News

HLHAMPTONBAYS

Most days at sunrise, Ed Warner boards his boat and sets out on the <a href="/topics/Shinnecock_Bay%2C_NY">Shinnecock Bay</a>. 
 As a sixth-generation bayman in <a href="/topics/Hampton_Bays%2C_NY">Hampton Bays</a>, he finds solitude and peace in leaving the crowded shores for the open water. And like the Warner men before him, he loves how he makes his living. 
 “I consider it a privilege to still fish here and do what I do,” said Warner, 53, who also became a town trustee six years ago. 
 As a commercial bayman, Warner’s lifestyle is reminiscent of the beginnings of the community where he grew up and raised his own children. 
 Brenda Berntson, president of the <a href="/topics/Hampton_Bays%2C_NY">Hampton Bays</a> Historical Society, said there is little written about the Southampton hamlet’s history. The dates are fuzzy, Berntson said, but <a href="/topics/Hampton_Bays%2C_NY">Hampton Bays</a> is generally thought to have been founded in 1790 and was then called Good Ground. 
 As the name implies, Good Ground had bountiful land and sea that attracted generations of people who made their living off of it through the 20th century. 
 When the Good Ground Railroad station opened in 1869, it opened the waterfront community to tourism. Berntson, 53, who grew up in <a href="/topics/Hampton_Bays%2C_NY">Hampton Bays</a>, said in the late 1800s and early 1900s, boarding houses were everywhere and an influx of mostly female Irish immigrants came to Hampton Bays to work as chambermaids, Berntson’s own grandmother included. 
 “When you were 12 or 13 years old, you would go and work as a chambermaid,” she said. “And it was a full-time job. We’ve heard stories of little girls who came here with their mothers, but didn’t see them all summer even if the boarding house was just a few miles away.” 
 The era of the boarding houses was the advent of tourism in Hampton Bays, which was so named in the early 1920s as an effort by the community to align itself with the rest of the South Fork. 
 “The idea was not driven by locals,” Berntson said. “It was spearheaded by an influential group of city folk” who had taken to summering in the community. 
 She said Hampton Bays remained a small, close-knit community with an overwhelming summer population for decades. 
 George Skidmore, owner of Skidmore’s Sports &amp; Styles, whose family has lived in Hampton Bays for more generations than he can count, said even when he was in high school in the '50s, it was still very small-town living. 
 “There were 20 kids in my class,” said Skidmore, 76. “The entire school was in one building. You knew everyone.” 
 Fishing and clamming were also still as popular as ever. In fact, though the infamous 1938 hurricane devastated parts of <a href="/topics/Long_Island%2C_NY">Long Island</a>, it became a blessing for the community of Hampton Bays because it created the Shinnecock Inlet, which residents had been trying to do themselves for years. 
 “It would always fill in anytime someone dug it out,” said Berntson. “The hurricane gave us our inlet and changed everything.” 
 Suddenly, baymen had direct access to the ocean from their hometown, and fleets that left from <a href="/topics/Montauk%2C_NY">Montauk</a> Point could now stay in Hampton Bays. It also changed the salinity of the <a href="/topics/Shinnecock_Bay%2C_NY">Shinnecock Bay</a> and increased the amount of shellfish breeding there. 
 Warner said when he was in high school, fishing, clamming and hunting were common afterschool activities -- and it wouldn’t have been unusual for someone to store a shotgun in their locker so they could go hunting in the afternoon. 
 “When I was in high school, there were three or four dozen guys like myself that would be clamming or fishing,” he said. “That was just what you did.” 
 Berntson said the 1960s brought a lot of building, and also a period of group rentals and the rise of beach bars. With it came a younger, transient population and associated problems, like drunk driving. 
 The group rentals phased out over the next 20 years, as the people who traveled to Hampton Bays to party got older and realized it was just as easy to rent or buy a place for the year as it was for the summer. 
 Growth of a year-round residential community also coincided with the completion of <a href="/topics/Sunrise_Highway%2C_NY">Sunrise Highway</a> through to Southampton in the early 1960s, when Berntson said the number of children in the school system skyrocketed. 
 Warner said he resisted becoming a town trustee, an elected board that governs the waters, for years although his father served for 26 years before he died in 2006. After his father’s death, he agreed to run for a seat and now considers it a great responsibility. 
 “The community is vastly different,” he said, noting that because of state regulations on fisheries, it is increasingly difficult to be a bayman. “That’s why we have to continue the maritime heritage in our town. As time evolves, I can see it slipping through the cracks and being something people have forgotten.”

