Kismet Kapers
By Bradlee White ~ Kismet celebrated July 4 for a full week beginning June 27 with the 50-plus year holiday parade themed Hometown Health Care Heroes. Twelve red wagon-based floats, decorated with this theme and/or usual categories, included Most Patriotic (Red, White and Blue with Jack, Maeli, Emma and Lyla), Most Topical (Broadway At Night with Victoria, Patryk, Lucas and Tatiana), Most Creative (Christmas in July with Regan, Ryan and Nicolas), Most Historical (Charlie for Fire Chief in 2050 with Charlie) and Most Beautiful. (two sea-inspired floats were ridden by Tess and Bob Kaye’s granddaughter, Natalie). Led by Kismet Fire Department Color Guard and Bay Shore Fire Department Band, the child-captained floats traveled through town to cheering crowds. Three local health care heroes, Alex from Dunewood, Zanie from Lonleyville and Sue from Atlantique, stood by parade organizer Sam Wood as the crowd said the Pledge of Allegiance. Deanna Jelardi, a nurse from Atlantique, sang the National Anthem.All-day rain on July 3 forced the Sand Castle Building contest to reschedule. Fortunately, Sunday was a great beach day and drew an enthusiastic turnout for this community-supported event organized by Linda Roundsman Knoth. Another Sunday event, Kismet League for Animal Welfare (KLAW)’s Mini Mart and Chance Auction also drew summer day crowds. People browsed and bought from 1-7 p.m. as they chatted with friends, tasted homemade marmalade (pronounced delicious) and placed tickets in chance bags hoping to win a prize donated by Kismet merchants and residents. Barbara Winter won gift certificates from Kismet Market and the Pizza Shack, Gary and Dawn Leone a gift certificate from Dive, Amber Butler a gift certificate from Kismet Inn and Patt Villach a wine duo from Beach & Vine. In absentia, Alice and Mark donated the Wine Basket won by Odile Stern and the George Foreman grill, which they won back. The Nyburgs also won the Lotto Wreath donated by “Avalon.” The Kismet Fire Department Auxiliary’s Basket of Goodies, a supercharged bundle including champagne, was donated by Rose Ann Harris; Patty Lyon was the lucky winner. While there seemed to be relatively few bang-bang fireworks, all the Kismet community and Fire Department’s admonitions cut no weight with Mother Nature who produced a vivid and noisy July 6 display.Kismet Community Association (KCA) President Gary Leone and Sam Wood (Community Carting) are calling for volunteers to help install snow fences on Saturday, July 17. Volunteers should let KCA know and meet at Oak Walk beach at 8 a.m. Forty volunteers, bringing shovels, and, if owned, post hole diggers, along with some of Sam’s employees, should be able to complete the Kismet beach in one day. Sam reports the Carry-in/Carry-out program is 90 percent successful at cutting back on street and beach litter. Our dog waste stations have been used for regular garbage: Five new dog waste containers have been or will be installed. Electric bike speeders will be issued warning handouts (in development) on our main thoroughfare, Cedar Court or Burma Road.
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