia, fun.

Knitting and crocheting club: Mondays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Knitting club: Thursdays, 4:30 p.m., Library.

Lego challenges: For kids, Wednesdays, 2:30 p.m., Library. (631) 749-0042

Mah jongg club: Monday at 10:00 a.m., Library lower level. Instruction available. Stephanie Zinger (631) 749-8805.

Open gym: For grades 6 through 12, Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m., sign in by 8. School. (631) 749-0309.

Pickle ball: At the American Legion Hall, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m.

Poker table: Thursdays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior Mah jongg: Fridays and Mondays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior yoga: Fridays and Mondays, 10 a.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Sensory exploration: Young children play at multiple stations. Wednesdays, 11:15 a.m., Library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Shelter Island All-Faith Youth Group: Grades 8 to 12. Wednesdays, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Camp Quinipet’s welcome center.

Silver Circle Social Club: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Watercolor class: With June Shatken. Tuesdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Yoga: Gentle flow with Dawn Hedberg. Thursdays, 5 p.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Yoga: Hatha flow with Lila Piccozzi. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-noon. All levels. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Yoga story time: For children. One Saturday per month, 11 a.m., Library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Zumba: With Susan Binder. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 a.m.; Saturdays at 9:15 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Zumba Gold: With Susan Binder. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

EVENTS

THURSDAY, APRIL 4

School musical: The Shelter Island High School Drama Club presents “The Addams Family” under the direction of John Kaasik. The play debuts at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium. Tickets are available for purchase in the school lobby, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission: adults, $12; students, $8. Tickets can also be reserved by calling Lisa at (631) 749-0302, ext. 100.

FRIDAY, APRIL 5

School musical: The Shelter Island High School Drama Club presents “The Addams Family” at 8 p.m. See April 4.

SATURDAY, APRIL 6

School musical: The Shelter Island High School Drama Club presents “The Addams Family” at 8 p.m. See April 4.

SUNDAY, APRIL 7

School musical: The Shelter Island High School Drama Club presents “The Addams Family” at 3 p.m. See April 4.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9

Driving safety: An AARP Driver Safety Class will take place at the Senior Activity Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. AARP members, $20;  non-members $25. Register: (631) 749-1059.

Book Club: Discuss “Defending Jacob” by William Landay at the Library at 5 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10

Tai chi: With certified instructor Denise Gillies for all levels at the Library at 5:30 p.m. $7 per class. Register: (631) 749-0042.

THURSDAY, APRIL 11

Seed library: The Library’s seed library opens for the season at 5:30 p.m. Poet, farmer and educator Scott Chaskey and Layton Guenther, farm manager at Quail Hill Farm in Amagansett, will speak about the work they do and the importance of saving and sharing heirloom seeds.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12

Friday Night Dialogues: The Library hosts the Shelter Island Poetry Project presenting Always Marry an April Girl at its Friday Night Dialogues at 7 p.m. Curator Bliss Morehead has uncovered poems that reflect April in all its complexity to celebrate Poetry Month with a reading that ranges from the rowdy to gracious, cruel to tender.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

Music fun: The Perlman Music Program offers music and fun at the Shelter Island Library at 11 a.m. PMP alumna violinist Alice Ivy-Pemberton invites all ages to learn about classical music through playful songs and stories. Afterwards, young audience members can enjoy an “instrument petting zoo.”

Film: Documentaries at the Library celebrates National Library Week with “Ex Libris” about the New York Public Library from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Hay Beach Spring Meeting: St. Mary’s Hall from 2 to 4 p.m. Guest speaker will be Gordon Gooding, chair of the Community Land Preservation Fund, speaking about the fund’s goals, acquisition process, water quality, a list of the current properties, their locations and future plans. All residents of Hay Beach are welcome.

Folk concert: Sylvester Manor presents traditional folk band Les Poules à Colin in the Manor House Music Room for two shows at 6 and 8 p.m. The band sings in both French and English, honoring traditional folk music while taking it somewhere new. Admission: $30 in advance, $35 at the door. Contact sylvestermanor.org.

Amorous amphibians: Spring Ponds and Amorous Amphibians at Mashomack Preserve at 7 p.m. offers the opporunity to listen to the evening chorus of spring peepers as the frogs claim their territory. Look for masses of eggs from salamanders and toads along the shores of Sanctuary Pond. (631) 749-4219.

Concert: Shelter Island Friends of Music presents pianist Peter Dugan, guest host of National Public Radio’s “From the Top.” At Shelter Island Presbyterian Church at 8 p.m. Free. peterduganpiano.com, shelterislandfriendsofmusic.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 14

PMP recital: The Perlman Music Program offers its Stires-Stark Alumni Recital Series at 2:30 p.m. featuring Alice Ivy-Pemberton on violin with pianist Jun Cho at the Clark Arts Center. Admission: $25; free for 18 and under. Details: (212) 877-5045, info@perlmanmusicprogram.org.

MONDAY, APRIL 15

Book Club: The Library’s Mystery Book Club reads and discusses “Hard Rain” by Janwillem Van de Wetering at 5 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 16

Cookbook Club: The Library’s Cookbook Club will gather for A Birth Date Party at 5:30 p.m. Guests will make the most popular recipe from their birth year.

FRIDAY, APRIL 19

Full moon walk: The Earth Week full moon walk at Mashomack Preserve, 7:30 to 9 p.m., will take place in the woods during the first full moon of spring. (631) 749-4219.

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

Craft: Make customized body misters with essential oils with Holly Cronin at the Library. Material fee: $10. Register. (631) 749-0042.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

Friday Night Dialogues: The Library presents author Tom Clavin discussing his new book “Wild Bill” during Friday Night Dialogues at 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Book Club: The Library’s Classics Book Club will discuss “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte at 11 a.m.

Shakespeare: Shakespeare in the Community will discuss “Timon of Athens” at the Library at 12:30 p.m.

Futuristic forests: Mashomack Preserve focuses on changing climates and changing trees from 1 to 3 p.m. (631) 749-4219.

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

State of Town: The League of Women Voters of Shelter Island will hold its 12th annual State of the Town Luncheon at the Ram’s Head Inn from noon to 2 p.m. Supervisor Gary Gerth will speak about major town issues that have arisen during his administration and offer the community an opportunity to ask questions. Admission: $55 in advance, $60 at the door.

SATURDAY, MAY 18

PMP concert: The Perlman Music Program offers its Stires-Stark Alumni Recital Series at 5 p.m. with Nico Olarte-Hayes on cello at the Clark Arts Center. Admission: $25; free for 18 and under. Details: (212) 877-5045, info@perlmanmusicprogram.org.

MEETINGS

(At Town Hall unless otherwise noted)

April 16: Taylor’s Island Preservation and Management Committee Meeting, 9 a.m.

April 22: Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Center Firehouse, 7:30 p.m.

May 13: Shelter Island Library board meeting, at library, 7 p.m.

May 14: Taylor’s Island Preservation and Management Committee Meeting, 9 a.m.

May 20: Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Center Firehouse, 7:30 p.m.

