I say it every year: T.S. Eliot was wrong when he wrote “April is the cruelest month.” Anyone who lives in these parts has to know that March is by far and away the nastiest month of the year. It promises so much and then pulls the rug out from under you year after year. To bolster my case, I submit the weather from Saturday, March 19, when it was sunny and warm, with a high of about 70 degrees, and Saturday, March 26, when I don’t think it got above 40 all day long. (And don’t forget that little slap-in-the-face snowfall last Thursday.) Enough already.
Eliot may have had it wrong, but the Library Trustees Association of New York State certainly got it right when it named Elise Quimby, a longtime member of the Hampton Library Board of Trustees as well as its former president, as the 2011 Velma Moore Award winner, which is presented annually to a library trustee in recognition of their service. Ms. Quimby was nominated by fellow Trustee Lee Foster.
The award comes with some good news: Ms. Quimby will receive $1,000 to donate to a library of her choice.
It also comes with some bad news: The award dinner is going to be held on April 30 in Albany.
Speaking of the Hampton Library, it is offering a Spanish for Beginners class, which will meet on Thursdays, starting today, March 31, through May 24, at 4 p.m. During the eight-week course, students will learn basic conversational Spanish to help in communicating effectively in personal and professional day-to-day situations. Both current and new students are welcome. There is a $30 fee is due at registration.
The library will also offer the Catalog & Live-brary Computer Workshop on Tuesday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to noon, and again on Saturday, May 14, from 2 to 4 p.m. Participants will learn how to access their library records from any computer so that they can search for materials, place holds on books, pay fines and more.
Kids in kindergarten through fourth grade have been invited read to a dog on Saturday, April 2, and again on May 7, at 10:45 a.m. both days. But this is not your run-of-the-mill dog; It’s Maxx, an affectionate and exuberant six-year-old cockapoo who is a certified therapy dog. Maxx and his owner are a strong team who have worked with many children. This program is perfect for any child who would like to gain confidence in reading.
The library will offer the Parent-Child Workshop, a five-week program for children age 12 to 36 months and their parents, from Tuesday, April 26, to May 24, from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. During this time, the library will provide a setting for the child and parent to play and explore together in a fun and creative environment, while also introducing the parent to a different local resource professional each week who will share information on various aspects of early childhood. There is no charge for the workshop. Advance registration is required, and the program is limited to 12 families. For more information, contact Emily Herrick, the head of Children’s Services, at 537-0015 or by email at hljuv@suffolk.lib.ny.us.
Geoffrey Paul Gordon will return as Yogi G in “Yogi G Loves You,” a world premiere, on Friday, April 1 (and that’s no joke), at 8 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Fork meetinghouse on the Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike. “Tickets are a mere $20,” according to a press release, while “comedic enlightenment is priceless.” Call 899-3181 to buy yours.
The Horticultural Alliance of the Hamptons has several events lined up for April. On Saturday, at 11 a.m., the group will host a book discussion group, at which reviewers will offer their take on “Gardens Make Me Laugh,” “The Education of a Gardener,” and “Green Thoughts. The event will take place in the horticultural library at the Community House on School Street. Admission is free.
Matt Hunter, the president of the American Camellia Society, will present an illustrated lecture, “Camellias for New England,” at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 10, in the main auditorium of the Community House. Admission is $10. Members of the Alliance get in for free.
Finally, on Saturday, April 30, at 10:30 a.m., the alliance will hold a camellia study group in the horticultural library. Admission is free. Call 537-2223.
Next week, the Bridgehampton School will hold its annual International Dinner at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 8, in the school gym. This is a potluck affair, so participants are asked to bring a dish from their culture to share. There will be music, dancing and lots of fun.
Also, mark your calendar for the school’s annual Health and Wellness Fair, which will take place in conjunction with Southampton Hospital, at the school on Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. I’ll have more information as the event gets closer.
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