Remsenburg and Speonk community notes, April 1

Before I write anything else this week, I’ve got to send off hearty congratulations to the students at Raynor Country Day School in Speonk for taking home top float honors at the 43rd annual Westhampton Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday.

Their float captured the “Everyday Heroes” theme of this year’s parade by identifying and integrating local everyday heroes into its design. Students worked on the float with their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, firefighters, police officers, teachers, construction workers, crossing guards, military personnel, and more. Job well done!

I’ve got more accomplishments to note this week. Props to Kevin Ryan of Speonk and Steven Palmer of Westhampton Beach for making the dean’s list at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Villanova University in Pennsylvania for the fall semester. Both young men, who are juniors this year, maintained a grade point average of at least 3.5 to earn the distinction. Nice going guys, and keep up the great work.

The Den 9 Tiger Scouts enjoyed a real treat recently, according to Scout Leader Sue Edmonson, when the boys visited the WRCN 103.9 radio station studios in Medford. By making the trip to the classic rock station, the Scouts fulfilled their final requirement to earn their Tiger Badges. What a cool way to earn points!

Now on to some upcoming events:

The Remsenburg Community Church, located at 165 South Country Road, will host an Easter Morning Egg Hunt right after Easter morning services. For those who would like to attend church, services start at 9 a.m. The hunt will begin at 10 a.m. and light refreshments will be served.

I don’t have kids, but I think it’s important to pass along a bit of advice for those who do and might be organizing their very first Easter egg hunts. Make sure to either write down where every last egg is hidden, or better yet, use plastic eggs. There are few things worse than “remembering” a forgotten egg a few weeks after the fact when the air turns rank ... especially when you cannot seem to pinpoint the exact location of the stench.

For all the oenophiles and gourmands out there, I strongly suggest heading to the “Cheese and Wine Pairing Class” at Sydney’s “Taylor” Made Cuisine on Main Street in Westhampton Beach next Thursday, April 8, at 7 p.m. Advanced sommelier and wine educator Chris Miller will be on hand, along with Sydney’s owner Erin Finley, to pair up six cheese and wine couplings.

I’ve had the pleasure of sitting in on one of Mr. Miller’s wine classes before. And just last week, I attended an awesome wine tasting that he led at Robert’s in Water Mill. There I tasted 10 special wines and ate some truly phenomenal food! And let me tell you, this guy knows of what he speaks.

Wine for the class at Sydney’s will be provided by Westhampton Beach’s own Hamptons Wine Shoppe, located at 62 Sunset Avenue. The owner, Paul DeVerna, is one of my new favorite people and his shop is, in my humble opinion, one of the best places to buy good vino,

The class fee is $20. For more information, call Sydney’s at 288-4722, or the Hamptons Wine Shoppe at 288-4272.

It’s been a while since I’ve reminded you that Raynor Country Day School in Speonk will hold its annual Chinese auction and dinner dance on Friday, April 16, at 6:30 p.m., at Giorgio’s at the Fox Hill Country Club on Fox Hill Road in Baiting Hollow. So consider yourself properly informed. And mark your calendars now if you haven’t already.

Tickets are $100 per person. The event serves as the main fund-raiser of the year for the school, and donations for the auction are still needed. For tickets, to make a donation, or to purchase advertising for the event, call 288-4658 or e-mail rcdsfdmi@optonline.net.