I hope everyone had a relaxing, albeit wet Memorial Day weekend. For many residents, this was their first Memorial Day weekend in their new homes. As I mentioned at the Spring meeting, there were a record number of home sales in 2020, and it’s continuing into 2021. To welcome these homeowners, BOFFO is hosting a New Homeowner Sunset Cocktail Party this Saturday, June 5^th from 6:30PM to 8:30PM at Justin Blake’s beautiful Bayfront home. If you purchased your home in the last few years, here’s your chance to meet other new homeowners and share your experiences.

It is certainly evident that the community is awakening from its Covid shutdown. Proof positive is the June event calendar at Whyte Hall, where we have programming scheduled for 28 of the 30 days in June. Since many non-profits were unable to fundraise in 2020, the Pines Foundation has waived rental fees for Whyte Hall in 2021. We are literally helping to put the “community” back in our community center!

Please look for the Community Calendar published every Thursday for up-to-date non-profit events. Here are some of June’s highlights being held at Whyte Hall:

Is back again this year alongside the July 23^rd weekend of events. Last year’s journal was a huge success, and we are looking to build off that success. This year’s journal will include a return of the popular “Pets of the Pines” along with a fresh new “magazine” format. The printed version will be distributed to businesses, sponsors and VIP ticket holders. The digital version will go to our 7,000 person mailing list and will be promoted through social media. Information on journal ads can be found here; July 2^nd is the submission deadline.

With the new summer ferry schedule, the Post Office operating hours will be Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday 11:00am to 1:00 pm.

Community clean up #2 for yard waste was another big success with dumpsters filled up shortly after opening. Thank you to our fabulous volunteers who helped out at our Community Yard Cleanup Day, including Ralph Randazzo, Mark McElreath, Steve Eggleston, John Flanagan, Bob McGarity and Bob Tortora. A special thank you to Liliana Narbone who was our gracious greeter at the Community Spring Meeting.

Community Bike Racks are now available in the harbor behind the wagon rack and also at Whyte Hall. We also have bike air pumps in both locations.

Please remember that between April 1 and October 31 no bicycles (including electric bikes) are allowed on any wooden public walk, without special use permits.

Happing riding!

Masks are still required in small commercial spaces such as the Pines Pantry and the Liquor Shop. When entering a business, ask whoever is working, or be informed if they are masked, and please be respectful of their wishes.

Verizon FIOS – Group # 2 Eligible Homes - Verizon is making great progress in wiring our community, including working over Memorial Day weekend in the rain. Here is a consolidated list of all homes that are now pre-wired and eligible to subscribe. If you are among these listed addresses, you may either contact a local Verizon team member in the Pines and give them your phone number or you may call the general customer service department (1-800-Verizon). At this point ALL homes in Zone 1 (Sandy to Pine) are eligible to subscribe. So I encourage anyone in Zone 1 to reach out to Verizon even if your home is not on the list. 

Patrick Henry Turner, a long time Pines resident beginning in the late ‘60’s passed this past Fall. By 1988, Patrick became a fixture along with his once friend of 16 years and by then his lover, boyfriend and ultimately his husband, George Slowik. Patrick joked that he raised George and then he married him! They had 46 years together until Patrick, a long-time survivor of AIDS finally was felled by lung cancer. He was loved by many, especially George.

Henry