The post Island calendar: April 4, 2019 appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

CHARITY ROBEY PHOTO Esther Hunt

From the floor-to-ceiling windows, in every room of Esther Hird Hunt’s home, the view of Dering Harbor is breathtaking. But the first thing that catches the eye is a 9-foot-tall avocado tree growing in a large pot.

“My mother planted that avocado from a pit,” Esther said. “I took it over in the late 1960s and kept it going since. It must be more than 70 years old.”

Esther is the 95-year-old matriarch of a family that doesn’t part with things, whether avocados or islands.

Her grandfather was Samuel Hird, a mill owner from Passaic, New Jersey, who bought over an acre of Dering Harbor waterfront property in 1913 and built a home that stands today.

She grew up in Passaic, but every summer of her childhood was spent in the house her grandfather built, and she couldn’t wait to get here. “I loved the smell of the creek at low tide,” she remembered. “I didn’t like it for the perfume, I liked it because I knew I’d arrived.”

After her grandfather died, and the house went to her father and his siblings, the family devised a plan to share it. “My family and my Uncle Henry’s family had it in July and August, because of school,” she said. “My aunts were maidens, so they had it in June and September.”

During World War II, so many people fought overseas, including Esther’s brother and her cousin Robert Hird, that employees for the family’s business were scarce. Esther operated the switchboard at the mill, commuting to work every day with a chauffeur provided by her father. She resolved to go easy on the chauffeur, who needed a break from driving her mother around.

“Her back-seat driving drove him nuts, so I sat there with my knitting in my lap and didn’t look up,” Esther said.

By the end of the war, Esther had graduated from Vassar and longed to see the country. The office manager at the mill had a daughter with a similar inclination, and joined by a classmate, the three young women drove west in August 1947 in a convertible Esther borrowed from her brother.

On the road, they quickly settled into a routine; “We’d drive until we found a place to spend the night, check into a motel, unscrew the motel’s 25-watt light bulbs and screw in our 100-watt bulbs, get out typewriters and write up our adventures for the day. Then we went out to supper.”

In Chicago, they visited the stockyards, “We didn’t eat bacon for a couple of days after,” she said.

They crossed Iowa, drove north through the Canadian Rockies, and west again, through northern California and down through the state. Along the way, they adopted a cat, which was subsequently shipped home to New Jersey.

Just before she went west, she was introduced to Bridgford Hunt. “I had given him an address to write to me,” Esther said. “I remembered he said that he couldn’t spell and that he came from a place in England where there is a bridge and a ford. I thought he was very nice. When I got the letter and saw that the “e” was missing in Bridgford, I thought, he really can’t spell.”

They started dating, were engaged the Christmas of 1949, and were married on Esther’s birthday in May 1950.

Esther and Bridgford continued spending summers on Shelter Island with the family. When their children — Bridgford, Ainsworth and Selina Iris — came along, they rented a house on Spring Garden Avenue, which they later bought.

Then as now, homes in the Heights were close. According to Esther, her son Bridg (who is now General Manager of the North Ferry) made quite a bit of noise, a state of affairs that was tolerated by their elderly neighbor on that quiet street, Celeste Underhill. “On the 4th of July, Celeste came roaring onto her balcony and yelled, ‘Hooray for the Fourth of July!’” Esther said. “She was an extra grandmother for our family.”

In the 1980s, Esther served as Mayor of Dering Harbor, between Stanley Gianelli, whose term she served out, and Robert Weaver, a nine-month term during which a hurricane struck the Island. She declined to run for the office, preferring to serve Shelter Island less visibly, as a supporter of the Public Library and the Shelter Island Historical Society.

Over the years, Esther’s grandfather had acquired more Island property, including the land where Esther and her husband Bridgford Hunt built a house in 1971, and about 30 acres of nearby woods, which became a preserve when Esther gave it to the town in 2015.

After Bridgford’s death in 2012, she ensured the preservation of the undeveloped land that had been in her family for decades. In a series of gifts and sales, she made possible the Mildred Flower Hird Preserve, now owned by the town, which can never be built on. “I named it for my mother,” Esther said. “Not that she was a great naturalist and she certainly wasn’t a hiker. But she did care about nature.”

The Dering Harbor home that Esther and Bridgford built, and that she still lives in, has been the site of two family births — Bridg and his wife P.A.T.’s children, Selina and Martin.

At the time of the first birth, Bridg and P.A.T. were living on a boat in Dering Harbor within sight of the house, and as the day approached, they decided to ask the doctor to attend the birth on the boat. The doctor agreed, with the stipulation that the boat be at a dock, so mother and child could be taken off easily if necessary.

When the time came, it was dead low tide, the boat got stuck, and Bridg had to get in another boat and make a big enough wake to nudge the boat off the bottom, saying, “That kid has a heck of a lot to learn about navigation.”

The laboring parents came up to Esther’s house and sat on the porch for a while, and then decided their child, Selina, would be born indoors. “When Martin came along, I was afraid that having been thwarted they would want to go back to the boat,” said Esther, “but now that they knew what was involved, they said they’d prefer to have the baby in the house.”

The name Selina is another thing Esther’s family doesn’t part with. It was Esther’s grandmother’s name, her aunt’s name, her daughter’s name and the name of more than one family boat. Across the hall from the giant avocado in Esther’s foyer is a more than century-old painting of a little girl named Selina, Esther’s grandmother. It’s destined to be granddaughter Selina’s one day.

The post Island Profile: Esther Hunt | Holding onto things that truly matter the most appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

MARTIN BURKE PHOTO Just after dawn in Dering Harbor.

Islanders woke up to dense, drifting fog on Tuesday.

The National Weather Service (NWS) is calling for a mostly cloudy day with a high temperature near 51 degrees. The NWS forecast includes a chance of rain for later this afternoon, and the wind will be out of the east at 7 to 14 mph.

This evening will be showery, then clearing after 8 p.m. with a low around 40 degrees, according to the NWS.

The winds will remain calm out of the northwest at 5 to 8 mph.

The post Weather Service: Cool and cloudy for Tuesday appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

JULIE LANE PHOTO
Melanie Cirillo of the Peconic Land Trust, with Councilman Albert Dickson, told Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board members Monday the PLT will be administering money to be spent for land acquisitions that protect drinking water.

A grant from New York State will benefit Shelter Island, Southold and Riverhead in their battle to address water quality issues.

The Peconic Land Trust (PLT) along with the Peconic Estuary Program, is beginning to work with Shelter Island’s Town Board and the Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board, according to PLT’s Director of Conservation Planning Melanie Cirillo.

The plan is to take a $3 million state award to cover 75 percent of the costs to acquire properties that will benefit local drinking water.

The PLT will continue working with the Peconic Estuary Programs, the towns, Suffolk County and experts in the field to identify appropriate parcels to be prioritized, Ms. Cirillo told the Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board Monday morning.  She said PLT is close to announcing its first acquisition.

