The Long Island University professor, who is slated to give the lecture “The Long Road Back: Restoration of Peconic Bay Scallops” this Friday at Stony Brook-Southampton, talks about the challenges the bay scallop population has faced in recent years, the success of his team’s county-funded restoration project and his favorite way to cook the delicate local treasures.

When did you first get involved with local bay scallop biology and restoration?

It was about 1987, actually. I did my masters and PhD on bay scallops in Connecticut, so I have actually worked on bay scallops for over 30 years. When I got to New York, Southampton College ended up getting involved in restoration work pretty soon after it started.

What was your initial work like? What was your focus?

The initial work was a project I did with some students from Southampton College and Chris Smith from the Cornell Cooperative Extension. We worked on a project where we looked at the mortality of scallops in the winter due to burial by mud and sand that is moved around. It was something I had seen in Connecticut and I wanted to get an idea if it was something potentially important in causing the mortality of planted scallops in New York and what we found was it was a very important key to the restoration plan going forward.

What was the remedy?

Basically we choose areas for planting scallops that are less susceptible to burial. Scallops in the winter are totally out of it, they cant get out of their own way. If you bury them under sand when the water temperature is low, they will not swim or recover themselves – they just die. So we chose areas where that is less of a likelihood – areas with eel grass or other kinds of vegetation or deeper waters and them seem to fair better.

Historically, what have been the biggest challenges facing shellfish populations – as whole or specific to scallops if you would like – on the East End?

The biggest challenge in recent history has been the Brown Tide and I always knock on wood when I say this, but we fortunately have not had Brown Tide since 1995, which has given us this window of opportunity to go after scallop restoration in a big way and also allow the clam and oyster populations to rebuild. We don’t know as much about clams or oysters as we do bay scallops, but they were all affected by Brown Tide. Certainly, it is the biggest challenge they have faced in the last 20, 25 years.

Over the last six years, since 1995 we haven’t had Brown Tide, so the thought was the scallops should recover on their own, but they haven’t. We have several ideas why, but our major hypothesis – Chris Smith and I – was that the number of scallops in the population and the density, how close they are together, were too low to allow for the successful fertilization of eggs when spawned. What we did to address that was plant the scallops at very high densities, which was in contrast to what we did originally. What we are after here, is after the scallops reach a point where the do reproduce there should be enough of them and they should be close enough together where we will have a much greater chance of seeing a population increase.

What are the results? Do we have statistics on the project’s success?

We have five years of data collected – two years before the first reproduction and three years after that. During the first two years, 2005 and 2006, we had the same population levels as right after the Brown Tide of 1995 – it was low. With the data we have, we can actually look at what happened before our planting compared to what afterwards. So we saw in 2005, 2006, the population was low and there were no many larvae and three years since the spawning numbers have increased dramatically. In 2009, we are seeing numbers probably between 40 and 100 percent higher. We are thrilled by the results and it suggests the restoration project has been responsible for that increase. The reason I can say that is because we did sampling in the bays where we planted and sampled in areas where we didn’t and that was where population densities were low.

What do you think, from a scientific perspective – and there has been debate on the subject – was the cause of the Brown tide?

I would just really be quoting the work of other scientists because I haven’t looked at it myself. [Stony Brook-Southampton professor] Chris Gobler would be the best person to ask that question of, but in my understanding it has something to do with the ability of the Brown Tide algae to compete with other kinds of algae. Also it may have to do with the reduction of feeding on Brown Tide by animals, which gives it a competitive advantage.

What is the future of the program?

Well, the project is funded by Suffolk County, very generously. We would never have gotten this level of funding to go after this type of project by another source, whether the federal or state government. Suffolk County really went out on a limb and funded this project and really, it is the largest in the country. So we are fortunate.

Originally, our project was for four years, but we have been lucky to get funding for a fifth year and this will be our sixth. We are seeing tremendous progress. We are still quite a ways away from the good old days before the Brown Tide arrives in the mid-80s – can I say our work is done, absolutely not. We certainly hope we will be able to continue at least until we see the population closer to where it used to be and the fishery as a whole, but we are thankful for the six years we have gotten and hope we can do more.

Favorite scallop preparation?

I have several. They are great just right out of the shell. If I am going to cook them it would be pretty simple – a little garlic, a little butter, a sprinkle of bread crumbs. You don’t want to overcook them. There are lots of recipes, but they have such a delicate flavor that you don’t want to lose with a heavy sauce or flavoring.

The School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and Stony Brook Southampton will be hosting a lecture entitled “The Long Road Back: Restoration of Peconic Bay Scallops,” presented by Dr. Stephen Tettelbach of Long Island University. The event will be held on Friday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Stony Brook Southampton’s Duke Lecture Hall. A reception will follow.

The 35-year-old talks about why she and a group of Sag Harbor residents think the diversity and artistic core of the village make it the perfect location to create The American Music Festival of Sag Harbor, a hopefully annual tradition held each April, but one festival organizers hope to kick off at this year’s HarborFest.