Hampton Bays history

Bayman: ‘We have to continue the maritime heritage’

HLHBHIST21

Susan Buckheit, 63 
 How long have you lived in Hampton Bays? 18 years now. 
 Where were you before that? Middle Island. I just kept moving east and eventually settled here. I rented for four years here first before I decided to stay. 
 Why did you decide to settle here? I like the location of Hampton Bays and the people. We're fortunate enough to live near the ocean and the bay. 
 Has the community changed much in the last 18 years? I think so. It's growing, it's becoming much more of a year-round community. And the population is more diverse. 
 What are your favorite things to do in town? Go over to the beach. We have a great library and a lot of activities. They started a St. Patrick's Day parade and the San Gennaro festival. 
 How does it compare to other places you've lived? It's very different. It's much more of a hometown. There's a "this is my community" feel. 
 How would you define the character of Hampton Bays? It's a spirited community. There's a lot of spirit here. There have been a number of different situations with people needing help and assistance and people have always been willing to help in that regard.

Hampton Bays people: Susan Buckheit

Susan Buckheit

As Hampton Bays' Alyssa Sardone neared the end of her high school career, she began to feel anxious about a certain rite of passage -- senior skip day. 
 "I would talk to my friends about it and I really wanted to do it," she said about the impromptu day when many seniors arrange to skip school. 
 But on the day in May when most of Sardone's classmates were at the beach, Sardone, 18, was in school, solidifying her record of perfect attendance since kindergarten. 
 "In the end, it didn't really seem worth it for one day," she said. 
 On Saturday, Sardone will graduate from Hampton Bays High School with a 3.5 grade point average and the unique honor of perfect attendance. 
 Lars Clemensen, superintendent of the Hampton Bays Schools, said Sardone's achievement represents a commitment to excellence that any educator would be proud to see. 
 "That's more than 2,300 days of education," he said. "It's excellent. It's a fantastic honor." 
 Grace Ryan, Sardone's mother, said she began encouraging her daughter to keep perfect attendance after she finished first grade without missing a day. But it didn't take long before Sardone was the one pushing herself. 
 "She's always been a healthy child, so that helps," said Ryan. "But for sure, there were days when she didn't have to go, didn't want to get out of bed, but did." 
 She said when Sardone was in fifth or sixth grade, she had a terrible ear ache and the doctor said she did not have to go to school the next day. 
 "Alyssa said, 'But can I go to school?'" she said. "The doctor looked so surprised. Most kids are looking for a reason to miss." 
 Sardone fought her fever, took her medication and went to school. 
 In the fall, she will attend University of Buffalo for a seven-year pharmaceutical sciences program. 
 Sardone's father, Michael, who lives in Ronkonkoma, said his daughter has always been an inspiration. 
 He said he's especially proud of her accomplishment because it comes in the wake of tragedy. 
 In April, Sardone's sister Amanda - one of Michael Sardone's two daughters from his new marriage - lost a six-year battle with leukemia. She was just shy of her 10th birthday. 
 "She just lost her sister," he said. "They were close, so for her to continue to do that, she's just a rarity." 
 Sardone said she often thought of her sister, who was usually too sick for school, as she worked toward her goal. 
 "Especially when I was younger, I would feel like I had to go to school because she couldn't," she said. 
 Michael Sardone said his oldest daughter was always with her sister in the hospital, and in April, she and her mother flew home early from a vacation in Paris to attend Amanda's wake. 
 In addition to excelling in school, Sardone is also dedicated to community service. She said she has raised more than $11,000 for the <a href="/topics/American_Cancer_Society">American Cancer Society</a> through various fundraisers since she was in the fourth grade. 
 Ryan, who is also remarried, said lovingly that she never had another child because it couldn't have turned out as good as her first. 
 "I know I couldn't make it 13 years without calling in sick," said Ryan, who teaches fifth grade in the <a href="/topics/William_Floyd">William Floyd</a> School District. "It's an amazing accomplishment that shows work ethic, perseverance and determination." 
 Now, the question is whether Sardone will continue the record in Buffalo. 
 "We'll see," Sardone said. "That's another seven years. That's a long time."