In other business, the Community Preservation Fund discussed:
• Signage at various CPF-acquired sites. One site, the Mildred Flower Hird Preserve, has been problematic because Dering Harbor leaders haven’t been in favor of the signs, Chairman Gordon Gooding said.
• Voted to have two benches being created by Shelter Island students placed at the recently acquired Scudder property.
• Agreed to work on updating a plan for future acquisitions using CPF money.

The post State grant to benefit Island drinking water appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

COURTESY PHOTO
Activities and events on Shelter Island.

EVERY WEEK

50+ drop-in basketball: Sundays, noon to 2 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in basketball: Mondays and Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in soccer: Tuesdays, 7:30 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in tennis: Saturdays, 9 to 10 a.m., school courts. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in volleyball: Wednesdays, 7 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Alcoholics Anonymous: Fridays, beginners meeting, 7:30 p.m., Presbyterian Church. Open discussion Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. St. Mary’s; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.

Al-Anon: Saturdays, 10 a.m., St. Mary’s.

Alignment & Base Exercise: Wednesdays with Callie Atkins, 5:30 p.m., American Legion/Youth Center, $5.

Art/Rich Poetry Roundtable: Tuesdays, 4 p.m., Library.

Artist’s Way: A spiritual path to higher creativity with June Shatken. Wednesdays, 4:30, Library.

Crafting for kids: Saturdays, 11 a.m., Shelter Island Library. (631) 749-0042.

English as a Second Language: Thursdays, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Library. For adults, free, with Teri Piccozzi.

Essentrics: Low impact workout with Laury Dowd, Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Functional Fitness: With Maggie Davis. Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Kahootin’ Tuesday: For young adults, 3 p.m., Library. Quizzes, trivia, fun.

Knitting and crocheting club: Mondays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Knitting club: Thursdays, 4:30 p.m., Library.

Lego challenges: For kids, Wednesdays, 2:30 p.m., Library. (631) 749-0042

Mah jongg club: Monday at 10:00 a.m., Library lower level. Instruction available. Stephanie Zinger (631) 749-8805.

Open gym: For grades 6 through 12, Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m., sign in by 8. School. (631) 749-0309.

Pickle ball: At the American Legion Hall, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m.

Poker table: Thursdays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior Mah jongg: Fridays and Mondays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior yoga: Fridays and Mondays, 10 a.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Sensory exploration: Young children play at multiple stations. Wednesdays, 11:15 a.m., Library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Shelter Island All-Faith Youth Group: Grades 8 to 12. Wednesdays 6 to 7:30 p.m., Camp Quinipet’s welcome center.

Silver Circle Social Club: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Watercolor class: With June Shatken. Tuesdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Yoga: Gentle flow with Dawn Hedberg. Thursdays, 5 p.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Yoga: Hatha flow with Lila Piccozzi. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-noon. All levels. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Yoga story time: For children. One Saturday per month, 11 a.m., Library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Zumba: With Susan Binder. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 a.m.; Saturdays at 9:15 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Zumba Gold: With Susan Binder. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

EVENTS

THURSDAY, APRIL 11

Seed library: The Library’s seed library opens for the season at 5:30 p.m. Poet, farmer and educator Scott Chaskey and Layton Guenther, farm manager at Quail Hill Farm in Amagansett, will speak about the work they do and the importance of saving and sharing heirloom seeds.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12

Friday Night Dialogues: The Library hosts the Shelter Island Poetry Project, presenting “Always Marry an April Girl,” at its Friday Night Dialogues at 7 p.m. Curator Bliss Morehead has uncovered poems that reflect April in all its complexity to celebrate Poetry Month with a reading that ranges from the rowdy to gracious, from cruel to tender.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

Music fun: The Perlman Music Program offers music and fun at the Shelter Island Library at 11 a.m. PMP alumna violinist Alice Ivy-Pemberton invites all ages to learn about classical music through playful songs and stories. Afterwards, young audience members can enjoy an “instrument petting zoo.”

Film: Documentaries at the Library celebrates National Library Week with “Ex Libris” about the New York Public Library from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Hay Beach Spring Meeting: In St. Mary’s Hall from 2 to 4 p.m. Guest speaker will be Gordon Gooding, chair of the Community Land Preservation Fund, speaking about its goals, acquisition process, water quality, a list of the current properties and their locations and future plans. All residents of Hay Beach are welcome.

Folk concerts: Sylvester Manor presents traditional folk band Les Poules à Colin in the Manor House Music Room for two shows at 6 and 8 p.m. The band sings in both French and English, honoring traditional folk music while taking it somewhere new. Admission: $30 in advance; $35 at the door. sylvestermanor.org

Amorous amphibians: Spring Ponds and Amorous Amphibians at Mashomack Preserve at 7 p.m. offers the opporunity to listen to the evening chorus of spring peepers as the frogs claim their territory. Look for masses of eggs from salamanders and toads along the shores of Sanctuary Pond. (631) 749-4219.

Concert: Shelter Island Friends of Music presents pianist Peter Dugan, guest host of National Public Radio, “From the Top.” At Shelter Island Presbyterian Church at 8 p.m. Free. peterduganpiano.com, shelterislandfriendsofmusic.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 14

PMP recital: The Perlman Music Program offers its Stires-Stark Alumni Recital Series at 2:30 p.m. with Alice Ivy-Pemberton on violin and pianist Jun Cho at the Clark Arts Center. Admission: $25; free for 18 and under. Details: (212) 877-5045, info@perlmanmusicprogram.org.

MONDAY, APRIL 15

Book Club: The Library’s Mystery Book Club reads and discusses “Hard Rain” by Janwillem Van de Wetering at 5 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 16

Cookbook Club: The Library’s Cookbook Club will gather for A Birth Date Party at 5:30 p.m. Guests will make the most popular recipe from their birth year.

FRIDAY, APRIL 19

Full moon walk: The Earth Week full moon walk at Mashomack Preserve, 7:30 to 9 p.m., will take place in the woods and during the first full moon of spring. (631) 749-4219.

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

Craft: Make customized body misters with essential oils with Holly Cronin at the Library at 11 a.m. Material fee: $10. Register. (631) 749-0042.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

Friday Night Dialogues: The Library presents author Tom Clavin discussing his new book “Wild Bill” during Friday Night Dialogues at 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Book Club: The Library’s Classics Book Club discusses “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte at 11 a.m.

Shakespeare: Shakespeare in the Community discusses “Timon of Athens” at the Library at 12:30 p.m.

Futuristic forests: Mashomack Preserve focuses on changing climates and changing trees from 1 to 3 p.m. (631) 749-4219.

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

State of the Town: The League of Women Voters of Shelter Island will hold its 12th annual State of the Town Luncheon at the Ram’s Head Inn from noon to 2 p.m. Supervisor Gary Gerth will speak about major town issues that have arisen during his administration and offer the community an opportunity to ask questions. Admission: $55 in advance; $60 at the door.

SATURDAY, MAY 18

PMP concert: The Perlman Music Program offers its Stires-Stark Alumni Recital Series at 5 p.m. with Nico Olarte-Hayes on cello at the Clark Arts Center. Admission: $25; free for 18 and under. Details: (212) 877-5045, info@perlmanmusicprogram.org.