First off, why a music festival in Sag Harbor?

Well, to be honest, the whole process has been completely organic. My background is in music and it is where my passion lies and this is my community. When I came back I first noticed the music at Bay Burger and I was really knocked out at the quality of musicianship, the number of people coming each week and the good, down to earth feeling. When I found out they were going to continue the jam sessions at Bay Street Theatre, I was inspired. I talked to Claes Brondal from the Bay Burger jazz jam sessions and asked how this had all come about and he told me about how Bay Street had really been engaging the community and opened up and how the event was free. It was inspiring, this partnership and that Bay Street would continue this musical momentum. I told Claes about the idea for a music festival and he said I should talk to John Landes [co-owner of Bay Burger]. I told him I thought it would be great to do a music festival and we started gathering a group of people and the more we talked about it the more enthusiastic the feedback we got was. In the meantime, music at Phao began and the singer songwriters at Bay Street. It’s exciting – out of the whole East End, I feel Sag Harbor has this artistic vibe – it just fits. Sag Harbor is unique and in particular, is very supportive of the arts.

The festival also aims to support Sag Harbor itself. The idea originally was to start it before the season, but we have decided this year, because of conflicts, to launch the festival this September with the help of the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce at HarborFest. We have talked to Robert Evjen [president of the chamber] and he is really excited about the idea of being able to bring music into the event. We are operating as a non-profit with John Landes, Laura Grenning and I serving as directors. We are hoping  through sponsorships we can raise enough money to cover the costs of the festival and anything that is left over we would look to use to provide scholarships for musicians.

The festival has been billed as an “American” music festival. When I think of American music, I think of blues, jazz, rock-and-roll – musical genres created here or genres that flourished in the United States. What is your definition of American music?

You are right on target. That is the feeling we want for the festival. I would also include in that folk music and rhythm and blues and also Americana. That really leaves us wide open for a variety of artists. We would like to start small with a three-day festival. The first time out, our goal is to exceed expectation know we have a good model set up. We are hoping it will be an annual event at the end of April after this year’s kick off. In April, every one has spring fever, it’s the off-season and it could draw people to Sag Harbor becoming an off-season magnet for the village. It is also for the community. In-season we are all so busy, we don’t always get to enjoy the cultural events going on out here. This year we are hoping to collaborate with the schools – this school district is known for its emphasis in music – as well as students and community members that are interested as well. We want a festival feel to the weekend – music on the streets with Bay Street serving as the main stage with three concerts over the weekend of September 10 through September 12.

Are you modeling this weekend on any other music festivals around the country?

To be honest, not one in particular. We really want this to be about music and about Sag Harbor. We are hoping to collaborate with organizations throughout the village to enfuse Sag Harbor history into the festival.

Do you have “dream” headliners the festival would attract in a perfect world?

In a perfect world, there are a lot of local greats out here, and a lot of big names we would like to get involved, not just as performers, but as organizers. We are establishing a music advisory committee to help set up the program. There are so many genres in American music we want to have a program that touches on them all, but holds a theme. I hesitate to say any names of dream headliners, but they know who they are.

As for local musicians, part of the idea is to have street music throughout the village during the festival, correct?

We are still working with the [Sag Harbor Village Board of] trustees to get the proper permitting. In concert with HarborFest, we hope to have different locations throughout Main Street and other areas of the village and have different acts playing throughout the day, kind of like the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Our philosophy is the more, the merrier, but we are open to seeing how it evolves because this is for our community. We hope it will bring more business to the village in the off-season while also supporting this incredible surge of creativity. There is just so much music going on in Sag Harbor right now.

How can local musicians get involved?

First of all, the best way to get involved is if you are not in the local music scene yet get to the open mic sessions, get to Blue Sky, get to Bay Street. Being involved in music and networking you have to get out there performing – be where the action is. Specifically with the music festival, we will do an open call and anyone who is interested in sending a CD or whatever they have, with contact information, can reach us at The American Music Festival of Sag Harbor, PO Box 2323 Sag Harbor, NY 11963.

What is your personal connection to music — why does this matter you?

The short story is I have worked for non-profits for the last 15 years, starting with Bay Street Theatre, but it has almost all been music related. For seven years, I was the director of the Henry Mancini Music Festival in Los Angeles. We brought in children from all over the area and hosted free concerts at UCLA. I am a local Long Islander, so I came back to New York and worked for the Grammys from 2004 to 2006, which taught me a little bit more about music. The last couple of years I have been doing consulting work because while I love New York City, I prefer a different lifestyle. I have worked from Ireland to San Francisco, but my home base is Sag Harbor and I am trying to do more work locally.

But this is not about me, and I want to stress that. Music is my passion, and my happy place right now is bringing the right people together. I am just excited to do that.

By Marissa Maier

The 2010 U.S. Census is kicking off in March and this week the Express sat down with U.S. Census Long Island Regional Manager William Harfmann to talk about why the census matters and what it could mean to the 2012 presidential election.

Why does the census matter?