ALYSSA SARDONE

Teen graduates with perfect attendance since kindergarten

hlSARDONE

Lars Clemensen, 32 
 Community association: Hampton Bays Public Schools Superintendent 
 How long have you been with the district? I’ve been working in the district for six years and am finishing my second year as superintendent. 
 How did you end up here? I went to school in Hampton Bays through eighth grade. I moved back from Texas in 2002 to New Jersey to teach in Paterson with Teach For America, but I never lost my connection with this community and I still have some family here. I was back visiting and I actually had the opportunity to meet the superintendent at the beach one day, and that’s how things got started. Then they were building the new middle school, so I helped open that building and was principal there before becoming superintendent. 
 You mentioned Texas .?.?. I did. My family moved to Dallas after I finished eighth grade, so I went to high school in North Dallas and then went to college at the University of Texas. You can ask any student in the middle school or high school and they will tell you where I went to college. I’m a die-hard Longhorns fan. 
 What are you enjoying about being superintendent? Well, it’s interesting because some of the teachers I had as a kid are still my teachers, but in a different way. It’s great here. There is so much potential in this community to do good. Especially because there is no town hall here, the school is the central community experience. You vote here, you see shows here, you walk on the track, you exercise on our fields and fitness center. I’m humbled to be in a position to allocate the resources for the benefit of our kids and our community. 
 What was the area like when you were growing up? It was a lot smaller. When I drive down the streets now, it’s the number of cars that strikes me the most. We used to ride our bikes everywhere. And I remember knowing everybody. I would get yelled at by other people’s moms and my mom would yell at other people. That’s just how it was. We were all kind of raised together. 
 I’ve heard Teach for America is a difficult experience [because you are placed in an impoverished school district]. How does that compare to where you are now? It was. What I took away from Teach for America is that it’s about the people. You put the right people in the role and it’s possible for all kids to be successful. That’s the thing that in my mind is the recipe for success. Hampton Bays is a middle class community and people here struggle. The way of the world is played out in Hampton Bays, we have those that are doing very well and those that aren’t. So I just take what I learned at Teach for America and I think I can apply that anywhere. 
 What challenges does the community face? Certainly, our tax base is very strained. The property tax cap was something needed in Hampton Bays possibly more than anywhere else. We have the highest tax burden of any school district that is entirely within the Town of Southampton. We do not have the massive estates that other districts rely on for tax revenue. So our burden is to deliver first class education that our community can afford. Our other challenge is density as a community. When I was here, Hampton Bays had motels, hotels and cottages. It was a summer community — that’s how my family first came here, for summers. These have been converted to apartments, condos and year-round rentals. This community was not built to handle that, so our schools have been playing catch-up. So enforcement of existing zoning laws to put a cap on growth is a huge issue. 
 How would you characterize Hampton Bays? It’s a roll-up-your-sleeves, get-to-work kind of community. People help each other and they are invested in their kids. We have families with particular talents that are always willing to help, and families with particular needs that can get it.

Hampton Bays people: Lars Clemensen

Lars Clemensen

One her last day for our Town Focus series in Hampton Bays, Community Journalist Erin Geismar will be finishing up a story and video on the history of the hamlet, and she’ll be meeting with Alyssa Sardone, who is graduating from Hampton Bays High School tomorrow with a perfect attendance record since kindergarten. 
 We’ll also be sharing a few more profiles of local residents throughout the day. 
 You can reach Erin by <a href="mailto:erin.geismar@newsday.com?subject=Hampton%20Bays">email</a>, on <a href="http://twitter.com/eringeismar">Twitter</a> and in the comments below. Also follow her throughout the day right here. 
<script src="http://storify.com/newsday/town-focus-day-5-in-hampton-bays.js?header=false&amp;border=false"></script>
<noscript>
 [<a href="http://storify.com/newsday/town-focus-day-5-in-hampton-bays" target="_blank">View the story "Town Focus: Day 5 in Hampton Bays" on Storify</a>]
</noscript>

Town Focus: Day 5 in Hampton Bays

HLBAYS21

They talked about the things that made them feel gratitude - children, grandchildren, a beautiful sky, life itself. 
 As they did, the elderly gathered for the weekly “Coffee and Conversation” at the Town of Southampton Senior Center, seemed like general weight of the world lifted just a little bit. 
 “You sort of forget about the bad things when you take the time to talk about the good things,” said Dorothy DeCicco, 94, of East Quogue, who attends the event in Hampton Bays regularly. 
 Steve Gregory, who is over 60 himself and a retired psychiatric nurse, has been moderating the sessions at the center for a couple of months. He said the idea behind it was to bring people of the same age and with the same troubles together to talk, which helps relieve stress and mends a worrisome mind. 
 He said he started the group with stress management exercises, then started working on communication skills, as he realized many of the people attended were dealing with stressful relationships with their adult children. 
 Then a couple of weeks ago, Gregory said he asked the group to discuss their happy memories. 
 “The faces just became bright,” he said. “They shed 20 years.” 
 Now, the group focuses mainly on conversation, though Gregory squeezes in a deeper lesson. On Thursday, the group discussed gratitude, but rather than just share thoughts, Gregory encouraged the 10 gathered to think of expressing gratitude as a practice to call on in a stressful situation. 
 A few of them had experienced bad health and been close to death, and were thankful just to be around. 
 “I was thankful when I woke up this morning,” said DeCicco, who experienced a difficult childbirth many years ago and almost lost her own life and her baby’s. But on Thursday she was thankful for a smaller feat: “the deer had not eaten my flowers.” 
 Ann Pavlovsky, 69, moved to Hampton Bays from Florida eight years ago to be closer to her daughter and her new granddaughter. A few years ago, she suffered a stroke that left her in the hospital for 19 months. 
 She said she was grateful for her husband, who visited her so often hospital staff gave him a key to get in after hours, and for her daughter and son-in-law who always make sure she feels like a part of their family. 
 “And I’m grateful for the friends I have here at the center,” she said, grabbing the hand of the woman who sat next to her. “I’m indebted to them because it gives me an out. I get up in the morning and I know I’m going to be around friends.” 
 Gregory said it has been a beautiful experience watching the men and women in the group relate to one another. 
 “It’s more than simple conversation,” he said. “It’s hearts speaking to hearts.”