FRIDAY, MAY 31

PMP Concert: Perlman Music Program Chamber Music Workshop kickoff concert and reception at 7:30 p.m. Featuring young artist participants presenting a musical soiree from the Age of Enlightenment featuring works by Haydn and Mozart. Free. At Clark Arts Center. Register: perlmanmusicprogram.org.

MEETINGS

(At Town Hall unless otherwise noted)

April 16: Taylor’s Island Preservation and Management Committee Meeting, 9 a.m.

April 22: Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Center Firehouse, 7:30 p.m.

May 13: Shelter Island Library board meeting, at library, 7 p.m.

May 14: Taylor’s Island Preservation and Management Committee Meeting, 9 a.m.

May 20: Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Center Firehouse, 7:30 p.m.

The post Island calendar: April 11, 2019 appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

Tim purtell PHOTOS
Beautiful flowers of the Japanese pieris.

Japanese pieris

Latin Name: Pieris japonica

Locations: Japanese pieris can be found in yards throughout the Island. One of my favorites is a hefty specimen that grows in the Heights near the Chequit triangle. Right now it’s brimming with fragrant blossoms. Another Heights pieris achieves small-tree status, reaching the second story windows of a house on Spring Garden Avenue.

Tree stats: Japanese pieris is native to mountainous regions of Japan and China. Also known as Japanese andromeda, pieris is an evergreen shrub or small tree that can grow up to 12 feet high. It’s valued in our gardens for its cold hardiness, delightful spring flowers and deer resistance. Japanese pieris thrives in the sun and partial shade in slightly acidic soil that’s kept moist during hot spells.

So many choices! Like many popular and long-cultivated plants, Japanese pieris is available in an array of cultivars and varieties. While the emerging leaves of most pieris have a handsome bronze color, several named cultivars (“Mountain Fire,” “Red Mill,” and “Scarlett O’Hara”) boast dazzling shades of red and orange-red. Want floral color? “Valley Rose,” “Valley Valentine” and “Dorothy Wycoff” offer pink blossoms. The aptly named “Variegata” has variegated leaves. For those with very small gardens or yards, “Bisbee Dwarf,” “Pygmaea” and “Bonsai” stay as low as 2 feet.

A Japanese pieris located on Spring Garden Avenue.

Beauty of the bark: Older, taller specimens of pieris will sometimes lose their lower branches and leaves. Rather than top the plant, an alternative choice is careful trimming to properly show off the colorful and textured bark and sinuous trunks. A landscape architect friend did this with a client’s grouping of plants to dramatic effect, adding ferns at the base for ground level oomph. The pieris on Spring Garden Avenue has attained a distinctive perfection with top and low growth that allows glimpses of limbs winding mysteriously in between.

Go native! Gardeners interested in American species should seek out the less available mountain pieris (Pieris floribunda), which ranges from Virginia to Georgia. Like its Japanese counterpart, mountain pieris is evergreen, has clusters of white flowers and is apparently tougher. It’s also reportedly resistant to the andromeda lace bug (Stephanitis takeyai), a pest that feeds on the undersides of the leaves, affecting the plant’s appearance and health. Hybrids between the Japanese and American species (“Brouwer’s Beauty,” “Eco-Snowball” and “Spring Snow”) supposedly exhibit the best qualities of both.

Go natural! While Japanese pieris makes an excellent foundation plant, it looks even better in more natural settings as an understory shrub or tree in wooded areas. Try mixing pieris with rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberry, huckleberry and kalmia. Aside from the aesthetic appeal of such an approach, layered landscapes are attractive to birds. They’ll thank you and you’ll be thankful for them.

The post Tree of the month: Japanese pieris appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

MARTIN BURKE PHOTO Morning light over Dering Harbor from Cedar Avenue.

After Monday’s changeable and often wild weather, Tuesday will be a bright, sunny day on Shelter Island with a high temperature near 6o degrees, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

It will be breezy, with winds from the west at 17 to 22 mph and gusting as high as 37 mph.

Tonight, some clouds move in, according to the NWS, and wind will shift to the northwest at 7 to 11 mph.

The post Weather Service: Bright and breezy for Tuesday appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

COURTESY PHOTO
Activities and events on Shelter Island.

EVERY WEEK 

50+ drop-in basketball: Sundays, noon to 2 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in basketball: Mondays and Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in soccer: Tuesdays, 7:30 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in tennis: Saturdays, 9 to 10 a.m., school courts. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in volleyball: Wednesdays, 7 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Alcoholics Anonymous: Fridays, beginners meeting, 7:30 p.m., Presbyterian Church. Open discussion Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. St. Mary’s; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.

Al-Anon: Saturdays, 10 a.m., St. Mary’s.

Alignment & Base Exercise: Wednesdays with Callie Atkins, 5:30 p.m., Youth Center, Legion Hall, $5.

Art/Rich Poetry Roundtable: Tuesdays, 4 p.m., Library.

Artist’s Way: A spiritual path to higher creativity with June Shatken. Wednesdays, 4:30, library.

Crafting for kids: Saturdays, 11 a.m., Shelter Island Library. (631) 749-0042.

English as a Second Language: Thursdays, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Library. For adults, free, with Teri Piccozzi.

Essentrics: Low impact workout with Laury Dowd, Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Functional Fitness: With Maggie Davis. Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Kahootin’ Tuesday: For young adults, 3 p.m., Library. Quizzes, trivia, fun.

Knitting and crocheting club: Mondays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Knitting club: Thursdays, 4:30 p.m., Library. 

Lego challenges: For kids, Wednesdays, 2:30 p.m., Library. (631) 749-0042

Mah jongg club: Monday at 10:00 a.m., Library lower level. Instruction available. Stephanie Zinger (631) 749-8805.

Open gym: For grades 6 through 12, Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m., sign in by 8. School. (631) 749-0309.

Pickle ball: At the American Legion Hall, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. 

Poker table: Thursdays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior Mah jongg: Fridays and Mondays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior yoga: Fridays and Mondays, 10 a.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059. 

Sensory exploration: Young children play at multiple stations. Wednesdays, 11:15 a.m., library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Shelter Island All-Faith Youth Group: Grades 8 to 12. Wednesdays 6 to 7:30 p.m., Camp Quinipet’s welcome center.

Silver Circle Social Club: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Watercolor class: With June Shatken. Tuesdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Yoga: Gentle flow with Dawn Hedberg. Thursdays, 5 p.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Yoga: Hatha flow with Lila Piccozzi. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-noon. All levels. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Yoga story time: For children. One Saturday per month, 11 a.m., library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Zumba: With Susan Binder. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 a.m.; Saturdays at 9:15 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Zumba Gold: With Susan Binder. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

EVENTS

FRIDAY, APRIL 19

Full moon walk: The Earth Week full moon walk at Mashomack Preserve 7:30 to 9 p.m. will take place in the woods and during the first full moon of spring. (631) 749-4219.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

Friday Night Dialogues: The Library presents author Tom Clavin discussing his new book “Wild Bill” during Friday Night Dialogues at 7 p.m. 

