Happy anniversary—number 36—to the love of my life, Ron Holthaus. And a champagne toast to Geri and Eddie Wilson! The two lovebirds are celebrating their wedding anniversary today, Thursday, December 8.The American flag at Hampton Bays Elementary School is flying for Veteran of the Month James Von Ende. This is particularly special because as a Vietnam-era veteran, Jim is also receiving his high school diploma through New York State’s Operation Recognition.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Jim’s father owned a small house in Mastic and the family summered on Long Island. In 1969, he enlisted in the United States Navy and was trained as a firefighter/damage control seaman at Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois.
Jim was assigned to Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center in Rhode Island and then to an ammunition ship. Because of the explosives on board, the ship was moored away from others. His ship sailed to Malta in the Mediterranean; to Naval Station Rota in Spain; to France, Italy and the U.S. Naval Base Crete in Greece. When he was not fighting fires, he helped load missiles on the ship.
In 1970, while on leave from the Mediterranean, he married. He was then sent to gunnery school and in late 1970, while on his way to Vietnam, he was notified that he was being discharged because his wife was ill. He and his wife had two daughters, but the marriage ended in 1985.
Following his discharge, Jim used the G.I. Bill to attend electronics technology school, which enabled him to open his own business repairing televisions and audio sound systems. He also played guitar and gave guitar lessons.
In 1995, Jim was playing in a band. One of his bandmates had a sister named Lauren. They met, became a blended family with four girls, and moved from Mattituck to Hampton Bays. He and Lauren have five grandchildren.
Hampton Bays School District thanks James for his service to our country and proudly honors his service by flying a flag in his honor and awarding him with a Hampton Bays High School diploma!
Let’s hear it for Hampton Bays violist Brandon White, who had a very busy musical month in November, turning in a flawless performance of his one-hour senior recital in the Snell Theater at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Brandon performed music by Telemann, Benjamin Britten, Brahms, and contemporary composer Paul Hindemith. His parents were on hand, along with many friends and colleagues.
That performance was followed by a concert on November 15 with the Crane Symphony Orchestra as principal violist and another on November 17 of Dvorak’s Quintet No. 2, with four equally gifted colleagues. Bravo!
Flanders, Riverside, Northampton Community Association (FRNCA) 5K Run/Walk and Chinese Auction is slated for this Sunday, December 11, at 10 a.m., at the Hampton Hills Golf and Country Club in Westhampton Beach.
Pre-registration is $20 and you can sign up online at itsyourrace.com. Day of race is $30 and check-in is from 8 until 9:30 a.m. All proceeds from the run benefit the organization’s scholarship fund.
Hampton Bays Rotary Club members are hosting a musical presentation, “Holiday Harmonies,” on Sunday, December 11, from 3:30 to 5 p.m., at the Hampton Bays High School auditorium, 88 Argonne Road East. Members of the community will perform holiday musical favorites in a concert to benefit our Hampton Bays High School arts programs.
General admission tickets are $20; $15 for students and senior citizens. Tickets are on sale at the Hampton Bays Public Library, Carolyn’s Good Ground Cleaners, from any Rotarian, or at the door on the day of the performance. For additional info, call Tom Crowley at 631-332-7390, or visit www.hamptonbaysrotary.org.
The Hampton Bays United Methodist Church is offering items at half-off at a Christmas Fair on Saturday, December 10, at Andersen-Warner Hall from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Hampton Theatre Company presents, “Joy to the World, a special reading of holiday stories, this weekend on Friday, December 9, through Sunday, December 11, at the Quogue Community Hall, 125 Jessup Avenue.
Before the show, visit the Quogue Triangle at 44 Quogue Street for some holiday cheese and cheer. Tickets are $15; $5 for those under age 21. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 631-653-8955, or 866-811-4111, or log on at hamptontheatre.org.
On The Calendar
Friday, December 9: “Under the Influence” band will perform, 6 to 9 p.m., at the Backbar Grille, 78 Foster Avenue.
Saturday, December 10: Poets Rising group meets at 1 p.m., in the Hampton Bays Public Library, 52 Ponquogue Avenue. Poems, prose, anything goes.
Saturday, December 10: Pet-themed Gingerbread Houses for Families, 1-2:30, or 3-4:30 p.m., at the Southampton Animal Shelter, 102 Old Riverhead Road West. $25 per family of four or two couples. Email Theresa@sasf.org to choose a time.
Saturday, December 10: St. Rosalie’s Catholic Church annual Tree Lighting and Nativity Blessing, following the 5 p.m. Mass. Bring your singing voices for a Christmas carol sing-along, pony rides, hot chocolate, candy canes and a fire pit.
Sunday, December 11: Children’s Advent Event, 1-3:30 p.m., in St. Rosalie’s Catholic Church Community Center. Weather permitting, caroling for Bishop Ryan Village residents. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Sunday, December 11: The Twin Forks Chapter of The Compassionate Friends Worldwide candlelighting ceremony in memory of all children gone too soon, 7 p.m., inside the East Quogue United Methodist Church, Montauk Highway. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more information, contact Marie Levine at MarieLevine2@verizon.net.
Wednesday, December 13 and Thursday, December 14: Advent Mission, St. Rosalie’s Catholic Church, 7 p.m., one-hour Eucharistic catechesis followed by silent prayer and simple benediction; second night will include meditative talk, confession and Eucharistic procession.
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