Here we are at the end of July and these two weekends pack quite a punch! The Fire Island Dance Festival reached new heights last weekend, both in terms of funds raised, $650,000 and the artistic excellence of performances. The dancers, including groups from Paul Taylor and Alvin Ailey, were some of the best I can remember. And now it's the turn of the Pines Party. This year is number 21; quite an accomplishment for the community to have maintained this tradition through thick and thin over such a long period. Fortunately, recent years under the leadership of Allan Baum, have been the thickest. Our producer, Guy Smith, promises a night to remember for all the lost boys and girls. I appreciate the patience of the East End residents who experience the full impact of the party because of the need to stage it there. Anyone walking the beach this morning would see how narrow it is at high tide elsewhere. I promise you that next year it will be at Coast Guard Walk.   Tickets are still available and I hope everyone can attend.

FIMI

I have just finished a conference call with the Army Corps. The project is beginning to take off. Three of the public walks in Davis Park, where the project will begin for the east end communities, are down. Temporary walks have been installed. Brownie is the company doing the demolition work. I am struck by their thoroughness of their work - they even use a surveyor before demolition occurs. All sea beach amaranth grass, which is endangered, has been fenced off. The submersible lines to where the dredging will occur have been laid down in both Davis Park and Water Island. Dredging is to begin in Davis Park on August 6th. The two dredges will be working in tandem and will never separate during the course of the project. They will dredge 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Dredging and dune construction are scheduled to begin in the Pines September 10th.

FIPAP will have its Art Show the weekend of August 2nd and BOFFO will have its arts festival the same weekend. The Community Bulletin Board will have a list of events. FIA will have its annual meeting in Ocean Beach this Saturday at 1pm. Free water taxis are available to attend. You can meet the new FINS Superintendent, Alex Romero, at Whyte Hall on August 10th at the FINS Town Hall meeting.

Congratulations to Doug Teague who was elected to be Fire Commissioner for a five year term. Doug has served as Fire Chief and Commissioner more times than you can count. The Pines is very fortunate to have his volunteerism.

Happy Pines Party!

Jay