Helene's Blog

Rachel Carson once said, “In an age when man has forgotten his origins, and is blind even to his most essential needs for survival, water along with other resources has become the victim of his indifference.” Dr. Carson’s impact on the environment resonates with each tweet of a songbird. There are no silent springs because of her. I would like to express my belief that our environment is crying so loud, it’s deafening, and until WE, collectively, have the courage to stand up for the health and healing of the environment, we will all be victims. It has been scientifically documented that the water quality of our East Hampton watersheds is impaired. There are harmful algal blooms, low oxygen levels, and excessive bacterial contamination leading to shellfish and bathing beach closures. Relying on our county, state, and federal governments’ environmental protection policies and protocols has failed to protect the health of our environment. It is therefore our responsibility to shout as loud as we can, to voice our demands for ecological recovery. For without it, we are surely doomed. The East Hampton Town Board has drafted a funding plan to restore what we have harmed. Our watersheds contribute to an East End way of life that is unique and special. Taking steps to address water pollution is vital for our health, and our economy. No matter how rich you are, when you lose your health you lose everything. Knowing that all things are interconnected, that man is only a part of the greater whole, we need to realize that when we harm the environment, we are harming ourselves. Taking 20% of the CPF Fund to restore the quality and health of our water estuaries is a measure that will protect our Town’s significant scenic vistas, water estuaries, and natural landscapes for future generations. For the last 18 years, the CPF Fund has played a pivotal role in protecting the unique character of our community. With this CPF money, the Town will be able to reduce pollution, mitigate for future pollution, and create restoration projects. I will bookend this blog post with another insightful quote by Rachel Carson. “We stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost's familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road—the one ‘less traveled by’— offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of the earth.”  

  After two long years, we finally got to paddle Georgica Pond, a magnificent body of water that is separated from the mighty Atlantic Ocean by a 100 foot sandbar. It's located between the Village of East Hampton and Wainscott and is managed by the East Hampton Town Trustees who are responsible for draining the pond and replenishing it with the water from the Atlantic Ocean. Why haven't we paddled for the last two years? The answer lies in the fact that this spectacular, 290-acre coastal lagoon has been threatened by macro and blue-green algae blooms, fish kills, and low oxygen levels.  The blooms caused by antiquated septic systems and the overuse of excessive nutrients contained in fertilizers produce toxins that are not safe. In addition to these blooms, the shoreline invasion of Phragmites autralis, a non-native grass to East Hampton, further adds to the degradation and health of the pond. We used to crab in the pond for Blue Claws, but not any more. Crabbing, fishing, and swimming have been prohibited. The toxins that the blue-green algae produces are dangerous and can be fatal. So far this year, due to the diligent work of the Town Trustees and  the Friends of Georgica Pond, the water has been safe to paddle. Once the weather gets warmer, however, that might not be the case. On Saturday, we launched our 12 foot canoes from the rest stop on Montauk Highway. It took us 50 minutes to paddle to the sandbar where we set up our beach chairs and hoisted our umbrella. There was a fog creeping in from the south, but we ate our picnic lunch and enjoyed the smell of the ocean and the sounds of the waves. Within an hour though, the fog grew thicker and we were unable to see some of the mansions that lined the eastern shoreline of the pond. It was time to head back. As we got closer to the northern half of the pond, the fog thinned out so we decided to explore one of the coves. To our amazement, we came upon a family of Canada geese. Further into the cove, a mother swan and her newly born cygnets were resting in the sun. The birdlife on Georgica Pond is plentiful including, but not limited to: Canada geese, swans, kingfishers, red-winged blackbirds, ospreys, giant blue herons, egrets, and a variety of ducks.   We felt incredibly lucky to have been witness to the springtime arrival of the baby geese and swans. Hopefully, the solutions to keep the pond healthy will work so that generations to come will be able to enjoy the wonders of this amazing body of water.

On the evening of May 23rd, 2016, I attended and spoke at The International Dyslexia Association's Long Island Branch "Right To Read" Scholarship Fundraiser in Huntington, New York.

It was a great evening, filled with awesome people, great kids, and lots of fun raffle prizes. I ended up winning "The Giving Tree" that was ladened with lotto tickets.

Many of the children that attended were dyslexic. For them, receiving a first edition, signed autographed copy of Stoked - 1969, my second  young adult novel about a fourteen-year-old boy with dyslexia, was a big deal. One of the boys expressed to me how excited he was that he had finally learned to read and that he was going to read my book all by himself. For anyone who has experienced the struggles of learning how to read, or living with someone who struggles with language, this was a heartfelt, moving moment because for many of us, learning how to read changes our lives forever. It's not about talent, but rather hard work and perseverance.

Everyone who gathered at the event did so to help raise money for dyslexic children whose families don't have the financial resources to provide the individualized instruction necessary for their child to learn how to read.

All contributions were and are tax deductible! So if you'd like to give a gift for this important scholarship you can contact Dr. Connie Russo at: http://www.lidyslexia.org or send checks made out to IDALIB and mail to:  IDALIB - 1488 Deer Park Avenue, North Babylon, New York 11703

The International Dyslexia Association "provides a brighter future for a child with dyslexia one reading lesson at a time."

Remember - It's never to late to learn how to read!!!!!!

 

The International Dyslexia Association - Long Island Branch has invited me to be the Keynote Speaker at their annual fundraiser in recognition of DYSLEXIA AWARENESS AND THEIR "RIGHT TO READ" SCHOLARSHIP.

