What’s Happening: Thursday, May 18, 2017

YARD SALE

The Shelter Island Presbyterian Church’s annual yard sale is Saturday, May 27 starting at 8 a.m. The sale will be held rain or shine. Donated items for the sale may be dropped off Friday, May 26 after 2 p.m. Please. no books, electronics or exercise equipment. Call (631) 749-0805 extension 5# if you have questions.

2017 CITIZENSHIP AWARD

Each year, the Shelter Island Lions Club bestows its Citizenship Award on an individual (or two) who embodies the spirit of volunteerism in the community.

This year’s recipients are Tippi and Al Bevan, who run the Shelter Island Food Pantry and deliver food to homebound Islanders through the Meals on Wheels program. Members of the Lions Club will present the award to the Bevans at a dinner on Thursday, May 25 at The Pridwin. Tickets to the dinner are $45 and will be available at the library.

AFTER SCHOOL NATURE

Do birds of a feather really flock together? Does the early bird really catch the worm? On Wednesday, May 24 from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Mashomack Preserve hosts “After School Nature: Birds of Spring.” Children ages 4 and up and their caregivers are invited to come for a short hike to see their amazing avian friends, learn how to use binoculars and make a healthy snack. Call (631) 749-4219 to register or e-mail [email protected].

SUMMER CAMP SIGN UP

Registration for Camp Quinipet’s summer 2017 overnight, community sailing and day camps is now open. This summer Quinipet celebrates its 70th anniversary and parents are invited to enroll their children for a fun-filled summer at the camp’s waterfront setting.

Quinipet’s weekly half-day and full-day camps, for campers ages 4 to 12, run Monday to Friday from July 3 through August 18. The popular day camp themes include: Time Travel, Under the Sea, Color Games and more. All day campers enjoy lunch, daily swim instruction, crafts, sports, nature exploration, games and adventure under the supervision of trained counselors and specialty area directors. Quinipet is accredited by the American Camp Association and is licensed by the New York State Department of Health.

The camp will hold its final open house of the season on Saturday, June 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. Personal tours can also be scheduled. Visit quinipet.org or call (631) 749-0430 for more information.

SWING YOUR PARTNER

Whether you are young, young at heart, a novice or experienced, everyone enjoys a spirited evening at the barn for a contra dance. On Saturday, May 27 from 8 to 10 p.m. Sylvester Manor Education Farm will host a barn contra dance at the Shelter Island Community Youth Center. For beginners, an instructional session begins at 7:45 p.m.

Renowned caller Dave Harvey will lead the dancers accompanied by an excellent band including Sylvester Manor’s own Bennett Konesni and Edith Gawler and fiddler/musicologist Jeff Davis. Mr. Davis specializes in historic Long Island fiddle tunes and is one of the nation’s foremost performers, interpreters and collectors of traditional American folk music.

Let the music invite you to the dance floor, and find out what dancers across America have been enjoying for centuries.

Wear comfortable shoes and bring a snack to share if you like. Admission is $14. Visit sylvestermanor.org for more information.

CALLING ALL VENDORS

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church will be hosting a Spring Craft and Gift Fair on Saturday, June 3 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Vendors are invited to reserve space now by contacting St. Mary’s office at (631) 749-0770 or by email at  [email protected].

Indoor table space will be provided. The cost is $25 for a half table (4 feet by 30 inches), or $40 for a full table (8 feet by 30 inches). For outdoor space, vendors provide tent and table ($25 for 12- by 12-foot area).

Artisans and vendors of new items are encouraged to sign up and reserve a space. No yard sale items allowed. Hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks will be sold by the church. The fair runs rain or shine.

HAULING A SEINE

As the weather warms, the waters are coming alive. On Saturday, May 27 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., come to Mashomack Preserve for a little family fun and lend a hand pulling in a 300-foot haul seine to get a close up look at the creatures and plants that live under the sea.

A haul can bring in striped bass, bluefish, porgies, fluke, flounder, and several species of crab.

This demonstration of a traditional East End fishing method is appropriate for both children and adults; bring the whole family. A marshmallow roast will follow the haul. Insect repellent suggested. Call (631) 749-4219 to register or email [email protected].

OPERA AND BROADWAY
FAVORITES 

In celebrating its 40th Anniversary with concerts of returning artists that were audience favorites, the Shelter Island Friends of Music will present “Opera Classics & Broadway Favorites” by the velvet-voiced baritone, Dominic Inferrera, described by the New York Times as “a standout” and “dynamic.”