Hampton Bays seniors enjoy coffee talk

HLSENIOR21

Community association: director of senior citizen services for the Town of Southampton, based at the Hampton Bays Town Center 
 How long have you been in this position? I started working with the town 25 years ago, but I've been in this building for about nine years. 
 What do you like about working from this center, in particular? Well, I live here. I grew up in Water Mill but live here so I know this community. 
 So when did you move to Hampton Bays and why? I moved here in 1970. I got married young and we bought our first house here. I raised my children here, they all went to the Hampton Bays schools then left for college. They all moved in different directions but then they all came back here and they all bought houses in Hampton Bays. 
 Tell me about the senior center. Our goal — as it is at all the town's centers — is to improve the quality of life for our seniors. Food is a big component here, we serve a continental breakfast and lunch at noon with a main entree and several alternatives. But this is really a community center. They come here to meet up with people and socialize. And we offer a wide variety of activities for everyone. 
 What's unique about this center in Hampton Bays? In this center, we are right in the middle of town. We're highly visible in the community. From here, seniors have access to the post office, the bank, the stores, so this is a community gathering place. In my career, I always felt that people didn't know about these kinds of services until they were in a crisis but here, people seek us out. They come in and they inquire. 
 What's your favorite part of living and working here? I'm very blessed to come here every day and be with the seniors. They have such wonderful things to give and we provide a venue for that. And I love it here because I'm a beach girl and we have beautiful beaches. 
 How would you characterize the community? Cohesive. People try to work for the good of the whole community

Hampton Bays people: Pam Giacoia

Pam Giacoia

Community Association: Steiber, 56, is incoming commander of American Legion Hand-Aldrich Post 924 
 How long have you lived in the Hampton Bays? 
 I moved here in 1994 and I’ve been living here ever since. 
 Where did you live before? 
 I grew up in East Patchogue, but right before I moved to Hampton Bays, I was stationed in the Navy in Japan. I was there for 17 years. 
 What made you decide to move to Hampton Bays? 
 When I left East Patchogue for the Navy, it was a nice, small town. When I came back, the place was unrecognizable — the population boomed and I didn’t like it. I came out here to raise my family instead. 
 How has the community changed over the years? 
 It used to be a big summer resort area over here. In the summer the place still gets packed, especially by the bars, but it’s not the same. 
 What makes Hampton Bays special? 
 There’s all sorts of stuff to do around here. There’s roller hockey and beaches. It’s nice that this is the type of place where you can let your kids go out into the street and play in the backyard without worrying. It’s good that they can be outdoors and enjoy it. 
 What challenges does the community face? 
 I mean, it’s expensive to live out here, but that’s just New York. You can’t get a hoagie and a soda for three dollars anywhere. 
 How would you define the character of the community? 
 I’d call it a hometown. I mean, just look around! It’s a beautiful, friendly little village. It’s that type of community where people really help each other out.

Hampton Bays people: Richard Steiber

19ham12

On Day 4 in Hampton Bays, I’m going to check out one of the many community services offered at the Southampton Town Senior Center. 
 Every Thursday morning, the town center, located on Ponquogue Avenue, plays host to “Coffee and Conversation,” a program for socializing senior citizens. I’ll stop by today to listen in and also chat with the staff at the center. 
 This afternoon, I’ll swing by the schools to meet with Hampton Bays Superintendent Lars Clemensen. We’ll talk about all the interesting things the students and staff have done this year, including earning an award from the United States Department of Education for a green curriculum. 
 Keep sending in your suggestions and telling me what’s special about Hampton Bays to you. It’s been great getting to check out all your favorite spots. 
 You can reach me by <a href="mailto:erin.geismar@newsday.com">email</a>, on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/eringeismar">Twitter</a> and in the comments below. Also follow me throughout the day right here, via Storify. 
<script src="http://storify.com/newsday/town-focus-day-1-in-hampton-bays.js?header=false&amp;border=false"></script>
<noscript>
 [<a href="http://storify.com/newsday/town-focus-day-1-in-hampton-bays" target="_blank">View the story "Town Focus: Day 4 in Hampton Bays" on Storify</a>]
</noscript>

