This week in Shelter Island history
George Buckheit of New City, New York, won the Fifth Annual Shelter Island 10K in 1984 with a time of 29:42, beating a fellow Bucknell University runner by just 13 seconds.
50 YEARS AGO
Two re-elected in landslide vote
Mayor Roy Genung was swept into office by unanimous acclaim in June 1964 as more than half the registered voters of the Village of Dering Harbor cast ballots at Village Hall. Trustee Mrs. Clews Carpenter was also easily re-elected.
There were 10 ballots cast with the other nine voters at the time believed to be out of town and there was no report of absentee ballots being cast.
POSTSCRIPT: It’s usually standard that Dering Harbor officials get easily re-elected. But not this year, with an unexpected runoff in which Mayor Tim Hogue and Patrick Parcells face off and incumbent Trustee Mary Walker goes against Robert Ferris. Each of the four candidates this week received 25 votes.
30 YEARS AGO
Shelter Island women train hard for 10K
It was only the Fifth Annual Shelter Island 10K in June 1984, a half dozen women — some married, some not, some mothers, others not — could be seen on early spring mornings getting in shape for the upcoming event. The group was generally running by 5:30 a.m. and members averaged about 30 miles a week in their preparation. They also entered nearby races, including Greenport’s Great North Fork Foot Run and Mattituck’s Strawberry Fun Run to build their competitive spirit. They were gearing up for what would then be the largest run on Shelter Island with more than 1,900 competitors expected.
POSTSCRIPT: By the beginning of this week, 1,300 runners were already registered for Saturday’s 10K Run/5K Walk and that’s more than are typically registered that early, according to race director Mary Ellen Adipietro. The race gets under way at 5:30 p.m. though pre-race festivities start on Friday, featuring elite runners Meb Keflezighi and Joan Benoit-Samuelson.
20 YEARS AGO
Reporter celebrates 35 years
In June 1994, the Shelter Island Reporter was celebrating its 35th year as a publication that was launched in 1959 by Walter and Natalie Schumann, encouraged by then supervisor Evans Griffing to have a local paper. The paper’s initial office was on the grounds of Ms. Schumann’s parents’ home on Cartwright Road and Mr. Schumann produced the weekly paper at his New York City office where on-Island representatives Annette Mosca and Holly Beckwith phoned with news and advertising on Tuesday nights.
The work was sent to a typesetter on Wednesdays, proofed on Thursdays and picked up from the printer on Fridays and brought to the Island for distribution on Saturdays.
POSTSCRIPT: The Reporter today is published by TimesReview Newsgroup, but produced by a team that works full time on Shelter Island and maintains its focus on news and activities of interest to residents on the Rock. At the same time, the staff here benefits from reporting of regional interest, such as the Suffolk County Legislature, by other TimesReview reporters and writers.
10 YEARS AGO
Tenor and soprano add pre-fireworks sparkle
In 2004, the Chamber of Commerce annual fireworks program was held on the July 4 weekend and Island Home Gallery sponsored a concert with opera tenor David Sher and soprano Janalyn Travis-Messer in the afternoon to bring people to the Island early. The concert at the Gallery balcony featured music from “Phantom of the Opera” and “Fiddler on the Roof.”
The aim, according to gallery owner Joann Piccozzi, was to drum up new business for Island stores and restaurants while offering attendees something special in the way of entertainment.
POSTSCRIPT: This year’s fireworks program on July 12 is being run by the Chamber in cooperation with the East Hampton-based Clamshell Foundation in order to enable contributions to be tax deductible. A special pre-concert event is on tap by the Perlman Music Program where a reception, concert and picnic dinner will precede the fireworks. There’s a $250 fee for the Perlman event with tickets available through the Clamshell Foundation.