The concert will take place on Saturday, June 3 at 8 p.m. at the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church and Mr. Inferrera will be performing works by Verdi, Mozart, Ravel, Leigh and Darion, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Lowe, Porter, and Sondheim. Meet the artist at a post-concert reception. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Visit the Shelter Island Friends of Music at facebook.com/SIFMconcerts for more information.

WOMEN’S CLUB LAST MEETING FOR THE SEASON

The Shelter Island Women’s Club will close out its season with an informal meeting at the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, June 6 at noon.

Joanne Sherman will talk about her travel experiences and materials will be available for a craft activity.

Members and guests may bring a cold dish or appetizers to share and their own beverage. All are welcome to join and a monetary donation or non-perishable item for the food pantry would be appreciated.

MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS
PRIVILEGES

On Sunday, May 28 from 4 to 6 p.m., Mashomack Preserve hosts its annual membership open house on the lawn of the newly renovated Bass Creek Cottage. Gather with family, friends and neighbors to celebrate the arrival of another summer.

Come learn about Mashomack’s wildlife, nature programs, guided hikes, research projects, and how to become a member.

SUMMER AT MASHOMACK
FOR KIDS

Mark your calendars! On Thursday, June 1 at 9 a.m., registration begins for Mashomack Preserve’s Summer Children’s Environmental Education Program. The popular program will be held from 9 a.m. to noon from July 10 to 14 and August 14 to 18. The program is for children ages 8 to 12, or those entering grades 3 through 7.

Register by phone for either session. Spaces fill very quickly, so call at 9 a.m. on June 1 to ensure your child’s place! (631) 749-4219.

GREAT DECISIONS IS BACK

The Great Decisions 2017 program at the Shelter Island Library will meet for the second of its eight monthly sessions on Thursday, May 25 at 5:30 p.m. The topic will be “Trade and Politics.” The facilitator for the evening will be retired foreign service officer Kirk Ressler, who led the program at the library in 2016.

To learn more about this and other upcoming topics, visit greatdecisions.org.  A program sign-up sheet is available at the circulation desk. Program books are available for $25. There is also be a copy that may be read at the library.

For more information, contact Jocelyn Ozolins at [email protected] or (631) 749-0042 extension 107.

READ AS YOU GO

Mashomack Preserve’s “Book-in-the-Woods” for the month of May is “When Rain Falls” by Melissa Stewart. Come for a half-mile walk and read a story as you go. Pages of the book are mounted along the trail for families to enjoy. What do animals do in the rain? Learn how squirrels, birds and other critters stay dry — or not — on this family-friendly book trail.

SUMMER AT THE MANOR 

Space is still available for the Young Farmers program (ages 5 to 7) at Sylvester Manor Educational Farm which runs July 3 to August 19, 9 a.m. to noon. Along with engaging in daily art, music, and yoga children will plant and harvest vegetables, prepare and cook dishes using the produce they have grown, feed and care for livestock kept on the Manor property, and learn about the environment and history of Sylvester Manor.

Visit sylvestermanor.org to register. For more information, contact program director Caroline Scudder at [email protected]. At this time, the Little Sprouts program for ages 3 and 4 is filled and names are being taken for a wait list.

Across the Moat

COME TO THE CABARET

The hit musical “Cabaret” takes us back to Berlin in 1930 as two couples attempt to find happiness while the looming threat of the Third Reich swirls around them. Presiding over it all is the menacing Emcee, whose promise that “life is a cabaret” may come with dangerous strings attached.

North Fork Community Theater presents “Cabaret” Thursdays to Sundays, May 18 to June 4. Showtimes are Thursday to Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

Admission is $25. The theater is at 12700 Old Sound Avenue in Mattituck. For tickets, visit nfct.com or call (631) 298-6328.

NATIVE PLANT SALE

Incorporating native plants into your landscape is a great way to help birds as they search for food and shelter. North Fork Audubon Society is hosting a native plant sale on Saturday, May 27 and Sunday, May 28 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Red House Nature Center at Inlet Pond County Park, 65275 County Road 48 in Greenport.

There will be information available at the sale as well as plants ready for the garden grown by Glover Perennials. Audubon.org/native-plants is also a source for finding native plants and bringing birds to your home. Call (516) 526-9095 or email [email protected] for details.