The census is a snapshot of our country every 10 years. It is mandated by the Congress and by the Constitution. It has been done since 1790. This gives the count of the population. With the count comes the allocation of Congressional seats in the U.S. The census shows the number of people inside our borders. We send a survey and its called “10 questions in 10 minutes.”

What kind of questions do you ask?

In 10 minutes, we ask if they own or rent their house, their name, their age, their background. It is only 10 questions but these questions show the make up of a community. On the East End of Long Island, we are doing an “update and enumerate” [meaning going door to door to give the survey] which is a little different than the mail back form. In other regions of New York state, we are doing the mail back. On the East End there is a high vacancy rate because of the seasonal nature of the community. On Long Island . . . we do the “update and enumerate” because so many people here don’t get mail delivered to their homes. We will be going out to the entire North Fork and South Fork beginning on March 16. They do this [the update and enumerate] in Alaska too . . . We want to make sure we do the best job. We knock on every door and if you are a homeowner or renter you will be counted in this way.

About how many homes will the census takers visit on the East End?

About 90,000 houses. It takes about 10 weeks. We will be employing 1,500 people on the East End to do this. You can schedule to take a test. It is a half-hour test. We make it convenient for people to be tested in their community. We hire for the community by the community. Where do you live?

North Haven

Well then we would want to hire you for North Haven. You know that area. You are 100 percent in that area. We need about 1,500 or so people to do this. We will be hiring very shortly. There is a paid four-day training. We have supervisory positions, which we call crew leaders and we reach out to our communities so the work is right in their communities.

How much does the census cost?

The cost is based on a lot of things, a lot of different unknowns, meaning the cost is based on people sending the forms back. We push to have the public respond in this form. For every percentage point [of response] it costs around $80 million. As an example, if 75 percent of people [in New York State] mail back their forms, it costs about $80 million per percentage point for the mailed back forms. If they don’t mail back the forms, then beginning in late April, after we give them some time, we go out and in about eight weeks we do the same thing we will be doing on the East End [in terms of] gathering information.

What is new about this census?

There is no longer the long form. There was a long form [survey] in the past and a short form. There were more and more questions and now there are 10. The long form was called the American Community survey. It is a sent to a sampling of people through the entire 10 years [between the census]. In order to move the census along, we use the short form of these 10 questions. And another thing [that is new] is the “update and enumerate.” We have an extensive partnership program that reaches out to all groups of the community. We reach the faith based groups, the language groups, to make them aware of the necessity and need of the census count.

I heard that this is the first year same-sex households will be counted in the census. Is this true?

I’ll have to get back to you on that.

Will the census effect the 2012 elections?

What we do is by the end of the year by December 31, the census has to be on the President’s desk. That is the deadline for the count. In 2011, the allocation of Congressional districts is based on populations. I can’t go any further than that. I can’t say how the population is going to change until we do a count. I can only tell you that every house on the East End of Long Island will be answered for.

Given that the census is being taken in 2010, in the wake of one of the most dramatic financial meltdowns since the Great Depression. Do you think the census will paint a picture of the economic times we are living in and how that affects the movement of populations?

Well, the census is mandated. I don’t think anything will be shown except the progress that has been made and the monies involved in the $400 billion plus of dollars that will improve our communities. I think it will show the growth of the population and the growth of necessary services.

On Wednesday morning, Sag Harbor Village Mayor Brian Gilbride could be found shoveling snow in front of the municipal building. But the mayor, who is also a veteran of the village fire department, took a break from his shoveling duties to give the Express the low down on how the village prepares for blizzard conditions.

You have been a long time resident of Sag Harbor. It this the whitest winter you have seen?

I was born and raised here and I don’t recall storms like we have been having with this kind of snowfall. Honestly, [when I was younger] did we have storms? Sure we did, but many years ago there clearly weren’t as many people in the village. There weren’t as many houses. The school wasn’t as big. The amount of resources the village would put into keeping the roads open and clear wasn’t as much as it is right now. Right now, I just pulled over to talk to you and even though there aren’t a lot of things open there are still a lot of cars on the road.

Have you been getting updates from other village workers?

I talked with [village clerk] Sandra Schroeder, [superintendent of public works] Jim Early and [police chief] Tom Fabiano. Everyone is out there doing what they need to do. Jim told me he has a couple of people in four-wheel drives. He was out early. I saw him out with the plow at 5:30 a.m. He went up around the school with a couple of loads of sand. He and the guys have been out. They were doing the first run of plowing and we will see how it goes. I hear the heavier stuff is coming in this afternoon. We will see how it all unfolds. Sandra said she had received very few calls. As of right now the chief isn’t getting any distress calls. It has been fairly quiet all around.

Do you think people were better prepared for this storm than the one that hit in December?

Given the way they have been reporting things and with school being canceled I think people were prepared. More people have gone out and got stuff for their homes. They are more ready for a day or two of being inside. Certainly the radio announcements and weather forecasts all tend to get people prepared. I think with the last storm people had the attitude of “they always say there is a big storm coming and it never comes,” and then it came. I think people took the warning seriously this time. I think the worst is yet to come.