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Book club: The Library’s Classics Book Club will discuss “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte at 11 a.m.

Shakespeare: Shakespeare in the Community will discuss “Timon of Athens” at the Library at 12:30 p.m.

Futuristic forests: At Mashomack Preserve focuses on changing climates and changing trees from 1 to 3 p.m. (631) 749-4219.

Craft: Make customized body misters with essential oils with Holly Cronin at the Library at 3 p.m. Material fee: $10. Register. (631) 749-0042.

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

State of Town: The League of Women Voters of Shelter Island will hold its Twelfth Annual State of the Town Luncheon at the Ram’s Head Inn from noon to 2 p.m. Supervisor Gary Gerth will speak about major Town issues that have arisen during his administration and offer the community an opportunity to ask questions. Admission: $55 in advance; $60 at the door. 

SATURDAY, MAY 4

Volunteers needed: Mashomack Preserve is offering a volunteer orientation from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Visitors Center. Volunteers for the Center are needed and training is provided. 631-749-1001.

SATURDAY, MAY 11

Blooming dogwoods: Visit Mashomack Preserve from 10 a.m. to noon to experience blooming dogwoods, view of Bass Creek and hike from the Manor House along the lower green trail. 631-749-1001.

SATURDAY, MAY 18

PMP concert: The Perlman Music Program offers its Stires-Stark Alumni Recital Series at 5 p.m. with Nico Olarte-Hayes on cello at the Clark Arts Center. Admission: $25; free for 18 and under. Details: (212)877-5045, info@perlmanmusicprogram.org.

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Rise & shine: Mashomack Preserve offers Birds and Breakfast, its annual birdwatch, from 6 to 10 a.m. Featuring a guided walk and breakfast in the Manor House. Admission: $35. 631-749-1001.

SUNDAY, MAY 26

Haul seine: Visit Mashomack Preserve to celebrate summer on the Manor House lawn from 4 to 7 p.m. Learn about wildlife and help haul a 300’ seine (fishing net). 631-749-1001.

FRIDAY, MAY 31

PMP Concert: Perlman Music Program Chamber Music Workshop kickoff concert and reception at 7:30 p.m. Featuring young artist participants presenting a musical soiree from the Age of Enlightenment including works by Haydn and Mozart. Free. At Clark Arts Center. Register: perlmanmusicprogram.org.

MEETINGS

(At Town Hall unless otherwise noted)

April 22: Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Center Firehouse, 7:30 p.m.

May 13: Shelter Island Library board meeting, at library, 7 p.m. 

May 14: Taylor’s Island Preservation and Management Committee Meeting, 9 a.m.

May 20: Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Center Firehouse, 7:30 p.m.

The post Island calendar: April 18, 2019 appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

The Earth Week full moon walk at Mashomack Preserve will take place on Friday, April 19.

Activities and events on Shelter Island.

THIS WEEK

FULL MOON WALK

The Earth Week full moon walk at Mashomack Preserve will take place Friday, April 19, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the woods and during the first full moon of spring. (631) 749-4219.

SUMMER ESSENTIALS

Make customized body misters with essential oils with Holly Cronin at the Library on Saturday, April 27 at 3 p.m. Participants will learn to utilize plants such as rosa rugosa and lavender grown by Ms. Cronin. Find out how to use plants to enhance your better being. Material fee: $10. Register (631) 749-0042.

FRIDAY NIGHT DIALOGUES

The Library presents author Tom Clavin discussing his new book “Wild Bill” during Friday Night Dialogues on Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m. 

NEXT WEEK

SHAKESPEARE

A Shakespeare in the Community discussion covers “Timon of Athens” at the Library on Saturday, April 27 at 12:30 p.m. Though categorized as a tragedy, the story is also at times a bitterly funny satire. Timon is a beloved nobleman who spends his entire fortune on corrupt hangers-on. Writer Becky Cole leads the discussion. 

JANE EYRE

On Saturday, April 27, the Library’s Classics Book Club will discuss “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte at 11 a.m. at the Library. 

FUTURISTIC FORESTS

Mashomack Preserve presents “Futuristic Forests,” which focuses on changing climates and changing trees on Saturday, April 27, from 1 to 3 p.m. (631) 749-4219.

STATE OF THE TOWN

The League of Women Voters of Shelter Island will be holding its 12th annual State of the Town Luncheon on Sunday, April 28, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Ram’s Head Inn. Supervisor Gary Gerth will speak about major Town issues that have arisen during his administration and afford the community an opportunity to ask questions. Price is $55 in advance and $60 at the door. Reservations may be made by using the coupon in the display ad in the April 18 issue of the Reporter.

COMING UP

PMP CONCERTS

The Perlman Music Program offers its Stires-Stark Alumni Recital Series on Saturday, May 18, at 5 p.m. with Nico Olarte-Hayes on cello at the Clark Arts Center. Admission: $25; free for 18 and under. 

Perlman Music Program Chamber Music Workshop kickoff concert and reception on Friday, May 31, at 7:30 p.m. Featuring young artist participants presenting a musical soiree from the Age of Enlightenment including works by Haydn and Mozart. Free. At Clark Arts Center. Details: (212) 877-5045, info@perlmanmusicprogram.org.

VENDORS WANTED

Calling all vendors and crafters! St. Mary’s Episcopal Church is holding its annual Summer Craft/Vendor Fair on Saturday, June 1. Indoor and outdoor space available. If you are interested in selling your wares, please contact Meredith Page at merpag@msn.com or (631) 433-1504.

ACROSS THE MOAT

FREE FILMS

On Saturday, April 20, the Manhattan Film Institute presents free film screenings of The Bad News Bears (PG) at 6:30 p.m. and Cinema Paradiso (R) at 7 p.m. at the Greenport 

The post What’s happening: April 18, 2019 appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

AMBROSE CLANCY PHOTO

If you know, let us know. Send your responses to a.clancy@sireporter.com or phone (631) 749-1000, extension 354.

Tom Speeches had last week’s mystery photo cold (see below): “The main door [on Washington Avenue] leading to the reception area of the Chequit Inn, the iconic porch for dining and views of Dering Harbor to the left of the door.”

And Kathryn O’Hagan checked in on our Facebook page.

The history of the restaurant and inn, named for the Manhanset Indian word for “weakfish, ” according to former owner Linda Eklund, begins in the middle of the 19th century.

Part of the structure was built in 1849 as a town meeting hall, according to the Shelter Island Historical Society. But the building seen today was completed in 1872, in a Victorian style known as “Carpenter Gothic,” or more commonly known as “gingerbread.”

It was originally owned by the Shelter Island Groves Meeting Association, an organization associated with the Methodist Church, when large parts of the Heights were used as summer retreats for city folks.

A community dining room, it was known then as simply “the restaurant” and by 1909 was an inn. In the 1920s, Hollywood discovered Shelter Island, with stars such as Mary Pickford staying at the Chequit.