Town Focus: Day 4 in Hampton Bays

Hampton Bays High School--cropped

NANCY SQUIRES-FRASER, 53 
 Community association: Food service supervisor for Southampton Town Senior Services. 
 How long have you lived in Hampton Bays? 
 My family has been here for eight generations. I left when I was 17 never to return, but then I came back and I live in the house I grew up in. 
 What made you decide to come back? 
 Upstate in college I met my husband and then after we decided to come back to Hampton Bays to make some money. We just decided to stay after that. I think he fell in love with the place, too. 
 How did your family come to live here? 
 Well, I don’t know if it’s the truth, but in the 1700s Ellis Squires and his brother -- I don’t remember his name at the moment -- were hired by the King and Queen of England as privateers. They started working up in Maine and traveled down the coast. They ended up here. 
 How have you seen the community change over the years? 
 I think it’s become a lot less personal. When I was growing up, it was more small-town here. 
 What challenges does the community face? 
 Due to the population the need for more regulation is there. Since there are more people they have to have rules about parking by the beach and by the parks. I miss things like being able to barbecue on the beach. Due to the population growth, we just can’t do that now. 
 How would you define the character of the community? 
 Even though it’s changed a bit, it’s still a small-town community here. You can still see the community supporting families in the area. I feel honored to be working and contributing to the community.

Hampton Bays people: Nancy Squires-Fraser

Community Association: Andrews is owner of Good Ground Antique Center, located at 52 W. Montauk Hwy. 
 How long have you lived in the Hampton Bays? 
 My whole life -- I grew up here. 
 What made you decide to stay? 
 I work in the family business. My mother opened the antique store in 1966 and she ran the store before me. But before that, this space was a butcher shop. My grandfather opened the shop in 1912 and my father worked there too. We’re celebrating 100 years in this space this year. 
 What makes Hampton Bays special? 
 I think we’ve got the best beaches here. We’re also very close to the Tanger outlets and the vineyards on the North Fork -- and of course, lots of antiquing. 
 Where do you find antiques for your store? 
 Most of the merchandise I get comes from local contributors. If someone is selling their house, or having a sale, or just wants to get rid of their old stuff, I’ll go and check it out. 
 How has the community changed over the years? 
 There used to be a lot more bars and group rentals -- a younger crowd. Now I think the community has become more family-oriented. We have a wonderful beautification society too -- they’ve done a lot to clean up the community. 
 How would you describe the character of the community? 
 I don’t know if it’s just because I grew up here, but I would call this place a “hometown.” It’s very homey here.

Hampton Bays people: Karen Andrews

19ham12  cropped 6.20.12

Janice Landis Community association: Hampton Bays Civic Association secretary 
 When did you first discover Hampton Bays? 
 Around 1980. I was from New Jersey originally and my future husband brought me out here, his father had a house out here. I just fell in love with it. To me, it’s like New England meets the beach. So, we were living in Manhattan and we had a business and we used to rent out there, we thought of it as a weekend retreat. About 10 years ago, we realized we could just as easily run the business from out here so we moved out permanently. 
 What do you love about it? 
 The beauty of it. The individual, close-knit nature of it. It has -- I never quite know how to classify it, it’s not suburban, it’s not urban, it’s not rural. It’s like a little bit of everything. And I still love New York, so it’s close enough to get in. There are so many opportunities to get involved. There are so many wonderful groups out here for hiking, biking, kayaking. And so many groups like ours where you can feel like what you’re doing is making a little bit of a difference. 
 What challenges do you think the community faces? 
 The health of the waters is huge. We have big problems with brown tide and red tide. Also the issue of thoughtful development, that’s an issue everywhere. We’re a year-round community, but summer tourism is a huge part of our economy, so it’s especially important to protect our waters. 
 Define the character of the community. 
 Landis called on help from fellow members of the civic association for this one. Here’s a list of words they called out:&nbsp; 
 "Down to Earth." "Diverse." "Populated." "Real working village." "Unorthodox." "Real." “The Un-Hampton.”