How does the village prepare for an upcoming snow storm?

Jim makes sure we have enough salt and sand, that we have enough for a mix for one or two good storms. All of the trucks are already ready with the plows on and the sanders. We were ready and it was just a matter of calling the guys in. This is going to be a pretty long storm. They will get everything open take a little break and then go back out again. Hopefully everything will be up and ready for tomorrow morning.

Ha, there is a lady cross-country skiing on Main Street.

[Anyway] it is just a matter of the police preparing on their end and the fire department will prepare for it. A lot of residents have been shoveling and if there is a hydrant around their house if they could shovel it that would be great.

How does the highway department go about plowing the roads? Which roads to they clear first?

They do all the main roads, the long straight roads, and then they go off into the secondary roads. The first to be cleared are the ones people use to get down Main Street. It takes around five or six trucks and they clear everything in about two-and-a-half hours for the whole village. Then they do the parking lots. If the snow keeps coming they go back and do it again. They will probably go out most of the night.

On average, how much does a storm like this cost the village?

I am not sure of the amount. We are lucky that on average we don’t get a lot of storms. We will definitely be interested at the end of the storm to see how the budget is holding up. Thankfully today was a regular work day and we didn’t need overtime. We will see how it all shakes out, and if I have to make some adjustments on the budget I’ll do that. Our first priority is to get the roads open.

About how much sand and salt is used for the average storm?

We use 50 to 60 yards of salt and sand mix for the average storm. Each storm is a little different though. With some storms you can get away with just sanding and salting before and after the storm. But a problem is after the storm is over and then you have a warming and a thawing and then the roads freeze over night and then you have to salt and sand again. We have a pit up the road from us to get sand. And we still have quite a bit of a salt piled up. It will be touchy when we get into March. This will be a year we spent all if not a large part of what we budgeted for the snow.

Every year, in the budget do you give yourselves a little cushion or extra money for a particularly bad season?

[In years past] we were actually budgeting a little bit less. We had pretty mild weather and we held the lines. The storm forecast for today is going to take its toll on us. But I am confident the village will be in good shape.

Is there any advice you can give to residents on how to navigate the snow and what to do in blizzard conditions?

The only thing I would say is everyone has a job to do and we ask people to keep their cars off the road and give people a little time to clear the roads. Other then that, I would also say go out and enjoy the snow.

The 13-year-old star of the Pierson Middle School production of “Annie,” talks about when she was first bit by the acting bug, stage fright and what it feels like to have a dream come true.

By Kathryn G. Menu

Playing Annie in the school play is a dream come true for a lot of young girls.

I have been in musicals since I was nine years old when I joined Stages [the East Hampton-based children’s theatre]. Since Stages is for kids eight to 18, I never had a big part, so I was really happy. I have done “Annie” before at camp, but I played Ms. Hannigan, which is a very different part.

How did you feel when you were cast?

I was really excited. I went into it kind of trying not to get my hopes up, which is kind of my motto, because then you are not upset if you get a small role. I was jumping up and down when I found out.

The world Annie lives in – Depression era, New York – is a very different place than where we live. How do you connect to the character?

I just kind of put myself in their shoes.

Has learning about the character – an orphan – and the play, made you feel more grateful for what you have?

It’s kind of like, wow, I am very lucky.

What is your favorite part in “Annie”?

My favorite part, I think, is the scene with the President [Franklin Delano Roosevelt]. I like it because there are all these uptight business guys and we all start singing “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow,” and there I am standing on the table. It’s really cool because he is not supposed to like children, but there he is belting it out with the rest of us.

Do you have a favorite song in the play?

“It’s a Hard Knock Life,” because I like group songs where I don’t have to sing the whole song. I also just like the tune – it’s very nice. And I also like “Tomorrow.”

Outside of Annie, who is your favorite character in the play?

Probably Ms. Hannigan, and not just because I played her before. I like how she is flirty, but mean. It’s funny.

“Annie” the movie came out when I was a kid, in the early 1980s. Did you grow up watching it?

I did grow up watching “Annie” and it’s kind of funny, because I will say to someone, “I watched “Annie” last night and it was great,” and they are like, “You still watch that movie?” It’s a classic – it never goes out of style.

Your director, Paula Brannon, told me you are in virtually every scene of the play.  How difficult was it for you to wrap your arms around such a big part, with singing, acting and dancing?

It was kind of easy-ish. In the beginning I just tried out different things, like using a lower voice, but then I thought to myself, she is just a little girl.

What do you like about acting in a play?

I like how you cannot be yourself, but be a different character, and I really like singing and dancing, too. I take voice lessons.

What first got you into acting?

My friend Audrey did the play “Once Upon A Mattress,” and I went to see it and she said Stages was so much fun, so the next year I did “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Will you continue performing through Stages?