Date: Monday, May 23rd

Time: 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Place: Milto's Fine Italian Restaurant

315 Walt Whitman Road

Huntington Station, New York

Cost: Tax Deductible Donation $60.00 which includes appetizer, pasta dinner, soft drinks and dessert.

There will be great food, entertainment, and lots of chances to win valuable prizes.

MUSIC AND RAFFLES!

"The IDALIB mission is to raise the general awareness of dyslexia and award scholarships to dyslexic children whose families don't have the financial resources to provide the individualized instruction necessary for their child to learn how to read. "

All contributions are tax deductible!

You can pay for tickets in advance on the ISALIB website: http://www.lidyslexia.org

or send checks made out to IDALIB and mail to:

IDALIB

1488 Deer Park Avenue, ! 190

North Babylon, New York 11703

The International Dyslexia Association "provides a brighter future for a child with dyslexia one reading lesson at a time."

 

  Date: August 20, 2016 Place: Atlantic Avenue, Amagansett Time: 5:00 p.m. start Distance: 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, and 1 course Register: Afternoon of event or at active.com Proceeds to benefit the East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue organization

  East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue members are joining with members from Swim Across America to help make waves to fight cancer. Date: July 9, 2016 Place: Fresh Pond Beach, Amagansett Time: 7:00 to 11:00 a.m., ceremony to follow Distances: 3 mile and 6 mile courses Register at: http://www.swimacrossamerica.org/ Proceeds to benefit Fighting Chance and local beneficiaries in support of cancer research, prevention, and treatment. Join us to "Make Waves To Fight Cancer."  

  The Montauk Playhouse Community Center, in partnership with East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue, is offering one of the few safe opportunities to swim an ocean race on the Eastern seaboard with certified Ocean Lifeguards to protect you. The challenge offers distance categories for all ages and abilities, making it appropriate for youth, recreational, and competitive swimmers. Participants swim along Montauk's majestic oceanfront, ending their swim at the popular Ditch Plains Beach. Date: July 23, 2016 Place: Ditch Plains Parking Lot,  Montauk Time/Distance: 1/2 mile course 8:00 a.m. start 1 mile course 7:30 a.m. start 5K course 6:30 a.m. start Register: At active,com or morning of event Proceeds benefit the construction of the Aquatic Center at the Montauk Community Playhouse  

Thanks to Dell Cullum, East Hampton Town had its 3rd Annual Shoreline Beach Sweep.  Dell organized local environmentalists throughout the town to put aside April 23rd to give our beautiful beaches a good spring cleaning. He hoped this would be a trash clean-up day like no other.

Members from the East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue and swimmers from the East Hampton Hurricane Swim Team gathered at Georgica Beach for the 3rd Annual Beach Sweep.

From left to right - Owen McCormac, Helene Forst, Emmett McCormac, Olivia Brabant, Ethan McCormac, and Aidan McCormac helped pick up trash from the entrance of Georgica Beach all the way to the pond and back.

We were proud to have collected a lot of trash - ropes and plastics, cans and bottles. Two of the kids got community service for the time spent cleaning up one of their favorite community beaches.

Dell said that, "Organizing the annual Shoreline Sweep with CCOM's Great Montauk Clean Up took a few emails and an okey dokey, but it all worked itself out."  Many other groups joined in the effort - East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue, the Custodians of Lazy Point, East Hampton Middle School Surfrider Club, East Coast Surfer Girls, Amagansett Chamber of Commerce and several more. What's so impressive to me was that the list grew and grew until every beach was covered in the town. Dell's goal was to gather awesome environmentally compassionate folks and create a gigantic force to universally help remove trash and debris from Wainscott to Montauk. I'm proud to say, we did accomplish that. We did make one huge difference this year as we celebrated Earth Day and showed our planet, particularly our home town, that we cared. Kyril Bromley, a photographer from the East Hampton Press, shot this picture of members of East Hampton Ocean Rescue and the Hurricanes swim team while they were helping to clean up Georgica Beach. From left to right are: Aidan McCormac, Joan Ross, Helene Forst, Olivia Brabant, Stephanie Brabant, Owen McCormac, Jack Forst, Ethan McCormac, and Emmet McCormac. MY HEARTFELT THANKS GO OUT TO DELL FOR ALL HE DOES FOR EAST HAMPTON TOWN. ​

SURFRIDER FOUNDATION

EASTERN LONG ISLAND CHAPTER

Saturday, April 23, 2016 (rain date April 24th) The 3rd Annual Shoreline Sweep

Join Surfrider and help clean East Hampton's beaches, anywhere from Wainscott to Montauk. You can sign up and get more information from Dell Cullum at Kachina35@gmail.com or 631-377-6555.

ImaginationNature.com will also have updates up until the event.

  The 54th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade will kick off from Edgemere Road at 11:30 am Sunday March 20th 2016 in Montauk New York. The Parade runs up Edgemere Road and then turns on to Main Street passed the reviewing stand on the green under the watchful eye of MC Rick White and finishes at the end of Main Street by the IGA. Come early to get a good vantage point to see New York's second largest St. Patrick's Day Parade. Starting at 10:00 am on the green, the Montauk Chamber of Commerce will be serving hot soup in your very own St. Patrick’s Day Parade souvenir mug. Montauk’s finest soups are made and donated by local restaurants. For more info contact the Montauk Friends of Erin.  

8th ANNUAL AM O'GANSETT ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE