Around Town: May 7

Frank Palamara and Virginia Nolan are returning to Riverhead this week and of course they are looking forward to having breakfast at their favorite spot Lolly’s Hut.” News to share by Virginia is Frank has been invited to a reunion of all those who served on the USS Little Rock in Norfolk, Virginia in August. On Saturday, August 26 there will be a memorial service held aboard the battleship Wisconsin. The headline speaker is the former Secretary of the Navy and the USS Little Rock’s own shipmate, Ray Mabus. Naturally, Frank and Virginia are planning to attend this exciting event and Frank will be celebrating his 98^th birthday in July and how awesome is that!

The “No Doubt World Famous Monday Night Band” will host a free concert this Sunday, May 7 at 2 pm. They will present their Spring Children’s Concert featuring selections from Disney, Pixar, Looney Tunes and John Williams along with a special presentation of Peter and the Wolf with narration by Paul Hecht. 

Spring is in the air as its that time of the year for the 27^th annual East End Garden Festival to be held  Tuesday, May 9 through Sunday, May 14 from 9 am to 6 pm at Tanger Outlets. This fundraiser benefits the Peconic Bay Medical Center Operation International and the Riverhead Rotary Charities. A great time to support both organizations while beautifying your home and gardens this May. Remember Mother’s Day is just around the corner too. Happy planting.

The United States Postal Service of letter carriers once again will hold their food drive on the second Saturday, May 13. You can leave a bag of nonperishable goods by your mailbox and they will pick up the bags while delivering your mail and they will deliver to a local food bank. 

The new 2023 Yellow Barn hours that the Friends of the Riverhead Free Library host weekly used books and more are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9 am to 2 pm and Saturday, May 20 from 10 am to 2 pm. Check out the books and enjoy the many genres which there is something for everyone. 

The Riverhead Free Library is serving as a drop site for a pet food drive hosted by Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio. If you can please donate pet food today for the furry friends to allow them to stay at home with their families and out of shelters. 

The Riverhead Community Awareness Program (CAP) in partnership with the Riverhead Free Library and Legislator Al Krupski’s office will host a presentation on Marijuana Safety for parents and guardians on Wednesday, May 17 from 6 pm to 7:30 pm. This presentation will be split into a one hour informational sessions with field expert John Venza, LCSW-R LMHC, followed by a 30 minute question and answer panel. There will be light refreshments along with activities for any children aged kindergarten through 6^th grade. 

The Riverhead Rotary Club is having their Peconic River Cleanup day of service on Saturday, May 20 and will meet in the parking lot along the Peconic River at the flag pole at 8 am. This project includes collecting trash along the river and in the river (via kayak). You do not need to be a Rotarian to help this day of service. More than 500 Rotary Clubs and 14,000 Rotarians across 5 states and 3 countries are coming together for this unprecedented day of service by joining for a rewarding day by giving back and enjoying friendship and community spirit. 

The North Fork’s authentic farm homestead, Hallockville Museum Farm in Riverhead will host once again their annual Fleece and Fiber Festival on Saturday, May 20 from 10 am to 4 pm with a rain date Sunday, May 21. The festival is an experience in the life cycle of fiber from sheep to sweater. Fiber artisans showcasing their talents and selling their creations, along with hands on demonstrations for visitors. It is one of the largest and most fun fiber arts and crafts fairs on Long Island. Among the exhibitors and vendors there will be a live sheep shearing by Tabbethia Haubold-Magee of Long Island Yarn and Farm. Visitors can enjoy watching as spinners transform raw fiber into yarn, weavers create cloth, quilters create colorful masterpieces, basket weavers turn raw materials into practical vessels, rug hooking, knitting, crocheting, needlework and woodworking demos. New this year will be a children’s activity area and a petting zoo and say hello to the resident pigs, chickens and cows. A fun filled family day with additional food and beverages offered for sale by Golden Jalapeno food truck and Greenport Brewery. Admission is $10 for 13 years and older and children under 12 are free. This festival will be held rain or shine.

