Community Columns

Southold Column: Birthdays, school garden and more

State Board of Regents member Roger Tilles (third from left) tours the Southold school garden with Superintendent David Gamberg and students Emiliann Palermo (left) and Bryanna Bay last year.
State Board of Regents member Roger Tilles (third from left) tours the Southold school garden with Superintendent David Gamberg and students Emiliann Palermo (left) and Bryanna Bay last year. produce from the garden is for sale this Saturday.

Well, the alphabet soup of weather  started this past weekend. Though we needed the rain, I hope you all found a way to celebrate in your own way. 

We have a lot of birthdays. Let me start with belated wishes to Saylor Hughes, who turned 11 on July 5, and Dave Hunstein on July 8. Harry Bifulco turns 11 today, July 10. Lois Manfredi and John Zaveski Sr. celebrate on July 12; Kyra Panetta, turning 14, on July 13; Lucas Johnson, turning 16, on the 14th; Cathy Reilly and Aidan Russell on the 16th; Jack Reilly on the 18th; and Lucas Grigonis on the 20th. Who knew I shared my birthday with so many Southolders? Erin Kaelin, Darlene Fulda, Melinda Hanold and I will celebrate July 21. For one of us, it’s a BIG birthday, but I won’t let the cat out of the bag. Besides, she doesn’t look it.

• Jennifer Jarosz-Watts, M.D., Southold High School Class of 1995, has completed a fellowship at Duke University Hospital and is now a certified interventional radiologist. She will join her husband, John (Jay) Watts, M.D. (also an interventional radiologist), as a partner at Greensboro Radiology in North Carolina. The doctors Watts have two children, Will, 6, and Molly, 2. The family tries to make a point of coming to Southold each summer and plan to purchase a second residence here.

• The Southold School Garden continues to harvest wonderful crops. You can purchase the produce at the farm stand in front of the elementary school this Saturday, July 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stay tuned for more dates for the Southold and Greenport locations. Besides the produce, they also have their tasty carrot-ginger salad dressing.

• The Southold School Educational Foundation, a new organization created to support grants and opportunities in the school, seeks people interested in serving on its board of directors, helping with fundraising and other tasks. For questions and information, email [email protected].

• Want to save money on car insurance? Bernie Kettenbeil will conduct a drivers safety class at the Southold Town Recreation Center July 16 and 17 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. You must attend both days to complete the course. Call 765-5182 for details.

• The ELIH Auxiliary ladies golf outing will take place at Island’s End in Greenport on Monday, July 21. Tee time is at 9 a.m. There will also be a buffet lunch, 50/50 raffle and lots of prizes, including a $15,000 hole-in-one prize sponsored by Robert’s Jewelers. The cost is $125 with a limit of 72 golfers. You must register by July 15. Call Barbara Koch at 477-0975 or 553-4857.

• Cathie Dunn of Jeni’s Main Street Grill and friends will host a chinese auction Saturday, July 26, to benefit the Nord Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type 1 Grant Fund (a national organization for rare disorders) in honor of Cathie’s 14-year-old nephew. The event will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at the American Legion hall. There will be prizes, a yard sale table and more than 100 baskets — you don’t need to be present to win. For information or to make a donation, call 751-3732.

• The rock band Crushing Violets will perform at Horton Point Lighthouse at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 26, sponsored by the Southold Historical Society. Tickets are $10 per adult and free for children under 12. Bring chairs, blankets and picnics if you wish. Rain moves the performance to Southold’s First Presbyterian Church. Call 765-5500.

• When I was a kid, I always thought of my birthday as the halfway mark of summer vacation. Even as an adult, I still love summer vacations. I hope you can find time to relax and appreciate all the little things of summer. Take a deep breath and just smile.

• My next deadline is Sunday, July 20. Until then, have some summer fun!