Hampton Bays people: Janice Landis

HLHBAYS19 cropped 6.20.12

This morning, I’m paying a visit to Skidmore’s Sports &amp; Styles, the sporting goods store right on Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays. 
 Owner George Skidmore comes from a long line of family members born and reared in Hampton Bays, and we’ll chat about how the community has changed, how it’s stayed the same, and what made him choose to stay here. 
 After that, I’m headed back to the Hampton Bays Historical Society to work on a video of the history of Hampton Bays, which we’ll post by the end of the week. 
 You’ll also find a story on the history of the hamlet posted Wednesday. 
 More than one person has already suggested I watch the sunset at the Ponquogue Bridge, so I just might have to check that out today. 
 Have someone you want me to meet, a place you want me to visit? Let me know! You can reach me via <a href="mailto:erin.geismar@newsday.com" target="new">email</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/eringeismar" target="new">Twitter</a> and in the comments below. You can also follow my day via Storify below. 
 Photo: The Old Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays. 
<script src="http://storify.com/newsday/town-focus-day-1-in-hampton-bays.js"></script>
<noscript>
 [<a href="http://storify.com/newsday/town-focus-day-1-in-hampton-bays" target="_blank">View the story "Town Focus: Day 3 in Hampton Bays" on Storify</a>]
</noscript>

Town Focus: Day 3 in Hampton Bays

Old Ponquogue Bridge cropped 6.20.12

Caitlin Brett motioned to a row of about seven black mesh crates, an incubator and a small, cushioned box, each containing birds chirping loudly. 
 The birds in crates were adults further along in their rehabilitation process that needed to be fed every hour; the bird in the box that just had splints removed from his fractured legs and the baby birds in the incubator were under careful monitoring and needed to be fed every half-hour. 
 “It can be exhausting,” said Brett, 22, an intern at Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Refuge Center in Hampton Bays. “When you get to the end of the row with the birds and then you have to turn around and start over because it’s time for the little ones to be fed again already.” 
 On Tuesday, in addition to birds big and small, the center was working with a chipmunk, a woodchuck, a rabbit, a baby deer and a red fox, among other animals. 
 During “baby season” at the rescue center, the idea of downtime is laughable. The 12-year-old center has the capacity for nearly 300 animals, and comes close to reaching it through most of the summer months, when deer are more liable to get hit by cars, baby birds and squirrels fall out of nests and ducklings lose their mothers. 
 “Baby season is always crazy,” said Staci Earl, the center’s hospital supervisor. “March is when the squirrels are born and that’s busy; May is when the birds are born and that’s insane.” 
 Virginia Frati, director of the center, which runs on donations, said there are eight people on staff, three of whom are office personnel. The center counts on the help of interns and volunteers, but their numbers have been dwindling. She said volunteers work a three-hour shift each week and learn to properly handle the animals. 
 There is also a team of volunteers in each of the five East End towns that are trained for animal rescues and pickups, who respond to calls when available. 
 One of the most important -- but less exciting -- jobs at the center is just answering the phone, which rings almost constantly. 
 “People are always calling to say they’ve found something or they’ve seen something,” she said. “So many wildlife centers don’t like to answer the phone because it’s just constant, but it’s important to educate people.” 
 Staff members also have what they call “education animals,” including an opossum named Blossom, that they bring to local elementary schools to teach students about the wild animals in their backyard, how they get hurt and what to do if they find them. 
 For Frati, running the center is more than just a job. It’s a passion she discovered through finding injured animals in her own neighborhood or on the side of the road. 
 “I started stopping when I saw injured animals and realized so many of them were still alive,” she said. “Then I realized, there was nobody to call. The closest place to take animals was in Huntington.” 
 Frati, who was a secretary for the Suffolk County Department of Public Works, left her job, began the extensive training it requires to be certified to work with animals, and opened the center in 2000. She worked without salary for the first 10 years as the center was getting off the ground, she said, and has been written up in “More” and “People” magazines for her effort and sacrifice. 
 “I love animals,” she said. “And I just thought there should be a place that people could call.” 
 Above: Staci Earl, hospital supervisor, feeds a fawn at the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center in Hampton Bays. (June 19, 2012)