I will; but this year I am 13 and I am Jewish so it is my Bat Mitzvah year and with Stages having rehearsals on Monday, Wednesday and Friday my Hebrew school conflicts; but next year I will definitely keep doing it.

Are you excited, or nervous, about opening night?

For some reason I am more nervous about the dress rehearsal because it is the first time we are working with costumes and everything; but when I get to the real show, I more have the feeling that I can do this.

Rebecca Dwoskin will star in the Pierson Middle School production of Annie on Thursday February 4 through Saturday, February 6 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, February 7 at 2 p.m. The production features almost 70 students on the stage, backstage, in the lighting booth and in the pit orchestra. Tickets are $5 and are available at Pierson’s Main Office. To reserve your tickets, you can e-mail agalanty@sagharborschools.org.

The former Haitian missionary and head of Impact Haiti, a ministry based at Living Water Church in Wainscott, about the mission he supports and Haiti’s future in the aftermath of the earthquake. In March, Grubb plans to travel to Haiti to assess the situation first hand.

Tell me about your ministry work in Haiti.

“I partner with Pastor Jean Carlo Thomas and his New World Mission. It’s based in Meyer, northeast of Port-au-Prince. They also have churches and schools on the southern fork of Haiti in Jeremy, Balix, Roche a Bateau, Cog Chante and St. Louis. All are in rural areas except Meyer. All told, the mission serves five schools and 2,500 children who walk for miles to get to school.”

How did you meet Pastor Carlo?

“My wife and I and our four children were missionaries in Haiti from 1982 to 1986. Pastor Carlo was a young guy who had just gotten out of Bible school and I have worked with this man since 1984. Since then, I’ve been organizing construction and medical teams to support his mission. I also work with other organizations to raise funds and utilize them to help his mission.”

Tell me how missions like those you’ve worked with operate in Haiti.

“We would have a church and a facility that would be a school and a feeding station. The children would come to school in the day, they would get one good nutritious meal with vitamins, then we would do medical clinical work with local doctors and nurses coming once every couple weeks.”

Though you’ve done mission work in Haiti, your efforts now support the work of Pastor Carlo, a Haitian. Do you feel missions can be more effective when administered by someone from the country?

“When we went down there, we didn’t see ourselves staying for a long time. Economically and socially, it’s better for a nation to work with its own people. We can go and help, but my goal was to lay a foundation to train others and leave.”

“When dealing with certain third world nations, if you don’t understand the culture, idiosyncrasies and ins-and-outs, you can be taken advantage of. It’s important just to be able to reach them on a grass roots level.”

What sort of damage did New World Mission sustain in the earthquake?

“In Meyer, the walls are falling and the building will have to be torn down because the whole infrastructure is compromised. Pastor Carlo himself lost 11 family members. We don’t have an accurate count of all the church members who were killed, but it could be in the hundreds.”

How do missions manage to feed and care for so many people in the immediate aftermath of disasters, even when they are damaged themselves?

“Pastor Carlo and other missionaries, in my opinion, are the best people to work through because they are already there working. Relationships and mechanisms are in place. What happens is a mission called World Vision, which is very big all over the world, partners with the smaller NGOs [non-governmental organizations] like Protestant and Catholic missions and say, ‘Here’s food for two weeks for 10,000.’ The military’s also giving things to missionaries.”

We’ve heard that Haiti had serious problems even before the earthquake. Why has life been so difficult for so long?

“The number one difficulty is political corruption. When I was down there, there were the Duvaliers — Baby Doc [Jean-Claude Duvalier] was in power. He was made president at 18, it was really the military people around him —the Tonton Macoutes —who ran the country. Between the Duvaliers, father and son, in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, over 1,000,000 people were killed and buried all over the island. Then when the Duvaliers were out after 1986, there was complete anarchy.”

“The second thing is abject poverty. The average Haitian eats once every other day. Our goal, while they were young, was to get the children vitamins and square meals every day and ensure they grow properly.”

“The third thing is education — 80 percent of the country is illiterate. There’s also a lack of medical facilities.”

What do you envision for Haiti’s future?

“I see Haiti can be better than ever. I think if the Haitian government would allow the world to get involved and help restore it. I think the Americans will play a very large part especially in Port-au-Prince to help them introduce building codes. The Haitians want us there, but they would be suspect if they thought we were trying to occupy them. We need to go in there and partner.

How would you describe the spirit of the people of Haiti?

“The Haitian people are the kindest in the world. They are also tremendously resilient. They pulled someone else out 10 days after the quake. They should have a few more days searching for people, these are people who are used to going without. But I’ve always found the spirit to be extremely positive. They’re very spiritual people with a strong belief in God and their faith keeps them going.”

On February 7, the Bridgehampton Parent Teacher Organization will host a fundraising pancake breakfast for Impact Haiti at the Bridgehampton Community House from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Richard Grubb will be on hand to answer questions and show some images of Haiti. A ping pong tournament begins at 11a.m. and there will also be live music. The cost is $10 for adults and $7 for children.

