Whenever I’m asked what I love most about Ocean Beach, I always respond with effusive love for our tight community bonds. The past couple of weeks have highlighted this closeness. I brought a friend out for her first visit to OB, and it was beautiful to experience our town through her fresh eyes. We enjoyed walking through the art show and admiring all of the beautiful and creative items offered by our talented neighbors. Desperate to cool off, we visited the beach, where she was amazed by everyone stopping to chat and the kids waving from the surf. We started the evening at OBYG’s Friendraiser event at Windswept, with one of the most gorgeous sunsets of the summer lighting up the Yacht Rock decorations. From there, we moved to the dock concert, sponsored by Fire Island Real Estate, where the energetic band Noiz kept a considerable crowd dancing for hours. Throughout it, my friend kept exclaiming about how friendly and welcoming everyone was and how she hadn’t felt that relaxed and happy in years. It didn’t take much convincing for her to extend her stay an extra day!
Early the following week, our community was shocked by the sudden passing of Adam Davis, a perpetually smiling staple of OB summers. The outpouring of support for his wife, Lauren, and sons, Jack and Ben, was visible as homes and businesses across the beach hung Adam’s trademark bandana blankets in his memory.
The tears continued later that week when OBYG began their end-of-summer show with an emotional montage of past campers sharing their memories of OBYG. Generations of participants spoke about how the program was developed, the lifelong friendships they made, and how their experiences shaped them as adults. Past campers shared memories of breakdancing, waterskiing, trampoline, and their favorite Words of the Day. In the show, written by campers and staff and inspired by Taylor Swift’s Eras tour and Jumanji, campers traveled through the decades and shared the music and memories of OBYG’s past. “If you had fun, you won!”
There have been many opportunities to make more lasting memories this Labor Day Weekend. On Thursday, August 29, Ocean Beach Rec presented comedian Judy Gold at the Community House and it was a huge success.
The Village of Ocean Beach, Town of Islip, and Catholic Health/Good Sam present the movie “IF” on Friday, August 30 at 8 p.m. at the Ballfield. Bring your bandana blanket!
On Saturday, August 31 at 1 p.m. children ages 4 to 14 are invited to join the Steve Einig Sandpiper Run. Please pre-register at the Village Office.
Woody has been walking around town recruiting kids ages 14 and under to compete in the Ocean Beach Fishing Club’s “Catch and Release” fishing contest, which takes place on Sunday, September 1 at 8:30 a.m. on the west dock of the OB Marina.
The weekend ends with OBFD’s Labor Day Pancake Breakfast at the Community House on Monday, September 2, from 9 a.m. to noon.
