Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all members of the Jewish faith in our community. Have a beautiful holiday.
Happy birthday to Joyce Spellman and Joann Levandoski! Joyce and Joann celebrate their birthdays on Christmas Eve, December 24. Judy Wilenski’s day to shine is on Monday, December 26; Christine Mangan’s birthday falls next week on Wednesday, December 28; Carolyn Browne’s cake-and-candle day is on Friday, December 30; and Su Gilmore’s birthday is next year on Wednesday, January 4. Phew, that’s a lot of candle power!
The American Legion Auxiliary Hand Aldrich Post enjoyed its annual Christmas celebration earlier this month at the home of Pam and Ron Ryan.
Three surprise commendations were given to the following members: Joan Johnston was presented with her 50-year pin for dedicated service and membership; Sylvia Smith received her 70-year pin for dedicated service and membership; and Treasurer Miho Steiber received a commendation for meritorious service and dedication to Unit 924. Congratulations!
Students in the Hampton Bays High School Leo Club have been very busy participating in a number of community service activities this month.
Most recently, club members cooked breakfast and served dinner to the guests at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church as part of Maureen’s Haven Homeless Outreach Program. Additionally, they visited the Riverhead Care Center and Southampton Hospital to sing Christmas carols and spread holiday cheer. Nice!
In light of the recent fish kill in our area, I’d like to share a bit of an excerpt from “The Growth and Decline of the Long Island Rail Road Freight Traffic in Suffolk County.”
As a replacement for whale oil in the 1850s, the discovery of menhaden (fish bunker) sparked a boom in the menhaden fishing and processing on Long Island, as well as all along the east coast. There were more than 25 factories around Peconic Bay alone. In 1881, the estimated number of fish caught was 400,000 with a value of $975,000.
Bunker oil was promoted as coal miner’s lamp fuel, a lubricant for machinery, a paint additive, cosmetics, linoleum, margarine and insecticides. What was left over, was cooked out and used for animal feed.
In 1898, a British and American consortium decided to invest in the bunker fishing trade and formed the American Fisheries Company, buying all seven fish factories between Montauk and Amagansett at Promised Land. As a result, the LIRR built a large freight yard and freight station there. In 1926, the American Fisheries Company went bankrupt.
By 1930, the Triton Oil and Fertilizer Company, purchased by Gilbert P. Smith, was the only remaining factory in Promised Land. Mr. Smith owned a fleet of fishing boats based in Greenport and after World War II, he also used Piper Cub planes to search for schools of fish. The Smith Fish Meal factory closed in 1968 and that ended the Long Island Bunker Fishing Industry. Thank you to local historian Gary Cobb for sharing this.
The Ecological Culture Initiative is a community-based non-profit that develops agro-ecology and permaculture design programming as well as design-build field projects in collaboration with local government and community groups.
Please join the effort by purchasing tickets for a film screening of the award-winning documentary “SEED” that is planned for January 19 at the Hampton Bays United Artists movie theater.
In order for this to happen, 60 tickets need to be reserved by next Thursday, December 29, or the screening will be cancelled. Tickets can be purchased through https://gathr.us/screening/18759 and you will not be charged until they have enough reservations to show the movie.
Do you have an overdue book to return to the Hampton Bays Public Library? Well, you’re in luck, because the library is offering a “Food for Fines” event through next Saturday, December 31. Bring a non-perishable food item in exchange for each of those overdue books, and all of those fines will be waived.
In closing, I would like to thank each and every one of my readers for allowing me into your lives and homes each week. Sadly, the village columnists will no longer be included in The Southampton Press.
There will still be a community section, however, so if you would like to publicize your news, photos, and/or events, you can contact Kim Covell at kim@pressnewsgroup.com.
Fare thee well, for I must leave thee, do not let this parting grieve thee,
For you know, how well you know, the best of friends must part.
On The Calendar
Thursday, December 22: Flanders, Riverside and Northampton CAC meeting, 7:30 p.m., at the David W. Crohan Community Center, 655 Flanders Road.
Tuesday, December 27: Join the Hampton Bays Public Library librarians from noon until 1:30 p.m., at the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation, 102 Old Riverhead Road. Teens will be paired with younger children to read to shelter animals. To sign up, call 631-728-6241, ext. 120, or 121.
Sunday, January 22: Hampton Bays Historical Society annual Villa Paul dinner, 4:30 to 9 p.m., at the restaurant located at 162 West Montauk Highway.
Monday, January 23: East End Hospice Children’s Bereavement Group beginning on Monday, January 23, at 5:15 p.m., at the good Grief Family Bereavement Center, 195 Mill Road in Westhampton Beach. To register, or for more information, please call Angela Byrns at 631-288-8400. Please RSVP by January 10.
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