Come one, come all this Saturday, Oct. 29, at 10 a.m. to Poquatuck Hall for the annual Orient Community Association meeting. Come hear about the year of renovations and plans for the future. Poquatuck Hall is a jewel of an asset to our village and we should never take it for granted. All are welcome; refreshments will be served.
Following the OCA meeting, please join in family fun at the Oysterponds Historical Society Fall Festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the OHS campus. There will be games, crafts, a scavenger hunt, harvest demonstrations, cider and treats, followed by a 2 p.m. graveyard talk and tour. East Bound Freight will provide music throughout. Please carve a pumpkin and place it on the Village House steps, where you will be able to see it lit later in the day and take it home with you. The Oysterponds PTA will take over the festivities at 4:30, when there will be face painting, trick-or-treating, a potluck supper and a costume contest. This event is also open to the community and admission is free. Visit oysterpondshistoricalsociety.org for more details.
The Orient Fire Department is offering a free non-certificate CPR and stroke recognition class from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. The class is open to adults, children and teenagers. Please sign up at orientfd.org/CPR.
Ever want to publish a book? Dr. Steve Burt, former Orient Methodist Church minister and author of multiple award-winning books, has recently published a how-to book to help you do just that — for free. Written by Steve and his wife, Jolyn, it’s called “Publish Your Book Free.” Visit steveburtbooks.com for more information.
Congratulations to Larry Bull and Bronwyn Roantree, who tied the knot Saturday at Orient Congregational Church. Larry is the son of Orient’s Priscilla Bull and Bronwyn is the daughter of Kathy Roantree, who lives in Nashville. The newlyweds live in Woodside, Queens, with their feline, Mrs. Weasel.
The Hidden City Orchestra is an ever-shifting ensemble of musicians, poets, painters and performance artists who perform real-time compositions, live music to silent film, music to spoken word pieces and many other unusual and interesting projects. Anything is possible, as The Hidden City Orchestra dwells in the realm of possibility. The group will perform at Poquatuck Hall this Sunday at 4 p.m. Tickets are $20. For more details, visit hiddencityorchestra.com.
Birthday wishes go out to longtime Orienteer Mary VanNostrand, who will turn 90 on Saturday. If you want to drop her a snail mail greeting, her address is Spring Mill Senior Living Compass, Unit 158D, Phoenixville, PA 19460.
If you open my infamous virtual dictionary to the words “loved to play golf,” “loved to sing,” “loved her church,” “loved her family and loved to cook for them (especially ravioli),” you would find the picture of East Marioneer Rose Colombini, who sailed (thanks to her naval training) to her heavenly reward on Oct. 17. Oysterponds extends their sympathy to her family. I hope she passed down her recipes. Godspeed, Rose. You will be missed.
Opening that same dictionary to the words “kind, quiet gentleman” and you would find the picture of Orienteer Jimmy Contento, who also died on the 17th. We all extend our sympathy to his wife, Joan, and the whole family. May he rest in peace.
We also send our sympathy to Diana, Jade and Matthew Duell on the recent death of their father/grandfather, YoungMan Kwon, in Hawaii.
At the end of the Congregational Church service, they always ask for “joys” to share. I am sure all of Oysterponds joins with me in wishing good luck to Orient Service Center proprietor and former Chicago Cubs pitcher Bill Hands Sr., whose team is FINALLY going to the world series and is hoping for a win. I Googled Bill and he is ranked as #81 all time on the Cubs. Last year, when they were running down the clock against “my” Mets, I wasn’t so magnanimous, but I am rooting for them to go all the way now! (After all, every 108 years seems fitting!)
Contact Oysterponds columnist Carol Gillooly at [email protected] or 631-323-3899.