Enjoy a fun filled day on Sunday, May 21 from 10 am to 2 pm at Stotsky Park enjoying Community Day 2023. There will be a variety of fun things to do as we celebrate our community and spend the time in our parks. Check out the food trucks, Riverhead Fire Department with their trucks, the Riverhead Police Department car seat checks, North Fork Animal Welfare League mini adopt and information, live music, facepainting, video game truck, community yard sale and bounce course, lawn games and more. If it rains, please text “Special Events” to 631-364-0517. 

St. John Paul II School in Polish Town will be hosting their 2nd annual golf outing at The Woods at Cherry Creek on Monday, June 5. This year they are honoring Jeff Doroski who is not only a community member, but also attended the East End Catholic Schools and taught at McGann-Mercy High School and especially for his dedication to the community, his students, and athletes and to the value of a Catholic school education. Tickets to the event are available for an 11 am check in, barbecues lunch, 18 holes of lunch and sit-down dinner. The school is accepting raffle donations and tee sponsorships, as well as, asking businesses to participate in journal ads, raw bar sponsor and so much more. For more information, please call the school at 631-727-1650 or email the school at golf@sjp2regional.org. 

The Town of Southampton Youth Bureau is currently accepting applications for their “Recipes for Adventure Summer Program” at the Flanders Youth Center, 655 Flanders Road. Learn the basics of food prep, cooking and baking while having a fun summer filled with outdoor activities, games, field trips and so much more. The six-week program will be held from July 10 through August 17 (Monday through Thursday) from 12:30 pm to 5 pm. Youth going into grades 5 through 8 are eligible to participate. Proof of grade is required and there will be no exceptions. Program registration fee is $600 for all 6 weeks and is due by Monday, July 3 (price includes cost of field trips, workshops, snacks and supplies). Register early by Monday, June 5 for $50.00 off total cost. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, please call 631-702-2425 or visit www.southamptontownny.gov/ybpayment.

The Riverhead Fire Department 2023 Annual Fund Drive is now in progress. Residents should have or will be receiving the literature in the mail along with a donation card and an envelope provided to send your donation. Remember the volunteer firefighters rely on this to help continue their various activities throughout the year such as the fire prevention program. These volunteers donate their time 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 365 days of the year rain or shine. They responded to 1453 alarms last year which added up to 6969 hours on those alarms. They spend 7024 hours participating in trainings, drills and meetings within the department. Community safety is top priority and the fire prevention program at all the schools, as well as ,the pre schools too. We should commend the men and women firefighters for their dedication for their hard work as volunteers. 

Happy birthday wishes to Emilee Downs and Kurt Carter on May 7; Sue Edwards on May 8; Donna Czajkowski on May 9; Kevin Schuhmann on May 10; Michelle Block, Jason Hubbard, Bill Kelly, Jr and Matthew Hughes on May 12; Vinnie Villella on May 13; Eric Reilly, Tim Corwin and Betty Nash on May 14; Samantha Carter on May 15; Baycan Fideli on May 16; Jim Redmond and Andre Ceckowski on May 18; Veronica Mcquillan Korte and Ryan Seebeck on May 19; John Luce on May 20. Enjoy your day.

Happy 10^th wedding anniversary wishes to Cheryl (Berezny) and Gil Michaelis on May 11; Bryan and Buffy Krajewski on May 16 and to Baycan and Amy Fideli on May 20. Be sure to celebrate.

Get well wishes to Bob Taylor, Joe Berezny, Ellen Kramer, Harry Carver, Harriet McDonald, Ray Atkins and Butch Densieski. 

The Riverhead School Budget vote is Tuesday, May 17 from 6 am to 9 pm so be sure to take time and vote. There are 7 candidates running for school board for 4 positions this year so take time to research the candidates and their issues. Every vote counts!

A very happy Mother’s Day to all! May it be as special as you are to your family, friends or neighbors. Remembering that someone with a notecard, text, email, letter or a phone call will surely brighten their day. 

Got news to share? Send it to Kathy by email to jberezny@optonline.net, write to her at 124 Kings Drive, Riverhead NY 11901 or call her at 631-727-6148. “Around Town” will appear on RiverheadLOCAL on the first and third Sunday of the month.