Busy season for East End animal refuge

Busy season for Hampton Bays animal refuge

HLWILD19

Bruce King, 63 
 Community associations: President of the Hampton Bays Civic Association, member of American Legion Hand-Aldrich Post 924 
 How long have you lived in Hampton Bays? 
 My whole life. So did my father, my great-grandfather, my great-great-grandfather, and his father and so on. 
 How many generations are there? 
 Oh, I don’t know. We’ve been here since the beginning of Hampton Bays. 
 How have you seen the community change? 
 When I was growing up there were only 2,000 people here. When you went to school, a lot of the people were your third, fourth, fifth cousins. It made it hard to find a prom date. Besides all the people, it was always very quiet here in the winter and very fast moving in the summer because of the group houses and all of the bars for young people. There was a time when this was a very popular place to party. But those are all gone now, and it’s still busy in the summer but not as much. 
 When was it a party town? 
 It started before I was born. There were a lot of group houses that people would rent for the summer and there were a lot of bars on the beach. They are almost completely gone now, both as an effort of the community and also a natural phasing out. We had great big houses here at one point but they’ve burned down over the last 20 years. 
 What made you stay in Hampton Bays your whole life? 
 It was a series of small decisions. I enjoy the ocean and the seasons. 
 Why do you think people move here from other communities? 
 Affordability. Friendly people. There are lots of programs here and activities to be involved in. There are lots of recreational activities and a lot of support for the school system. And there are hundreds of acres of parkland that have been left unspoiled. We have the only preserved beachfront land from Breezy Point to Montauk. There’s no development on it. 
 What challenges do the community face? 
 The big challenge is the population density. We have problems with people living illegally, two to three families in a house. And we have landlords doing something illegal -- and I think immoral -- by pushing them into these houses. There are also landlords renting beds by the night to day laborers. 
 How would you define the character of the community? 
 It’s a friendly place and a working-class community. The people pull together in times of need.

Hampton Bays people: Bruce King

HLHBAYS19 -- cropped

When I called the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center last week to inquire about any special events they might have going on, I was told that summers are so busy, every day is like a special event. 
 As both the population of people and animals in the Hamptons rises during the summer, the staff at the rescue center field constant calls from the public about injured animals and what to do with them. 
 Today, they’ve invited me to tag along. I’ll be at the center this morning to see just how busy they are and everything the job entails. (I was warned it could get messy). 
 Look for a story on the center later today. 
 Last night, I attended a Hampton Bays Civic Association meeting where I saw firsthand the passion Hampton Bays residents have for their community. Southampton Town Councilwoman Bridget Fleming and Kevin McAllister, president of the nonprofit Peconic Baykeeper, both discussed issues affecting water quality. 
 The concern was not the community’s drinking water, but the health of the bays for the fish. For a community that has for generations been comprised of fisherman, it’s one of the most important things shaping the future of Hampton Bays. 
 Look out for interviews with people from the civic association throughout the day. 
 Thanks for your <a href="mailto:erin.geismar@newsday.com">emails</a> and comments yesterday, and keep them coming. You can also reach me on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/eringeismar">Twitter</a> and follow my day below via Storify. 
<script src="http://storify.com/newsday/town-focus-day-1-in-hampton-bays.js?header=false&amp;border=false"></script>
<noscript>
 [<a href="http://storify.com/newsday/town-focus-day-1-in-hampton-bays" target="_blank">View the story "Town Focus: Day 2 in Hampton Bays" on Storify</a>]
</noscript>

Town Focus: Day 2 in Hampton Bays

Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center Hampton Bays

Throughout this week's Town Focus series in Hampton Bays, we are profiling people we meet, from community leaders to residents we bump into around town. 
 BRENDA BERNSTEIN, 54 
 Community associations: President, Hampton Bays Historical Society; on the committee involved in preserving Canoe Place Inn; member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion Hand-Aldrich Post 924. 
 How long have you lived in Hampton Bays? Fifty-four years. I was born here. My dad was born here 87 years ago. My grandfather was born here around 1880, or something like that. 
 What brought your family here to begin with? We don't know much about my grandfather. He died when my dad was 15 or 16 and my dad was the last of 18 kids. My grandmother was born in Ireland and the story is she ran away from home and came here to work as a chambermaid. 
 What was Hampton Bays like when you were growing up? I spent a lot of time outdoors. It was a very small town. I don't think I appreciated it back then that everyone knew me and my family. My parents always found out everything I did. One thing I always tell my son and he has no idea what I'm talking about is I used to have lots of summer friends. They were people who came out during the summer and you never ever saw them other than the summer. 
 Why did you decide to stay here as an adult? My family has a business here, Quogue-Sinclair Fuel. I've lived other places for a while. I lived in Missouri a few years but came back for the business. I never felt the need to live other places as long as I could visit them. This is my home. 
 What do you think is appealing to people who move to Hampton Bays now? It's cheaper to live here than other places east of here. It's got a strong community and I don't know what to attribute that to. There are always fundraisers. My brother died of brain cancer and we started a fundraiser and the support was just overwhelming. 
 How has it changed in the last 50 years? 
 There are a lot more city people, less community, even though I still think its strong. There is more development, things like that. 
 In the last 15 to 20 years, there are a lot of illegal workers here and that affects the community, it's a fact.The population of the schools went crazy, we needed more Spanish speaking teachers. 
 There are more services and the cost of living has gone up. Who pays for that? My son once had a friend who was living with 21 of his closest family members in a three bedroom home. I don't begrudge anybody for coming here but it does impact your neighbors when all those people are only paying enough school tax for one family. 
 That brings me to the next question, what challenges does the community face? The tax base. Taxes keep going up and up, it's getting expensive to live here. A lot of people -- in this downturn economy with lower prices -- can afford a house but they can't afford the taxes because they are absurd. The school is hit really hard. They have to serve more free lunches, more special services, more cost to educating a child. 
 Define the character of Hampton Bays. It's a small town that's trying to remain small -- or maybe that's just my view.

