Community Columns

Oysterponds News: Winter Lecture Series continues Sunday

Thanks to all who donated 198 hats/gloves to Heather Walker’s “Warm Hands, Warm Hearts” campaign. All have been distributed and, as always, they really came in handy since the weather has been so brutal.

Floyd Memorial Library in Greenport will host a free concert by Basically Baroque this Saturday, Feb. 15, at 3 p.m. The program includes Handel, Haydn, Quantz and Telemann. Call 477-0660 for more details.

The OHS Winter Lecture Series continues this Sunday, Feb. 16, with “The Manor: Three Centuries at a Slave Plantation on Long Island.” Mac Griswold, author of a book by that name, will discuss the Shelter Island property involved in this story of slavery, emancipation, racism and prejudice. The presentation takes place at Peconic Landing in Greenport and is open to all. Call 323-2480 for details.

Also on Sunday, explorer and naturalist Steve Fratello, known as the Butterfly Man, will give a talk at Floyd Memorial Library about the world of rainforest butterflies. It is free and open to all.

CAST’s Have a Heart fundraising dinner at Peconic Landing is this Saturday, Feb. 15, with seatings at 5 and 7 p.m. Call 477-1717 for information and reservations.

Happy no-significant-birthday to Bob Van Cleef, who celebrates Feb. 15. (Of course, after his recent serious heart surgery all birthdays are significant.) I always remember his birthday because he shared it with my mom, who is celebrating hers in heaven along with our own Stella Sledjeski, also born on the 15th. Enjoy the day, Bob, and wishes for your return to full strength.

Speaking of heart surgeries, former Orienteer Elyse Romano had some significant ticker surgery Jan. 21 and, in typical Elyse fashion, is doing awesome. You can send her a note at 11 Harbor Isle Drive, PH 04, Fort Pierce, FL 34949. I know she’d love to hear from you.

Someone else who’d love to hear from you is Norman Dietz. I had an “annual” letter from him last week, in which he caught all up on his adventures. He remains his usual bundle of energy and is still doing narrating and performing, albeit with a few more aches and pains. You can get his contact info at NormanDietz.com if you want to say hi.

Oysterponds sends sympathy to the family of Barbara Calcagnini on her death. Her cheery smile will sure be missed! May she rest in peace.

Small worlds abound all over the place. East Marioneer Dede Campbell is visiting the southwest coast of Florida and was in the supermarket near Punta Gorda when she looked up and spotted fellow St. Agnes parishioner Pat Barry (husband Bob was patiently waiting in the car). Somehow the fact that they were both from the North Fork was revealed and another woman piped up that her sister lives in East Marion on Marion Manor Road. Not surprising that Dede’s son Brian lives in one of the handful of houses on that same street. Later in the day, Dede ran into Pat again in another store (Bob once again waiting patiently in the car) and they caught up even more.

At Saturday night Mass I noticed a woman standing next to me on her way to communion at Holy Family in Port St. Lucie and thought to myself: Wow, she looks like Ursula Murray. The fact that husband Tom Murray was standing behind her then clinched that small world.

On the way out, I ran after the Murrays, who were closing in on Dee and Kevin Gallagher, who were at the same Mass. I knew the Gallaghers were in Florida, since we’d gotten together with Sue and Joe Cherepowich last week, just before Joe and Sue spent five days trying to get on a plane north after multiple cancellations courtesy of Mother Nature. Glad they finally made it.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all. Give everyone you meet a “warm” hug. It will make their day.

Contact Carol Gillooly at [email protected] or 323-3899