Greetings!

As we gear up for the Fourth of July, we hope that you will all enjoy the holiday in whichever way you wish to celebrate it. While we will be missing the Invasion this year, the Pines is a creative community, and I’m sure that you will find creative ways to have fun in the Pines over the weekend.

Sayville Ferry Service
If you are planning to use the ferry on July 4 th , Sayville Ferry Service will be running on its normal July 4th schedule . There will be ferries running between Sayville and the Pines almost every hour throughout the day. This is a big increase in service from previous months, and we are grateful for the additional ferries.

FIPPOA’s Heaven Celebration
On July 4 th , FIPPOA will debut its online Heaven event, featuring the creative talents of Scott Bromley and Tony Impavido. You will be able to access Heaven on July 4 th and July 5 th through this link:   https://vimeo.com/thepinesfoundation/ heaven . We will also send a reminder on the morning of Saturday, July 4 th . The team worked very hard on this first-ever event, and we are very excited to share it with you!
 
Fourth of July
While we are not expecting the usual crowds in the Pines for July 4 th , it is still a national holiday, and the Pines will be ready for the occasion! FIPPOA will be decorating the harbor on Friday morning, thanks to Randy Wilson and John Wood. We expect that the community will be more crowded than usual, and FIPPOA is prepared to keep our community clean and safe. We are bringing in security, port-o-sans and additional trash receptacles. 

Fire Island Pines (the Pines commercial properties) will be hosting socially distanced July 4th celebrations. They will have reserved tables available for two seatings with a drag parade featuring iconic drag queens. You can find get more information and purchase tickets here .
 
Boulevard Cleanliness
FIPPOA has worked very hard this year to keep the community clear and clean of debris. We remind everyone in the community that is it not permissible for any contractors or residents to leave landscaping debris of any kind on the Boulevard . We especially want to thank our Community Manager, Karen McCutcheon, for her relentless efforts to beautify the Boulevard. In particular, through her tireless work on the community’s behalf, Karen worked with Brownie to remove its large pile of equipment at Shell and the Boulevard yesterday. The pile had been an eyesore for months, and the Boulevard already looks better!
On the subject of the Boulevard, we welcome bike riding on the Boulevard, but not on the boardwalks. According to Town of Brookhaven rules, there is no bike riding allowed on the boardwalks, even with a Town of Brookhaven bicycle permit.

The Committee on Black Equality
FIPPOA’s Committee on Black Equality is meeting regularly and has developed a mission and vision statement, which we have provided below.

Vision Statement: We envision a Fire Island Pines community that is more racially diverse, as well as deliberately and actively more welcoming to people of color.
 
Mission Statement: Working in collaboration with the FIPPOA board, we will assist in the implementation of initiatives and activities that promote the equality of the Pines experience and a sense of belonging among Black people and all People of Color (POC) in the Pines by:
  • Reducing conscious and unconscious bias in the community
  • Encouraging opportunities for POC to participate in arts, culture, and entertainment events in the Pines
  • Promoting a more diverse workforce in the Pines, and
  • Recommending any initiatives that align with our vision.
 
Dancers Responding to AIDS/Virtual Fire Island Dance Festival
The Fire Island Dance Festival will be streaming its festival online this year for the first time in its 26-year history. It will be live on Friday, July 17 at 7 pm. The festival is free to watch, but advance registration is required. The show will feature world premieres of three new pieces and three festival favorites. You can sign up or make a donation here .

Thank yous and reminders
FIPPOA thanks Claude Drolet for his terrific and invaluable volunteer work this summer. If anyone else would like to volunteer, please contact Karen McCutcheon at communitymanager@fippoa.org .

Please remember to send all your complaints and compliments to 311@fippoa.org . Thank you to everyone who has been using this service. We hope that you have found it helpful.

Mosquito fogging starts today and takes place every Thursday evening in the summer between 5:30 pm and 10:00 pm, weather permitting, on most walks and the Boulevard. Please stay inside if you have children or if you’re pregnant, also please cover your fish ponds. 

Finally, we wish everyone a very fun and safe holiday weekend. Remember to wear your MASKS in the harbor and practice SOCIAL DISTANCING throughout the community. And, most of all, please relax on the beach and take pride in our great community.

Happy Fourth to all!
Best,
Jay
Jay Pagano