Community Columns

Oysterponds News: Candidate forum Oct. 18 in East Marion

It’s that time of year again and the ospreys have vacated their nests, the summer folks have returned to their winter residences and boats are being hauled to land. Speaking of which, this is the last weekend Orient Yacht Club will be open. If you’re a member, you might want to stop in and snag that bowl, bathing suit or pair of sneakers you left behind this summer.

There will be a candidate forum next Saturday, Oct. 18, at the East Marion firehouse, jointly sponsored by the East Marion Community and Orient associations. Candidates running for state Assembly and the Southold Board of Trustees will field questions submitted by Oct. 15 to Anne Murray at [email protected] or Bob Hanlon at [email protected]. Please plan to join your neighbors for this important event.

Kudos to the Rev. Dr. Steve Burt (Greenport High School Class of ’67), author, retired UCC pastor and former interim pastor at Orient United Methodist Church. His teen mystery “FreeK Week” won the 2014 Mom’s Choice Award for young adults. WTG, Steve!

When I was at the Congregational church this week, I picked up a Bible and perused its inside cover. It had a label bearing the name of the donor and the person or persons in whose memory it was given. If you ever want to have a trip down memory lane, stop in and read the litany of folks who were the pillars of this community decades ago. It was fun.

The place to be at 6 p.m. tomorrow is along the parade route for the annual GHS Homecoming parade. You can cheer on three Oysterponds grads, senior “prince” Neville Reece, freshman “prince” Matt Tuthill and sophomore football player Keegan Syron. The parade starts at the IGA and heads down Front Street to the school. The football game, against Mercy, starts at 7 p.m. It’s one of those very special small-town moments and an event not to miss. Let’s go Porters!

If you open that famous dictionary of mine under the title of one of my favorite Orient folks in the last 35 years, you’ll find the picture of Dr. Bill Bachman. Sadly, but after a life well lived, Bill died at home Sept. 25 in Hamilton, Mont. His family has posted a long biographic obituary in the Wellsboro Gazette and I encourage you to read about his amazing life and accomplishments. One thing it mentions is that he was a bit of a jokester. A little more than a decade ago, Bill, his bride, Sheila, and East Marioneer Grant Lennox came to visit me in Florida, arriving a bit before me. During our visit we went to Dillards, as there was something Bill wanted to show me. As we entered the Christmas department, we were closely followed by a salesclerk who stayed at our heels. The day before my arrival, Bill had apparently discovered — and become fascinated by — a rocking frog that croaked “Jingle Bells,” and activated dozens of them at once, which created a terrible racket. The salesperson stood over us for protection of her sanity. Every time I hear a croaking frog I think of him and smile. I have also posted his obit on my Facebook page and will email you a copy if you can’t access it. We all extend our sympathy to Sheila, his bride of more than six decades, and their children, David, Barbara, Bill and Todd. Godspeed, Bill, you were the best.

You can send Sheila a note at Sheila Bachman, c/o Barbara Josephian, 1209 McCauley Lane, Drumore, PA 17518.

Back here on Oct. 24.

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