Hampton Bays people: Brenda Berntson

HLSINC18

Today, I’m in Hampton Bays for the first of five days focusing on this community at the mouth of the South Fork. 
 Throughout the week, I’ll talk with everyone from civic leaders to people I run into on the street about what makes Hampton Bays special to those who live and work there. I plan to see what’s going on in the schools and check out local businesses, including the Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons, where I’ll spend some time tomorrow to see all the work they do. 
 Today, you can follow our live updates through this post as I take photos around town and work on a story about the history of Hampton Bays. 
 As always, I welcome your input. Tell me what you want to see in photos, who you want me to talk to and where you want me to go. You can reach me via <a href="mailto:erin.geismar@newsday.com">email</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/eringeismar">Twitter</a> and the comments below, and keep up with my travels via Storify. 
<script src="http://storify.com/newsday/town-focus-day-1-in-hampton-bays.js?header=false&amp;border=false"></script>
<noscript>
 [<a href="http://storify.com/newsday/town-focus-day-1-in-hampton-bays" target="_blank">View the story "Town Focus: Day 1 in Hampton Bays" on Storify</a>]
</noscript>

Town Focus: Day 1 in Hampton Bays

Town Focus: Hampton Bays

Levittown

Newsday

HLBAYS21  cropped10.7.12 cropped

Homepage Trending

Halloween events on LI

2026 LI Voters Guide

Wallet Watch

Working Moms

NEWSDAY TV SHORTS

Vertical videos

Make the jump to light speed on this week's LI Works. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa meets with a member of The 501st Legion, Empire City Garrison.

'You'd better be in character'

NewsdayTV's Doug Geed goes inside Critterville Farm Sanctuary to meet the rescued animals finding a second chance and the local passion that keeps it all going.

Out East: Critterville in Riverhead

Video of two Suffolk police officers joining a group of teens playing soccer goes viral. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn has more.

Chance encounter turns into viral video

NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa visits Co-Owner, Dough & Co. Pizza to try the Apple Bay Pizza, which is exclusive to their Oyster Bay location.

Trendy Bites: An apple pie ... pizza?

High school athletes striving to play sports in college might want to look at niche sports that give them a better chance. NewsdayTV's Jared Valluzzi reports.

Niche sports might get you a leg up to play at college level

Islandia village officials have cleared the path to build a mixed-use development with hundreds of housing units and 50 hotel rooms on 13 acres of vacant land near Jake's 58 casino. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.

Path cleared for 366-unit housing project near Jake's 58 casino

NewsdayTV's Carissa Kellman explores the historic and festive charm of Sleepy Hollow during a fall day trip.

A hauntingly good time in Sleepy Hollow

According to Babylon town tax documents, the proposed increase will cost the average household about $115 a year. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

Proposed property tax hike in Babylon

NewsdayTV's Andi Berlin tried some new martini combinations at Beacon in Long Beach.

Design your own martini at this Long Beach speakeasy

Billy Joel will be auctioning off more than 70 motorcycles at Gooding Christie's in Manhattan next month. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger got a sneak peek at three.

A sneak peek of Billy Joel's motorcycles going to auction next month

<a href="https://www.newsday.com/video/newsdaytv-top-stories">Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories</a>

Newsday TV

NewsdayTV Top Item

Jor'Dynn Duncan investigation update ... LIer dropped from Cornell rape lawsuit ... Mom is competent to stand trial in crash that killed son ... LI Works: Explore dark side of Force with Ken

Jor'Dynn Duncan investigation update ... Mom is competent to stand trial in crash that killed son ... LI Works: Explore dark side of Force with Ken

Jor'Dynn Duncan investigation update ... Previewing the Knicks' big night ... New NUMC head of medicine ... LI Works: Explore dark side of Force with Ken

Jor'Dynn Duncan investigation update ... Previewing the Knicks' big night ... New NUMC head of medicine

News - megaslot

Newsday has the most up-to-date stories on Long Island & NTC. Join us & stay current with news articles on sports, business, health, technology & more.

Stay logged in.