Oysterponds: Glowing gal at the post office
If you’ve popped into Orient’s post office lately, you’ll have noticed that postmistress Daniela is still basking in the afterglow of her Oct. 16 wedding to Nicholas Michkovitis. Daniela’s friend Monsignor John McGuire performed the nuptials, which took place at St. Louis de Montfort Church in Sound Beach. She was walked down the aisle by her mother, Vincenza DiStefano, and was attended by maid of honor and twin sister Giovanna Di Stefano. The groom’s mother, Brigitte Westermeir, and her husband, Franz, and his father John Michkovitis, his friend Liz and best man Keith Ryder were all on board to celebrate, which they did till 12:30 a.m. at the Venetian Yacht Club in Babylon. We all wish them much happiness and, yes, Daniela is sporting a new Russian last name.
Congratulations to Robert Newman, son of Jerie and Ken Newman of Orient, who was honored Nov. 2 by the International Fine Art Print Dealers Association at the Cosmopolitan Club in Manhattan. Robert is past president of this association and remains very active in it. He is president of the Old Print Shop on Lexington Avenue in New York City.
We’re winding down on “decade club” celebrants but today one of our younger members changes his birthday. Happy Day to Danny Franke, who turns 20 on Nov. 10. Please let me know if anyone else has a zero birthday coming in the next seven weeks.
The Oysterponds Faculty Association has joined with Scholastic Book Clubs and the nonprofit Pajama Program to support the Great Bedtime Story pajama drive. If you can help, bring a brand-new pair of PJs (sizes newborn to adult) to the school by Nov. 23rd. These are for children who live in group homes, shelters, foster care and orphanages.
Save the date, Nov. 20, for OCC’s Christmas Sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. I will follow with more details next week.
Oysterponds Community Activities, which supports all the monuments, Poquatuck Hall and many local events, will send out its annual membership appeal soon. Please watch for it and please respond to help with the cost of the new floor.
Allie Skrezec is the mover and shaker behind a collection effort for Operation Gratitude, which gathers items for our soldiers overseas. She has placed donation boxes at the entrance of Oysterponds School in the hope that you will fill them with your leftover Halloween candy, which she will then ship at her own expense to reach our military. This is a great lesson of sharing for our children and a win/win all around — for everyone except the dentists. Thanks, Allie.
Speaking of soldiers, I was privileged to attend a sendoff Saturday for a group of World War II veterans heading to their memorial in Washington, D.C., as part of the Honor Flight Program. If you know a vet who has not been part of this program, please Google it and pass along the info. It is a goosebump-producing moment.
Meanwhile, fly your flag for Veterans Day and give thanks for those that have fought for our freedom. Also, don’t forget the 11 a.m. ceremony Thursday in Greenport’s Mitchell Park.
