Community

Greenport: A DECA Club car wash and a tree planting/dedication

The National Honor Society’s Greenport chapter, formed in 1944, held its annual induction ceremony May 11. Current members Peter Anderer, Kelly Bunchuck, Callie Bubb, Emily Demarest, Brittany Gasiorowski, Sarah Maaiki, Anthony Nichols, Nathan Reece, Beth Richter, Caitlin Ryan, Joseph Sieverman, Daneisy Silie and Holly Sponza welcomed the new inductees Erin Creedon, Sean Charters, Payge Corazzini, Rafael Gonzalez, Victoria Gonzalez, Kerri Hands, Emily King, Nonia Lyburt, Mark Pagano, Shawn Peterson, Helen Ramirez, Marvin Rodriguez, Alexa Suess, Jacob Thorp and Zoe Vayer. Congratulations one and all!

Steve Burt, Class of 1967, spoke at the induction ceremony about “Discovering Our Passion in Life.” The previous day, he discussed writing with students in grades 6 through 9. While he was in town, word arrived that his novel “FreeK Camp: Psychic Teens in a Paranormal Thriller” had just won several more awards: finalist in the Best Teen in Next Generation Indie Awards, gold medalist for Best Young Adult at the San Francisco Book Festival and gold medalist for Best Teen at the Paris Book Festival. Earlier in the week it hit No. 1 in the amazon.com Kindle store for children’s sci-fi/mystery/detective literature. The Rev. Dr. Burt, who is also a full-time pastor in Lyme, Conn., told students that he’d been advised to pursue math in college, but instead had followed his own passion by writing fiction, which he called “telling lies for fun and profit.”

Speaking of published authors who are GHS grads, don’t forget that Diane Levin, professor of education at Wheelock College, will speak at Tifereth Israel Synagogue on Sunday, May 22, at 7 p.m. She will discuss children and their exposure to today’s sexual environment, which is also the topic of her book, “Too Sexy Too Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids.”

If you missed the senior class car wash on Saturday, fear not. DECA Club members will hold another one this Saturday, May 21, 9-11 a.m., in the school’s circular drive. At 11, junior high Interact Club members take over to keep washing until 2 p.m.

May 19 is Greenport Arbor Day and Tree Day. There will be a tree planting and dedication at 10 a.m. at Greenhill Cemetery on Webb Street honoring the contributions of Dave Horton. All are invited.

Belated birthday wishes to Taylor Reed from Mom, Mark, Hayley. Vanessa, Grandma, Pop-pop and Macy. Taylor turned 21 on May 16.

Birthdays will be celebrated May 19 by my newly married nephew Marcus Tooker, Sue Klipp, “Jake” Jacobs and Kevin McLaughlin; Adrienne McCracker, granddaughter of Ann Stanilaus, Rebekka Peterson, Abe DeJesus and Elijah Krause, on the 22nd; Dale Ryan, Theresa Pringle and Christopher Doucett (who turns 5) on the 23rd; Emma Marshall on the 24th; and Ricky Jensen on the 25th.

A very happy anniversary is wished to Lisa and Richard Israel, who celebrate their 31st on May 24.