Ownership changed hands several times, but celebrities were still attracted to the imposing hotel in the Heights, with reports of Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller staying along with various Kennedys, who sailed down from Massachusetts.

AMBROSE CLANCY PHOTO

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COURTESY PHOTO
Activities and events on Shelter Island.

EVERY WEEK 

50+ drop-in basketball: Sundays, noon to 2 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in basketball: Mondays and Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in soccer: Tuesdays, 7:30 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in tennis: Saturdays, 9 to 10 a.m., school courts. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in volleyball: Wednesdays, 7 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Alcoholics Anonymous: Fridays, beginners meeting, 7:30 p.m., Presbyterian Church. Open discussion Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. St. Mary’s; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.

Al-Anon: Saturdays, 10 a.m., St. Mary’s.

Alignment & Base Exercise: Wednesdays with Callie Atkins, 5:30 p.m., Youth Center, Legion Hall, $5.

Art/Rich Poetry Roundtable: Tuesdays, 4 p.m., Library.

Artist’s Way: A spiritual path to higher creativity with June Shatken. Wednesdays, 4:30, library.

Crafting for kids: Saturdays, 11 a.m., Shelter Island Library. (631) 749-0042.

English as a Second Language: Thursdays, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Library. For adults, free, with Teri Piccozzi.

Essentrics: Low impact workout with Laury Dowd, Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Functional Fitness: With Maggie Davis. Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Kahootin’ Tuesday: For young adults, 3 p.m., Library. Quizzes, trivia, fun.

Knitting and crocheting club: Mondays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Knitting club: Thursdays, 4:30 p.m., Library. 

Lego challenges: For kids, Wednesdays, 2:30 p.m., Library. (631) 749-0042

Mah jongg club: Monday at 10:00 a.m., Library lower level. Instruction available. Stephanie Zinger (631) 749-8805.

Open gym: For grades 6 through 12, Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m., sign in by 8. School. (631) 749-0309.

Pickle ball: At the American Legion Hall, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. 

Poker table: Thursdays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior Mah jongg: Fridays and Mondays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior yoga: Fridays and Mondays, 10 a.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059. 

Sensory exploration: Young children play at multiple stations. Wednesdays, 11:15 a.m., library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Shelter Island All-Faith Youth Group: Grades 8 to 12. Wednesdays 6 to 7:30 p.m., Camp Quinipet’s welcome center.

Silver Circle Social Club: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Watercolor class: With June Shatken. Tuesdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Yoga: Gentle flow with Dawn Hedberg. Thursdays, 5 p.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Yoga story time: For children. One Saturday per month, 11 a.m., library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Zumba: With Susan Binder. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 a.m.; Saturdays at 9:15 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Zumba Gold: With Susan Binder. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

EVENTS

FRIDAY, MAY 3

Kid fun: Kids in grades K to 5 can make arts and crafts at the Shelter Island Youth Center with Bethany Ortmann from 2:30-4 p.m. Kids will be brought from school to the Preserve on the Recreation bus, parents pick up at the Preserve. 631-749-0309, shelterislandtown.us.

SATURDAY, MAY 4

Volunteers needed: Mashomack Preserve is offering a volunteer orientation from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Visitors Center. Volunteers are the Center are needed and training is provided. (631)749-1001.

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Kid fun: Kids in grades K to 5 can be a sous chef for a day at the Shelter Island Youth Center and make strawberry butter with Bethany Ortmann from 2:45-4 p.m. Kids will be brought from school to the Preserve on the Recreation bus, parents pick up at the Preserve. 631-749-0309, shelterislandtown.us. 

SATURDAY, MAY 11

Blooming dogwoods: Visit Mashomack Preserve from 10 a.m. to noon to experience blooming dogwoods, view of Bass Creek and hike from the Manor House along the lower green trail. (631) 749-1001.

SATURDAY, MAY 18

PMP concert: The Perlman Music Program offers its Stires-Stark Alumni Recital Series at 5 p.m. with violinist Hannah Tarley at the Clark Arts Center. Admission: $25; free for 18 and under. Details: (212) 877-5045, info@perlmanmusicprogram.org.

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Rise & shine: Mashomack Preserve offers Birds and Breakfast, its annual birdwatch, from 6 to 10 a.m. Featuring a guided walk and breakfast in the Manor House. Admission: $35. (631) 749-1001.

SUNDAY, MAY 26

Haul seine: Visit Mashomack Preserve to celebrate summer on the Manor House lawn from 4 to 7 p.m. Learn about wildlife and help haul a 300’ seine (fishing net). (631) 749-1001.

MEETINGS

(At Town Hall unless otherwise noted)

May 11: Dering Harbor Board, Village Hall, 9 a.m.

May 13: Shelter Island Library board meeting, at library, 7 p.m. 

May 14: Taylor’s Island Preservation and Management Committee Meeting, 9 a.m.

May 20: Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Center Firehouse, 7:30 p.m.

The post Island calendar appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

COURTESY PHOTO
Activities and events on Shelter Island.

EVERY WEEK 

50+ drop-in basketball: Sundays, noon to 2 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in basketball: Mondays and Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in soccer: Tuesdays, 7:30 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in tennis: Saturdays, 9 to 10 a.m., school courts. No charge.

Adult coed drop-in volleyball: Wednesdays, 7 to 10 p.m., school gym. No charge.

Alcoholics Anonymous: Fridays, beginners meeting, 7:30 p.m., Presbyterian Church. Open discussion Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. St. Mary’s; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.

Al-Anon: Saturdays, 10 a.m., St. Mary’s.

Alignment & Base Exercise: Wednesdays with Callie Atkins, 5:30 p.m., Youth Center, Legion Hall, $5.

Art/Rich Poetry Roundtable: Tuesdays, 4 p.m., Library.

Artist’s Way: A spiritual path to higher creativity with June Shatken. Wednesdays, 4:30, library.

Crafting for kids: Saturdays, 11 a.m., Shelter Island Library. (631) 749-0042.

English as a Second Language: Thursdays, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Library. For adults, free, with Teri Piccozzi.

Essentrics: Low impact workout with Laury Dowd, Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Functional Fitness: With Maggie Davis. Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Kahootin’ Tuesday: For young adults, 3 p.m., Library. Quizzes, trivia, fun.

Knitting and crocheting club: Mondays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Knitting club: Thursdays, 4:30 p.m., Library. 

Lego challenges: For kids, Wednesdays, 2:30 p.m., Library. (631) 749-0042

Mah jongg club: Monday at 10:00 a.m., Library lower level. Instruction available. Stephanie Zinger (631) 749-8805.

Open gym: For grades 6 through 12, Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m., sign in by 8. School. (631) 749-0309.

Pickle ball: At the American Legion Hall, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. 

Poker table: Thursdays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior Mah jongg: Fridays and Mondays, 1:30 to 5 p.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059.

Senior yoga: Fridays and Mondays, 10 a.m., Senior Activity Center. (631) 749-1059. 

Sensory exploration: Young children play at multiple stations. Wednesdays, 11:15 a.m., library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Shelter Island All-Faith Youth Group: Grades 8 to 12. Wednesdays 6 to 7:30 p.m., Camp Quinipet’s welcome center.