The President of The Retreat talks about the effect of the recession on domestic violence, what the not-for-profit has done to stay afloat amid declining governmental assistance and why he thinks local organizations should start working together.

The East End Social Service Summit has been billed as a gathering of local not-for-profits with the ultimate goal of groups developing symbiotic relationships. Where did this idea come from and what do you truly hope this evening will accomplish?

It is a concept that just fell into my head. I felt [The Retreat] had a difficult time and we worked hard to come up with some unique concepts to take care of our agency. I feel, and [The Retreat’s Executive Director] Jeff Friedman agrees, that we have our unique ideas and other organizations have their ideas and if we share them successfully we could all benefit. Although we go to the government for funding, we cannot depend on the towns and the villages to assist us. We do need their money, but East Hampton Town cut us out entirely and if we didn’t do something creative the agency could have really been hurt. Instead, we are doing seven television shows through LTV, which is something I would suggest to other groups including the new Southampton Animal Shelter. It is free, it reaches the East Hampton market and they will give you a copy of the show, which you can submit to other not-for-profit television stations.  As you raise awareness about your organization, as The Retreat has been able to do through the newspaper, you get more and more support. It is critical to clarify the purpose of your not-for-profit and bring awareness to the community and the return is you will find a group that is interested in your organization. And it’s not just financial interest. I have five or six friends that now volunteer for The Retreat. I want to hear what other groups have done and if each of us can pick up one idea, we win. This is only the tip of the iceberg for us. The Retreat is looking to start a program for men and boys. Right now, we can’t shelter men because our shelter is a woman-protected shelter, but we do get calls and we want to be able to address that need as well. That program would be comprehensive – outreach, prevention, education and counseling. We are also trying to take advantage of the housing market to look into creating transitional housing. The point is we are trying to do different things, but someone else might have another good idea. Creativity brings more creativity.

National statistics show that during times of economic crisis, domestic violence rises. Has The Retreat seen this statistic become a reality in the last two years?

We were at full capacity at the end of last year with a waiting list. We had to refer people to other organizations. The unfortunate fact is this puts pressure on individuals prone to violence and the police back us up on this point. There is a direct link to crime, to drinking and drug abuse during a recession. We have started small groups called SOS on Shelter Island because there was a need and I was there when [Shelter Island Police Chief James Read] spoke. He made it clear, the relation between loss of income, people being laid off, the increase of drinking and drug use and how that can result in violence. It is a tough time for a lot of people. I don’t think a lot of people understand how bad it is, particularly in the construction industry. On a positive note, a lot of people, including financial analysts are sating we are starting to come out of the downturn. The real estate market is getting busy again, the inventory of houses is declining.

After a tenuous financial hold in 2008, it appears The Retreat will be closing its books in 2010 in the black. What do you attribute this to?

Several things. I was fairly aggressive with the board of The Retreat and we came to the unanimous decision to assist the agency. We doubled [our contribution] as a group and that helped. One member bought us a new computer system. Another woman paid for a new person to work at the shelter and all that stuff comes out of the annual budget. It was good stuff. All the radio ads, the art gallery contests, the road rally, the wine tasting we did, each one widens our listening base and elevates the opportunities for us to get more assistance, whether its volunteerism or financial.

The Retreat is the only organization on the East End devoted to preventing domestic violence and helping its victims. How is the organization able to cover such a large area of need?

The staff is extremely focused as is our executive director and they all work 24-7, responding to e-mails and calls even on the weekends. We also opened a larger satellite office near the courthouse in Riverhead this year, which accomplished several things for us. When people hear we are from East Hampton, they assume we don’t need money. Roverhead offers a different economic perspective for people. I was talking to the head of a charity in Westhampton Beach that helps animals and they experienced the same problem because people could not understand that they help all the way out here. We also hired more people because the executive director and the staff wrote strong grant proposals that enabled us to have the funding to bring more people on board and we still finished in the black because people have donated their time to us. If we have three volunteers working, perhaps a staff member can focus on another area of need. No one does just one thing – our staff is versatile, taking on several different roles. I think it is that way at a lot of not-for-profits because you are not just working for the paycheck. There are emotional bonds and most of them appreciate the work they do. At a board meeting the other day, Jeff [Friedman] played a phone message – without revealing the woman’s name – from someone we gave a car to. We have been doing that more as we have gotten car donations as a result of the car rally and it just changes someone’s life. It gives them independence. A lot of people don’t understand why women don’t leave these bad situations and generally it is because they have no money, no car, nowhere to go. Just this can give someone the opportunity to go get work and have independence. It just can mean everything.

Is it your hope that other not-for-profits will be able to take similar techniques after Friday’s meeting in order to further their own work?

The whole idea is for us to be extremely transparent with all the non profits about what we have done, because if we are not I do not believe they will be comfortable sharing their own insights with us. The intention is to be completely honest and that I believe honesty is contagious. For example, we will tell them about the different grant opportunities we are looking at, how we were able to motivate our own board to help the agency more than they already had and I will explain how I plan to make it even better next year; although I will keep that to myself until Friday. But I do have some interesting ideas.

