Community

Oysterponds

Poquatuck Hall should be rocking this Saturday, April 17, with the first-ever “Song Swap” at 7pm. It will be a wonderful opportunity for local musicians to share their favorite traditional and contemporary songs in an intimate setting. Organized by Gideon D’Arcangelo and Anne MacKay, the Song Swap will be like an old-time hootenanny: As one singer finishes, another will pick up and offer a song to keep the musical evening moving along. Gideon got the idea from song swaps in Nashville, where local songwriters, balladeers, guitar-slingers and all-around music lovers ply their trade nightly. Anne will be sing and play her dulcimer and she and Gideon will MC the event. Gideon is a singer and guitarist who learned many songs while working with Alan Lomax. Local musicians Helen Hooke, OHS director Ellen Cone-Busch, Captain Dave Berson, the Bull Family, Ron Rothman, Joe Sferlazza, Mary and Ande Dorman and many others will perform. Admission is $10.

The Song Swap is part of a series of efforts to raise funds to renovate the floor in Orient’s historic Poquatuck Hall. The swap is part of two consecutive weekends of cultural events at Poquatuck.

On display during the Song Swap will be paintings by artist-in-residence Annie Wildey, Alan Bull and James Napolean. The artists have generously offered to donate half of all proceeds from the sale of paintings to the restoration fund for Poquatuck Hall.

For more information, contact Anne MacKay at 323-2601 or Gideon D’Arcangelo at 323-1234

East Marioneers Dan and Maureen Murphy win the good neighbor award this week. They are soliciting my help in returning a kayak they salvaged from the bay during last month’s nor’easter. You can call them at 477-9545 to claim it and tell them I sent you.

If you need something in next week’s column please make sure you e-mail early. I hope to be on e-mail all week but one never knows, as I’ll be in the Holy Land along with 70 other “pilgrims” from St. Agnes. I hope I have some good stories to share on my return. Many of our neighbors are among the travelers. If you e-mail me a request I will put it on the wailing wall. Sarah will be monitoring my e-mail, just in case.