This marks the 139th Montauk Moorings column, which astounds this writer, and it also marks the first time we’ve written down the numeral representing the new year—2010. What amazes is that these two markings have seemed to fly by, as the old cliché goes. For social news writers, this period of time usually goes from “feast to famine,” when holiday party news quiets down, some Montaukers begin their emigration to warmer climes, and a quiet descends on our hamlet. Some of us enjoy the change, though it’s difficult for business owners.
Since the paper offered us a mini-vacation over the holidays, we’ve got some catching up to do, particularly concerning the blizzard of 2009. Sometimes weather forecasters lose their credibility as they often hype the news of a storm. This time we believed them. Apparently many local institutions did also, as Montauk event cancellations began pouring in.
Ingrid Lemme, Gurney’s marketing director, informed us that the December 18 “One Size Fits All” holiday party was cancelled. On Saturday, the library program director Carolyn Balducci sent us a note canceling the Bluegrass Holiday concert due to weather conditions. She promises that we’ll be able to catch them here this summer. I was charmed by Maureen Rutkowski’s note: “Today’s (December 20) ‘Carols by Candlelight’ event at the Montauk Playhouse Community Center has been cancelled. (She is project director of the center.) Have fun in the snow.”
We do have to commend the outstanding plowing services we always get from the Montauk highway people. To add to the story, Fire Chief Robert Gosman tells us, they had a single call on Saturday night—a malfunctioning alarm system on West Lake Drive, which had outages. On Sunday, the EMS had a 7 p.m. call and found the snow drifts on Napeague difficult, but they managed. “We were so lucky,” he said.
We can’t wrap up the blizzard story without mentioning the fund-raiser for Gregory Goldberg, a young man suffering from severe cancer. The event took place the Saturday night of the blizzard and in spite of it. Alice Housenecht reported that while vacationing in Hawaii, she received a call from Heather Hewitt about Gregg’s plight, and with Vanessa Beiler and Rachel Goldberg, was trying to organize a benefit to help. Alice promptly called Roger Feit, who heads the East End Foundation, and they all went into organizational mode. Old Harbor House was the scene on that memorable stormy Saturday, the 19th, with an auction run by the inimitable George Watson (Alice’s brother), a raffle and more. As Alice tells it there were between 300 to 500 people who came out between 6 and 11 p.m. that night, paid the $20 entrance fee, and participated in the auction. “Wherever you looked you saw nothing but trucks. The place was packed.” The benefit was hugely successful. Alice said, “It was the Montauk spirit working.”
We’re happy to report that the library will start the Thursday Winter Movie Series offered by the Friends of the Montauk Library. “Julie & Julia,” a 2009 feature which was a total delight, will inaugurate the series tomorrow, January 7, at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, Lori Newell of Living Well Yoga and Fitness lists an open house this Saturday and Sunday at her studio.
Gurney’s has been offering a Saturday night live concert series for people 21 and over. There’s no cover charge and January 9 will herald the group called “Phase 4.” Only thing is it starts at 10 p.m., but then we understand that there are people who start their weekends then.
We recommend a lovely opportunity to commune with nature at 10 a.m., January 9, when a 4.5-mile Point Woods Trail hike led by Larry Raymond (668-3432) and sponsored by the East Hampton Trails Preservation Society is scheduled. Meet at Camp Hero Road. Next Wednesday, January 13, at 10 a.m., Carol Andrews (725-3367) will lead a Napeague Loop hike of 4 miles to experience the quiet winter beauty of Napeague State Park. Meet on Napeague Meadow Road. What treasures we have for all seasons!
We asked some Montauk people about what they foresee for the New Year. Retail owner Jim Martell comments that despite the appearance of externals being “okay,” people who come into his shop talk about their anxiety for the coming year. “It’s real [economic worries] and it’s here.” Kay Peluso, assistant manager of the Montauk Chase Bank hopes that the community will continue to grow together helping each other through the hard economic times, especially those losing homes. Motel owner Ken Walles says that “It’s going to be a ‘soft’ year” as he already sees the volume of reservation bookings going down by some 20 percent. He believes there will be more discounting of rates in rooms, restaurants and shops, which he says may actually be a positive thing in the long run. Erika Uribe, a clerk at Becker’s Hardware store, expresses the hope that everybody who needs one, will find a job and that the New Year will bring better health for all. Dick White hopes that 2010 will be a better year for business; that “Billy Wilkinson will do well so his mother will be proud of him; that my tomato crop will be better than last year’s and that I’m around to enjoy seeing all my grandchildren thrive.”
Meanwhile, we are grateful for our readers who generously express such positive comments about Montauk Moorings and our newspaper. We wish a year of peace and stability for all.
on Jan 5, 2010