Oysterponds News: Presentation to address climate change

Congratulations to East Marioneer Brittany Walker, daughter of Heather and Gene, and her North Fork Cheer team, who took first place in The Shore Showdown competition Saturday in Wildwood, N.J. 

Melanie Douglass, Greenport High School teacher and former Orient “kid,” shepherded 14 Greenport students on a whirlwind eight-day tour of London, Paris and Rome. Highlights included the London Eye, the changing of the guard, Versailles, the Louvre and the Coliseum. The 14 student travelers were Oysterponders Nick Wallace, Brendan Walker, Ryan Costello, Katie Tuthill, Max Mastrangelo and Toni Esposito and eight Greenporters. They averaged nine miles of daily walking and, according to Melanie, there wasn’t one minute of complaining. It was the memory of a lifetime and I’m not sure Melanie will stop counting students in her sleep anytime soon.

This Saturday, April 18, from 9 to 11 a.m. Orient Congregational Church will hold registration for its 2015-16 preschool and this summer’s camp for 3- and 4-year-olds. For more info, call 323-1316 or visit orientpreschool.com.

Saturday also brings a “don’t miss it” event at Peconic Landing, when Orienteer and educator John Holzapfel will present a lecture on the History of Poquatuck Hall at 4 p.m. John has done extensive research on this gem of a “town hall,” which has been there for 140 years. Call OHS for more details.

After the lecture, make your way back to Poquatuck Hall for the sixth annual Song Swap fundraiser. This event is dedicated to the late Anne MacKay, who co-organized the first Song Swap. Organized by Gideon D’Arcangelo, the event is set up like the living room of a family of musicians at home, swapping songs all evening with friends and neighbors. The audience can sing along or just listen. The list of local musicians set to participate is extensive and impressive. Proceeds from your $10 ticket donation will benefit Oysterponds Community Activities. Refreshments will be available for purchase.

Master Gardener Sherry Thomas will present “How Will My Garden Grow?” at Poquatuck Hall on Saturday, April 25, at 10 a.m. She’ll talk about how sea rise, climate change and the atrocious weather we experienced this winter are affecting gardens, local ecosystems, invasive plants and wildlife. All are invited to this event, sponsored by the Orient Association.

In case you were wondering what all the activity and lights were on Main Road down at the point I have the answer. A Stony Brook University student is filming a documentary about the days of Prohibition, thus some of the vintage cars motoring around the farmland. When the film is completed, the young scholar has promised to share a copy so we can all see the fruits of his efforts. Stay tuned.

Happy birthday today, April 16, to Brianna VanTuyl and next Thursday, the 23rd, to Frank Thorp. Both are celebrating milestone birthdays plus one. Chew on it … you’ll figure it out.

Spring has finally pulled into town, so throw open the windows, throw on the screens and enjoy every minute. In a couple of months we will all be complaining about the heat.

This column next appears on April 30. Please get me news by the 26th.

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