Silver Circle Social Club: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Watercolor class: With June Shatken. Tuesdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Senior Activity Center. Call (631) 749-1059 for details.

Yoga: Gentle flow with Dawn Hedberg. Thursdays, 5 p.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Yoga story time: For children. One Saturday per month, 11 a.m., library. Call (631) 749-0042 for dates.

Zumba: With Susan Binder. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 a.m.; Saturdays at 9:15 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

Zumba Gold: With Susan Binder. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. American Legion/Youth Center. $5/class.

EVENTS

SATURDAY, MAY 18

Intercambio: Learn Spanish and English at the Library from 10 to 11:30 a.m. with conversations in both languages, not a class. Light refreshments served. Free.

EMS day: National EMS Week runs from May 19 to 26 and Shelter Island Town is offering an EMS open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to honor local EMS professionals and promote awareness of their everyday services to the public. It is an opportunity to educate the public on emergency technique awareness, safe driving rules and other safety topics. Located at at the EMS Headquarters, #18 Manwaring Road. Annmarie can be contacted at: aseddio@shelterislandtown.us.

Dodgeball: The dodgeball tournament to benefit the Shelter Island Early Childhood Learning Center takes place at noon at the Shelter Island School gym. Contact: Kelly Surerus, (646) 957-5787, kellysurerus@gmail.com.

PMP concert: The Perlman Music Program offers its Stires-Stark Alumni Recital Series at 5 p.m. with violinist Hannah Tarley at the Clark Arts Center. Admission: $25; free for 18 and under. Details: (212) 877-5045, info@perlmanmusicprogram.org.

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Rise & shine: Mashomack Preserve offers Birds and Breakfast, its annual birdwatch, from 6 to 10 a.m. Featuring a guided walk and breakfast in the Manor House. Admission: $35. (631) 749-1001.

THURSDAY, MAY 23

Kid fun: Kids can visit Mashomack Preserve with the Youth Center for “Tracks!” to look for animal tracks from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Kids will be brought from school to the Preserve on the Recreation bus, parents pick up at the Preserve. (631) 749-0309, shelterislandtown.us. 

SUNDAY, MAY 26

Haul seine: Visit Mashomack Preserve to celebrate summer on the Manor House lawn from 4 to 7 p.m. Learn about wildlife and help haul a 300’ haul seine (fishing net). (631) 749-1001.

THURSDAY, MAY 30

Kid fun: Kids can visit Mashomack Preserve with the Youth Center for “Prowling for Owls” to learn about owls and have a snack from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Kids will be brought from school to the Preserve on the Recreation bus, parents pick up at the Preserve. (631) 749-0309, shelterislandtown.us. 

Great Decisions: “Global Migration” kicks off the 2019 season of Great Decisions at the Library at 5:30 p.m. Moderated by Kirk Ressler. Details: Jocelyn Ozolins: jozolins@silibrary.org. 

FRIDAY, MAY 31

Friday Night Dialogues: John DiLeo: A Hollywood Double Feature at the Library at 7 p.m. features the author returning for an evening of Hollywood fun. Mr. DiLeo will talk about Bloopers, Secrets and Surprises From Hollywood’s Golden Age and Great Performances You Should Remember But Probably Don’t. Featuring classic movie clips and memories.  

PMP Concert: Perlman Music Program Chamber Music Workshop kickoff concert and reception at 7:30 p.m. Featuring young artist participants presenting a musical soiree from the Age of Enlightenment featuring works by Haydn and Mozart. Free. At Clark Arts Center. Register: perlmanmusicprogram.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 1

Concert: Shelter Island Friends of Music presents vocalist Alejandra Sandoval, top prizewinner at XXIV National Opera Competition in Mexico. At Shelter Island Presbyterian Church at 8 p.m. Free. alejandrasandoval.com, shelterislandfriendsofmusic.org.

Preschool benefit: The Forest to Table dinner to benefit the Shelter Island Early Childhood Learning Center takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. at KKs the Farm, 59945 Main Road, Southold. Tickets are $150 and are available at shelterislandpreschool.com.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6

Kid fun: Kids can visit Mashomack Preserve with the Youth Center for “Living Log” to turn over logs, see what’s under them and have a snack from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Kids will be brought from school to the Preserve on the Recreation bus, parents pick up at the Preserve. (631) 749-0309, shelterislandtown.us. 

PMP concert: The Perlman Music Program presents its Tutti Suonare (everyone plays) concert at the Clark Arts Center at 7 p.m. Featuring the faculty performing chamber music masterworks with the young artists as Patrick Romano conducts and a choral finale followed by a festive reception. perlmanmusicprogram.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 7

Kid fun: Kids in grades K to 5 can celebrate National Chocolate Ice Cream Day at the Shelter Island Youth Center and make make ice cream with Bethany Ortmann from 2:45 to 4 p.m. Kids will be brought from school to the Center, parents pick up at the Center. (631) 749-0309, shelterislandtown.us. 

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

PMP concert: The Perlman Music Program offers its artist-faculty lead Chamber Music Master Class concert at 7 p.m., at the Clark Arts Center on the PMP campus. Featuring artist-faculty leading the classes. Free, open to the public. Details: (212) 877-5045, email specialevents@perlmanmusicprogram.org. 

TUESDAY, JUNE 11

Preschool registration: The Shelter Island Early Childhood Learning Center registration is open from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Preschool. Meet the teachers and see the classrooms. The Preschool is accepting students turning 2 by December 1 through age 4. shelterisland preschool.com.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12

PMP concert: The Perlman Music Program offers its artist-faculty lead Chamber Music Master Class concert at 7 p.m., at the Clark Arts Center on the PMP campus. Featuring artist-faculty leading the classes. Free, open to the public. Details: (212) 877-5045, email specialevents@perlmanmusicprogram.org. 

MEETINGS

(At Town Hall unless otherwise noted)

May 20: Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Center Firehouse, 7:30 p.m.

June 8: Dering Harbor Board, Village Hall, 9 a.m.

June 10: Shelter Island Library board meeting, at library, 7 p.m. 

June 11: Taylor’s Island Preservation and Management Committee Meeting, 9 a.m.

June 24: Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Center Firehouse, 7:30 p.m.

The post Island calendar: May 16, 2019 appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

COURTESY PHOTO
National EMS week is soon and Shelter Island Town is hosting an EMS open house on May 18. Pictured, early this year Supervisor Gary Gerth accepted a $60,000 check to be deposited into the EMS capital reserve fund to assure money will be on hand when a new ambulance is next needed.

Events and activities on Shelter Island.

THIS WEEK

NATIONAL EMS WEEK

National EMS Week runs from May 19 to 26 and Shelter Island Town is hosting an EMS open house on May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m at EMS Headquarters located at #18 Manwaring Road. It is a time to honor local EMS professionals and promote awareness of their everyday services to the public. It is an opportunity to educate the public on emergency technique awareness, safe driving rules and other safety topics. Ambulance displays at local locations will take place throughout the week for the public view of the ambulances and to gain information. Details: aseddio@shelterislandtown.us.

