NEWSLETTER: MARCH 2010

SPRING CALENDAR

 

  

3/2    2:00 p.m. Tuesday

         Board Meeting

         LVIS

 

3/8    3:00 p.m. Monday

         Monthly Meeting

         East Hampton Presbyterian Church

 

3/27  11:00 a.m.  Saturday

         Easter Egg Hunt

         LVIS

 

4/6   2:00 p.m. Tuesday

         Board Meeting

         LVIS

 

4/12  3:00 p.m. Monday

         Monthly Meeting

         Jewish Community Center

 

 

MARCH MEMBERSHIP MEETING  

 

 

     The March 8 membership meeting will be held at the East Hampton Presbyterian Church at 3:00 p.m. with refreshments at 2:30. The art and science of beekeeping is on the agenda, and apitherapy is one of the topics. Other topics beekeeper Robin Blakely will be discussing are the history of beekeeping, the pollination process, and the honey-making process from bee to honey jar. She will also discuss what can be done when bees invade a house.

     Robin is a realtor and has been involved with bees since 1987, as a hobby and professionally — during one season she was responsible for almost forty hives. One of the purposes of her talk will be to get members to think about bees and feel more comfortable around them as the spring season approaches.

      Note: To save you the bother of a trip to the dictionary, apitherapy, or “bee therapy” is the medicinal use of products made by honeybees.  According to the official website, there is growing scientific evidence that various bee products promote healing by improving circulation, decreasing inflammation, and stimulating a healthy immune response. Some of the conditions treated are multiple sclerosis, arthritis, wounds, pain, gout, shingles, burns, tendonitis, and infections. (For more information, visit www.apitherapy.org.)

 

 

NOTES FROM THE BOARD

 

From recent Board meetings:

 

• The Village requested that the Tree Committee inform residents and seek their permission before planting a tree in front of their property. The Tree Committee felt that the task was more appropriate for Village officials because committee members do not have access to the records needed to accept that responsibility. The Board supported the committee’s decision.

• The Memorial Tree Committee, chaired by Jola Marcario, intends to honor East Hampton resident Richard Ryan with a tree plaque in recognition of his substantial donations to the LVIS Trees fund.

• A letter was sent to all members reminding them of the parking restrictions on LVIS grounds. It  followed an  incident  when  fire trucks had difficulty  reaching  one of the homes behind LVIS because of improperly parked cars.

• An inventory of items in the parlor and boardroom is being conducted by Janet Dayton and Maria Brennan for insurance purposes. An independent appraiser will be consulted as part of the project.

• Policy statements required by the IRS were included in the 2010 Yearbook, which was mailed to all members. They involved whistle-blower, conflict of interest, and document retention information.

• The Board is delighted to report that Vickie Lundin will chair the Special Events Committee and Patricia Durkan will chair the December holiday party for members and spouses.

• Fair Committee Chair Courtney Wingate met with representatives of the Lions Club to begin fair preparations.

• Joan Ehren and Tree Committee Chair Olivia Brooks met with Village officials to discuss their concerns about the LIPA work and the possible damaging effects on the trees on Main Street and Newtown Lane.

 

 

BOX AND BOOKS

 

 

     For many Books volunteers, the month of February provided no hiatus. Twice a week Books volunteers met for “culling and pizza” – every book over one year old not worth saving was discarded or sent to the Neighborhood House in crates. New books were priced in the back room and placed on the shelves, ready for the March 2 reopening. Chair Anka Tarasevich extends a special thanks to all the volunteers who lent a helping hand despite the snow and cold.

     Box Chair Mo Cohen, Vice-Chair Almeda Rickenbach, and a large number of volunteers spent much of the month preparing for the spring season.  Box’s downstairs processing area now holds more merchandise, thanks to reconfigured shelving constructed by our very own Vince Ferrara.  Twenty-four large bins will be used to store off-season items, freeing up more work space. Volunteers who stand for long periods of time sorting and pricing donations will be pleased with the thick rubber mats now installed in key areas to provide a more comfortable work environment.

 

 

SCHLARSHIP WINNER TONYA GREGG

 

 

     While working on her oldest daughter’s college application, our 2009 Madelon DeVoe Talley scholarship winner, Tonya Gregg, decided that the time had come for her to pursue her own college studies. One of eight applicants for the yearly award,  she will receive $3000 which she intends to use taking liberal arts courses at Suffolk Community College. Tonya, who was introduced at the January membership meeting by Student Awards Chair Debbie Walter, is interested in pursuing a career in either nursing or social work.

     The $3000 scholarship is given to an East Hampton woman twenty-five years or older who wants to return to college for a degree. The scholarship honors a long-time LVIS member who accepted her first job as an investment analyst in her late thirties and went on to several distinguished state and federal positions.

     This year the committee intends to award a second $3000 scholarship in response to the large number of applicants it received in 2009.

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON HOUSE CHAIR EILEEN MCCABE

 

 

     Eileen first came to East Hampton when she was six years old following her parents’ successful search for a summer place for their young family.  “My father took one look at the Sammy’s Beach area and that was it!  They built a home.”

     After high school Eileen attended the University of Wisconsin and earned her degrees.  Because of her love and familiarity with East Hampton, she moved here to teach reading in the Southampton and Riverhead school districts.

     After a number of years of teaching, Eileen decided to do post-graduate work and relocated to Minnesota where she remained for twenty-seven years.  However, she returned to East Hampton every summer and school vacation. When her parents retired, they rebuilt their Sammy’s Beach home to suit retirement. As her parents aged, Eileen was on hand to assist them.

While in Minnesota, Eileen designed and coordinated programs and services in the field of special education.  She traveled and trained in this field and went back and forth to Wisconsin to teach adult courses at the University.

      Eileen took advantage of many opportunities to travel the world, and spent a few summers teaching in Russia and Ukraine.  Fifteen years ago she met businessman Tom Murphy, and together they lived and taught in China for nearly a year.   Eileen and Tom — adventurous to the core — packed up and moved to East Hampton seven years ago.  Tom, now retired, has become an artist and master carpenter.  Eileen has become a master volunteer.   She began her LVIS work in Books, then Box, has chaired and co-chaired the Fair Chance Committee, and now chairs the House Committee.   The committee’s work is quite varied. She spends a great deal of time  with LVIS staff, outside contractors and others, regarding   repairs,  improvements, and matters related to the general upkeep of the historic Gardiner Brown house.

     Eileen loves spending time at LVIS, and when asked what she is most proud of, with a smile on her face she says she is very happy with the final result of the Book/Box/kitchen renovation.

 

 

ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT

 

 

On Saturday March 27 hundreds of children will gather on the grounds of 95 Main Street to gather Easter eggs hidden by members of the Special Events Committee, chaired by Vickie Lundin. The event will begin at 11:00 and is intended for children eight and under.

 

Newsletter Committee: Colleen Rando, Editor. Joyce Rickenbach, Patti Ferrin photos.