Outside of sharing ideas, do you see an opportunity for not-for-profits to connect over common goals during Friday’s summit?

Absolutely. That is exactly what I am hoping for. The reality is none of us can stand alone today. You simply cannot depend on outside financial resources – you have to find creative ways to involve the community in the work you do. I look at what is going on in Haiti and the success with texting donations. After seeing the impact that has had, I approached The Retreat and suggested we set up a similar system so people can use their phones to donate $10, $20 to our cause. You have to learn from everything around you, and on Friday, if we can pick up a couple ideas from one another, it will be a success.

Outside of not-for-profits, do you expect other guests to attend Friday’s meeting?

I believe Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman will be there as well as New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr.

Is it your hope having government leaders there will help them to understand the level of need for local organizations on the East End?

I think being familiar and comfortable with one another and having them be aware of what we are doing will help ultimately with funding. We have to create ways for people to be involved with our organizations and for The Retreat, having Jay or Fred there goes a long way towards showing that men care about our cause as well as women and that is a major, major thing for us.

The Retreat has been a huge part of your life for a number of years now. What drew you to the organization in such a dedicated way?

Several things. First of all, I tend to get involved with anything I am committed to – it’s the same at my gallery [ The Richard J. Demato Gallery on Main Street in Sag Harbor]. I also have five younger sisters, two of which have lived the life of women we have helped at The Retreat. A neighbor sold me some raffle tickets one day and I went to the event. I saw I could make a difference. At the time they did not have anyone with a business background and with my knowledge of marketing and business it just was a perfect marriage. The Retreat has given me something to be proud of. This is a very special group of people. They are all little diamonds.

The East End Social Service Summit will be held at the Richard J. Demato Gallery, 90 Main Street, Sag Harbor, from 5:30 to 7:30 on Friday, January 22. Registration is required and seating is very limited. To register call 329-4398 or e-mail Kathy@theretreatinc.org.

The newly appointed director of the Sag Harbor Food Pantry on the growing community the pantry serves, going green and the high price of cereal.

About how many visitors do you have at the food pantry?

We had about 75 today. That’s about average. We have less during the summer, but then there are more people who have work.

Are there more people coming now than when you started?

Oh yes, much more. We have started limiting patrons to just those from Sag Harbor. We had some coming from Bridgehampton and Hampton Bays, because they knew we were offering fresh food. That was very hard, because it’s very hard to refuse someone food.

When did you start at the food pantry?

It was about 1999.

What got you interested in volunteering?

I had just retired, and thought I might want to help out. I called the church one day and they said they needed volunteers. The church is great. They house so many different organizations. Since we don’t have a community center here it serves a great purpose.

How have things changed since you started?

When I started it was just one little closet, I could just about open my arms and reach from side to side. We were not open as much as we are now, it was an hour a night, a couple nights a week. Now we’ve graduated to Tuesday 10:30 in the morning to 1:30 in the afternoon. And we have much more space and are now offering fresh foods. We have

milk, eggs, cheese and butter, and one meat a week.

With the extra space, people we need to help can come in out of the cold if they have to wait. Sometimes we have some soup we can offer. And hot cocoa.

How many volunteers?

About 40 on a rotating basis.

What’s new?

Well, we acquired a new freezer and refrigerator. That allows us to keep more.

As the new director of the food pantry, are you planning on making any changes?

Not really; we’ll continue to do what we’ve been doing, offering fresh food. What we give out can take care of a family for two days. And on holidays we try to do something different. Coffee. Turkeys and hams. Bacon so they can have a nice breakfast on Christmas day.

And we’re trying to become more environmentally friendly. We want to phase out plastic and Styrofoam containers.

Also, we have a website, which is relatively new: www.sagharborfoodpantry.com. And email: info@sagharborfoodpantry.org

What does the food pantry need?

Anyone who has canvas shopping bags to donate, we can use them. We let people take them instead of plastic bags and they reuse them every week. We have a blue box outside for donations of non-perishable foods. We take everything, coffee, tea. Jelly. And they can send contributions to the food pantry at PO Box 1241, Sag Harbor.

Are there things people ask for?

Coffee and tea are quite special. Cookies and tuna fish. Cereal is hard to come by because it’s very expensive. Juices.

Do you do clothes?

We do. And we put those out on a table. We’ll do toys also. If it comes in, we’ll put it out. Nine times out of ten someone will pick it up.

The professor at the Institute of World Cultura Studies, who will speak at the John Jermain Memorial Library next week, on the state of culture and society at the time of the library’s founding 100 years ago.

Was the creation of the John Jermain Library occurring at a time when there was a boom in public libraries?

Education was being driven by an economic paradigm. The growth of libraries was greater in this part of the country because of New York City’s growth as an economic nerve center. America was on the eve of becoming a political super power. That connection of the large scale to the local level, was driving the growth of repositories for knowledge.

Was there a general understanding that the public had to take on a greater responsibility in education?