DODGEBALL FUNDRAISER

The dodgeball tournament to benefit the Shelter Island Early Childhood Learning Center takes place at noon on Saturday, May 18, at the Shelter Island School gym. Contact: Kelly Surerus, (646) 957-5787, kellysurerus@gmail.com.

PERLMAN CONCERT

The Perlman Music Program offers its Stires-Stark Alumni Recital Series on Saturday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m. with violinist Hannah Tarley at the Clark Arts Center. Admission: $25; free for 18 and under. Details: (212) 877-5045, info@perlmanmusicprogram.org.

BIRDS AND BREAKFAST

Mashomack Preserve offers Birds and Breakfast, its annual birdwatch, on Sunday, May 19, from 6 to 10 a.m. Featuring a guided walk and breakfast in the Manor House. Admission: $35. (631) 749-1001.

NEXT WEEK

ANIMAL TRACKS

Kids can visit Mashomack Preserve with the Youth Center for “Tracks!” to look for animal tracks on Thursday, May 23, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Kids will be brought from school to the Preserve on the Recreation bus, parents pick up at the Preserve. (631) 749-0309, shelterislandtown.us. 

CITIZENSHIP AWARD

Richie Surozenski has been named citizen of the year by the Shelter Island Lions Club. The Lions’ 2019 Citizenship Award Dinner will take place Thursday, May 23, at 6 p.m. at the Pridwin Hotel. Admission is $45 per person and tickets are available at the Shelter Island Library. (631) 209-7452, dinner@shelterislandlions.org, shelterislandlions.org. 

CHURCH YARD SALE

The Annual Shelter Island Presbyterian Church Yard Sale is on May 25 of Memorial Day Weekend from 8 a.m. to noon, rain or shine. Donations are appreciated and accepted from Monday, May 20,  to Friday, May 24. Clean, unwanted items from your home, cellar, garage and sheds are welcome. We are accepting cookbooks and small furniture items also. No electronics, exercise equipment or bedding. (631) 749-0805.

SEINE HAULING

Visit Mashomack Preserve to celebrate summer on the Manor House lawn on Sunday, May 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. Learn about wildlife and help haul a 300’ haul seine (fishing net). (631) 749-1001.

COMING UP

OWL PROWL

Kids can visit Mashomack Preserve with the Youth Center for “Prowling for Owls” to learn about owls and have a snack on Thursday, May 30, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Kids will be brought from school to the Preserve on the Recreation bus, parents pick up at the Preserve. (631) 749-0309, shelterislandtown.us. 

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Great Decisions at the Shelter Island Library kicks off on Thursday, May 30, at 5:30 p.m. with “Global Migration” as its first session. Today, no countries have open borders. Every state in today’s global system has its own laws and policies about who is permitted to cross its borders, and how they will do so. Who determines whether someone is a refugee or a migrant? How have different countries, including the United States, reacted to migration? How effective are the international laws, policies and organizations that have evolved to assist and protect refugees and migrants?  Kirk Ressler, who will again moderate this season’s series of discussions. Details: Jocelyn Ozolins, jozolins@silibrary.org. 

PMP CONCERT

Perlman Music Program Chamber Music Workshop kickoff concert and reception on Friday, May 31, at 7:30 p.m. Featuring young artist participants presenting a musical soiree from the Age of Enlightenment including works by Haydn and Mozart. Free. At Clark Arts Center. Details: (212) 877-5045, info@perlmanmusicprogram.org.

VENDORS WANTED

Calling all vendors and crafters! St. Mary’s Episcopal Church is holding its annual Summer Craft/Vendor Fair on Saturday, June 1. Indoor and outdoor space available. If you are interested in selling your wares, please contact Meredith Page at merpag@msn.com or (631) 433-1504.

PRESCHOOL BENEFIT

The Forest to Table dinner to benefit the Shelter Island Early Childhood Learning Center takes place on Friday, June 1, from 6 to 9 p.m. at KKs the Farm, 59945 Main Road, Southold. Tickets are $150 and are available at shelterislandpreschool.com.

CONCERT

The Shelter Island Friends of Music presents lyric-coloratura Alejandra Sandoval with accompanist, Andrés Sarre for its third concert in its 2019 Concert Series on Saturday, June 1, at 8 p.m. at the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church. Ms. Sandoval was born in Mexico and has been awarded top prizes from many prestigious international vocal competitions. Ms. Sandoval will perform music by Strauss, Donizetti, Poulenc, Korngold and Beydts. A meet-the-artist post-concert wine and cheese reception will follow. Free, donations appreciated. shelterislandfriendsofmusic.org.

PLEIN AIR

5th Annual Plein Air Workshop at Smith-Taylor Cabin, Taylor’s Island, Coecles Harbor will be held on Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m each day. Inclement weather will cause rescheduling. $100 per person includes transportation to Taylor’s Island. The workshop will be headed by Linda J. Puls. It is open to acrylic, oil and watercolor painters, age 18+ and all skill levels are welcome. To reserve your space, send a check for $100 to the Taylor’s Island Foundation, (check made out to the Foundation) P.O. Box 524, Shelter Island Heights, N.Y. 11965-0524. E mail Linda at seapulse@optonline.net for more info.

PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION

The Shelter Island Early Childhood Learning Center registration opens Tuesday, June 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Preschool. Meet the teachers and see the classrooms. The Preschool is accepting students turning 2 by December 1 through age 4. shelterislandpreschool.com.

GOLF BENEFIT

The Paul R. Carey Memorial Golf Outing will be held on Monday, June 17, at Gardiner’s Bay Country Club. Registration begins at 10:30 am.; BBQ lunch at 11:30 a.m.; tee off at 1 p.m.; cocktails at 5 p.m.; dinner at 6 p.m. The outing benefits the Paul Robert Carey Foundation and its local grantees: Our Lady of the Isle Outreach Program; Fighting Chance and KiDS NEED MoRE Camp Adventure. For more information, contact Ahna Affinito at (518) 465-4747 or aaffinito@picotte.com.

CHICKEN BBQ

The Shelter Island Fire Department’s annual chicken BBQ will take place on Saturday, August 17, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Firemen’s Field.

ACROSS THE MOAT

THE PROMPTER

Bay Street Theater presents “The Prompter,” the first production of the 2019 Mainstage Season. The World Premiere will be May 28 – June 16. Tovah Feldshuh (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Walking Dead, Golda’s Balcony) and Wade Dooley (Jersey Boys) star in the show. Single tickets on sale now or tickets can be purchased as part of the three-play subscription package for the 2019 Mainstage Season. Call the Box Office at (631) 725-9500 or log on to baystreet.org.

The post What’s happening: May 16, 2019 appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.

ELEANOR P. LABROZZI PHOTO Paul Brewer, left, and son, Corey, fishing off the beach in Dering Harbor. The striped bass were biting in the middle of the light show.

The post Shelter Island Photo Op: Sunset fishing at Second Bridge appeared first on Shelter Island Reporter.