The day that most of us longed for when we were kids has finally arrived – the last day of school and the official start of summer vacation. My mom would pick my siblings and me up from school, still in our uniforms, and drive to our house in the “country.” We lived in a community much like Ocean Bay Park, the difference being our house was on a river in New Jersey and not the Atlantic Ocean. That sense of community is one of the reasons I fell in love with Fire Island because there is always something to do here and the spirit of community service and giving back is strong.
The Ocean Bay Park Association has published a new directory after a two-year hiatus. The 2024 directory is a source of information for essential and other island wide services as well as the names and phone numbers of homeowners. We have a new courtesy cart to provide transportation for elderly or disabled Association members. The new Club Car was purchased with money raised by the 2023 Events Committee and donated to the OBPA. Check the directory or the Association website for rules and regulations regarding its use. Thank you to all those service providers both on and off-island who took ads in the 2024 directory. It is a major source of revenue for the Association.
We have had a flurry of maintenance activity around OBP. The Fire Island Ferry has installed new lights at the ferry dock. Kudos to the volunteers who restored and repainted the community bulletin boards at the dock. The Town of Brookhaven Highway Department has poured new cement on Seneca from Bayview to Midway. In addition to cement work, Brookhaven installed new drainage at the corner of Cayuga and Bayview. This should alleviate the chronic flooding there. Thanks to all those volunteers who participated in the June 17 community cleanup day; the next is scheduled for July 8.
Seneca Street artist and author, Elliott Kreloff left for a six-week working vacation in Assisi, Italy at Art Workshop International. AWI was established over 40 years ago by his late mother Bea Kreloff and her partner Edith Isaac-Rose. He continues their vision as a director.
Some of us are old enough to remember what it meant to be a grouper. Ellie Mal, formerly of the “Watch That Basket” house had a mini reunion with former housemate Vera Drake. “Baskets” Aggie McShea, Eileen Murray and Adrienne Ratsuzny arrive later this summer.
Danny, Annetta and Patryck Kozyra have returned for the summer from Poland where Patryck has joined the local Krakow fire department; he is also a member of OBP FD.
Next up is the Ocean Bay Park FD Annual July 4th BBQ on Saturday, July 6th so come hungry and take a chance in the raffles. Get ready for a fun filled summer with events planned by the OBPA Events Community. Stay tuned!