At that point in American history there were a lot of things happening in the social consciousness. We were four years away from World War I and there was a greater awareness of what was going on in the world. Until then we had been isolationists;

and at this point we began questioning whether we could continue that isolationist thought.

Progressive thinkers had a more global awareness, and spearheaded that type of awareness in the communities.

We were riding the wave of industrial revolution.

Was there an opening up of knowledge?

Generally, yes. Knowledge had been cloistered in universities and such. The first wave of that continued to grow through the 20th century.

How closely did Sag Harbor follow the prevailing social and cultural changes of the day?

I think another part of the country, where circumstances were far removed, may have lagged behind. But because of its closeness to an urban center like New York City, it was very current.

How do you think these changes were received here?

They were invited because they were a reflection of the change that was already occurring. Their cultural antennae were up and they anticipated these changes.

This was the first rank of the human race that was receiving these changes in culture.

Who were some of the people driving the changes locally?

Largely people from the community who wanted to have a knowledge base out here.

What do you think Sag Harbor was like in the days when the library started?

A quiet backyard of New York with characteristics of a rural settings; but with an undercurrent of anything but a typical rural community. It was very much on the level of social and global awareness; a hotpoint for this kind of development in the state. There were people with wealth who traveled globally. There was a very interesting confluence of two different levels of society. At the time, it was almost a foreshadowing of America’s need to prepare itself for the coming need to be more socially aware.

Kimble Humiston’s presentation, as part of the John Jermain Memorial Library’s 100^th anniversary, will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 14 in the library’s rotunda.

Jolly Old Saint Nick makes a special trip to the village to talk about his favorite requests, the recession and why he loves Sag Harbor.

Thanks for taking some time to come on down to Sag Harbor from the North Pole. I know this is your busy season.

It’s a pleasure. I love Sag Harbor. Over the years I have become friendly with Al Daniels, because people think we look so much alike, so this year I took a few hours off to go out scalloping. Although Al said there were not as many scallops this year, I certainly found enough to bring back to my elves.

But please don’t tell anyone this is my little get away.

Santa, do tell us where did Al take you where you were able to find this bounty of scallops?

Oh my goodness. I don’t have many secrets, but if I ever want to be invited back to Sag Harbor again, I just can’t tell you.

In Sag Harbor what is the ratio of nice children to naughty children?

One of the reasons I find Sag Harbor so special is I have never met a naughty child here. I have met a few naughty adults, but not one naughty child.

What are some of the more touching requests you have received from Sag Harbor children or is it all about the toys?

There is a very high ratio of children in Sag Harbor who are not interested in receiving something for themselves but want me to give their parents or grandparents something special. Mrs. Claus and I always are touched by how the children in Sag Harbor care for their families. It is also fun when we get requests from kids from Sag Harbor because there are not too many kids around the world who ask for clamming rakes or fish tackle.

What kind of effect has the recession had on Santa’s Workshop?

Our focus is not money. Our focus is joy and love and peace and harmony. So we are actually in a growth industry if we do our job well.

As a toy connoisseur, have you been to the Wharf Shop, Sag Harbor’s oldest toy store?

Are you kidding me? I have them on retainer.

Do you find it difficult to keep up with the varied international traditions you must uphold? Which is your favorite?

Thank you for asking that question. I have to say my personal favorite is still cookies and milk and carrots for my reindeer; but I love Christmas in Tokyo, I love the wooden shoes in Holland, I love the Gaucho hats in Argentina — and the koala bears in Australia always make me laugh. I know it does not seem possible, but every single house has something special. I keep thinking, ‘how is it going to be better next year?’ and it always is.

What is your favorite myth the world has dreamt up about you?

It’s a myth that I am a jolly old man. I am like everyone else. I get saddened by injustice, I get excited by courage, and I feel deep and abiding love for my family and every child in the world. But I am not old and I am not always jolly, but I am deeply happy. I am at peace.

So what’s with the beard?

I don’t like to shave and it keeps me warm.

Do you get a vacation after Christmas is over?

Well I do. I take a break once I know all the reports have come in and every child has received their gifts and that I know that there is peace on earth and good will towards men. Then Mrs. Claus and I steal away to someplace warm.

What do you think the Village of Sag Harbor really needs for Christmas?

A glorious, optimistic, collective vision for a wonderful future. To adapt, to proclaim that the official word of Sag Harbor is “yes.” Yes, that Sag Harbor students have a great future. Yes, that you can make Sag Harbor into a model tourist destination and yes, that as a community you can come together, and regardless of the problem, the issue or opposition, you can solve it together.

Now that you have been around the world, and we are going into a new decade, do you have any tips for our Sag Harbor children?

Yes, Ma’am, I do, although my suggestions for the children of Sag Harbor are timeless. First, give more than you receive. Second, make everything better than you found it. Love your parents, – they are the greatest gift you will ever receive. And third, always do your best. You are somebody’s hero – act that way.

Is there anything you want to add Santa?

Yes. Sag Harbor is a treasure and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to express my good wishes.