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Oysterponds: WINGO for Japan

As Chris Franke said, Easter is often the season of new beginnings and it certainly will be for the Franke household this year. After 24 years, seven months and four days, Jim Franke has hung up his badge (and the other 45 pounds of accessories he carried on his belt) and officially retired as one of Southold’s Finest. His last day was Easter Sunday. We all send our congratulations to Jim on a job well done and hope that Chris hasn’t created a “honey do” list more than a foot long.

I had a couple of small worlds this week. A neighbor a few doors down here in Jensen Beach, whose business has mowed my lawn for years, stopped by to tell me also fixes sprinkler systems (my grass is dying). He asked, “Whereabouts are you from in New York?”  When I said Orient, he looked a bit puzzled but then shared that he was from Islip Terrace — less than two miles from where I grew up! Then he asked if I’d ever heard of Captain Bill’s Restaurant (of course I had) and told me his cross street neighbors owned it. After eight years, I haven’t worked my way down the street to meet them yet.

The Oysterponds fifth and sixth grades will sponsor WINGO at the school on Friday night, April 29 and will be washing cars at the school on Saturday, April 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Both events will benefit a relief fund for victims of the disasters in Japan.

You can get your car washed before or after you head to the 22nd annual East Marion Fire Department Auxiliary chinese auction from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the East Marion firehouse.

Speaking of Oysterponds, the eighth annual Oysterponds 5K Fun Run is set for Saturday, May 14, at 10 a.m. You can go to oysterponds.org for details and an application.

As Memorial Day and the parade draw closer, OCA can always use donations of flags for the monuments. Please check your attics and pass along a flag if you are storing one. Call Ed Wright, who is keeper of the flags.

If the Oysterponds car wash were a day earlier you could do it honor of the Royal Wedding but, alas, it will probably just rain anyway. Anybody want to share how they will celebrate the nuptials of William and Kate? The media says it will have a larger global viewing audience than any event in history. If you’re not an early riser don’t forget to tape it.

People always used to say Mondays are awful, and for the last few weeks, I can attest to that. So I have a new mantra. Instead of “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again,” I have switched to “Man plans, God laughs.”