News

HLMATT09

Sitting at the <a href="/topics/Starbucks_Corp">Starbucks</a> in Mattituck, Nicholas Planamento looks east to the nearest intersection, Bay Avenue and Main Road. 
 He overlooks the busy road, the commercial development and the tops of large fiberglass boats waiting for spring at the boatyard on the corner. 
 What Planamento envisions is the way the area looked hundreds of years ago, when Native Americans would bring their canoes ashore at James Creek, which stretches inland from the <a href="/topics/Peconic_Bay%2C_NY">Peconic Bay</a> to Main Road. 
 “Then they would pick up their canoes and drag them up Main Road and across Love Lane. They would get in at Mattituck Creek and paddle across the Sound to <a href="/topics/Connecticut">Connecticut</a>,” said Planamento, president of the Mattituck-<a href="/topics/Laurel%2C_NY">Laurel</a> Historical Society. “Love Lane is just an old, old foot path.” 
 In 1640, the colonial settlers arrived in <a href="/topics/Southold%2C_NY">Southold</a>, one of the earliest areas to be settled on <a href="/topics/Long_Island%2C_NY">Long Island</a>, said Norman Wamback, curator of the historical society museum and the “unofficial historian” of Mattituck. 
 Wamback, 76, who was born in Mattituck, said a group of about 10 Englishmen came from <a href="/topics/Connecticut">Connecticut</a> to settle <a href="/topics/Southold%2C_NY">Southold</a>. Mattituck was first mentioned in land deeds between the Native Americans and the settlers in 1648, and spelled “Mattatuck.” 
 “By the early 1700s, the population of Mattituck was about 100,” Wamback said. “By 1800, it was probably around 800, and that’s when things started to grow.” 
 Since it was settled, famous visitors included George Washington, <a href="/topics/Thomas_Jefferson">Thomas Jefferson</a> and James Madison, Wamback said. 
 Primarily a community that lived off the land and the water,&nbsp;Mattituck began to change in 1844, when the <a href="/topics/Long_Island%2C_NY">Long Island</a> Rail Road completed its line to Greenport, putting a station in Mattituck. Even the physical landscape of the hamlet shifted, Wamback said. 
 “The center of town was considered to be in eastern Mattituck,” he said, referring to the area near historical society museums, where there was a general store and first schoolhouse was built. 
 At the time, farms were used to sustain families more so than they were a business. When the railroad was built, life grew around it. The center of town shifted to where it is today with a main shopping area on Love Lane, across from the train station. 
 Hotels popped up to accommodate the area’s new visitors, who came out from Brooklyn for the summers. Businesses dotted Love Lane, including a post office and a bank that was robbed three times throughout its history, Wamback said. 
 Jeffrey Walden, assistant director of the Mattituck-<a href="/topics/Laurel%2C_NY">Laurel</a> Library, said at one time there were probably a dozen hotels, inns and boarding houses in Mattituck. Most were within walking distance of the train station. 
 “They all had regular clientele,” he said “The same people would come out every summer and all these places built up around the hotels so they could walk there.” 
 From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, Mattituck experienced a “second awakening,” Walden said. Factories - like Hudson Canning and Penney Lumber - moved into the area and Love Lane grew. The first library was built as well as a few playhouses for entertainment. 
 The railroad also increased business for farmers, who began shipping their produce to New York City. 
 “This was a great opportunity for farmers,” Walden said. “The railroad built three or four side tracks in Mattituck because of the high volume of shipments that were going out.” 
 Unfortunately, not many of the historic buildings around one of Long Island’s oldest communities still stand. 
 “It’s a shame,” Wamback said. “In the 50s, they tore down a lot of buildings. The attitude was if it wasn’t being used just tear it down. We lost a lot then.” 
 But the historical society continues to preserve what it can, including two of Mattituck’s schoolhouses, built in 1760 and 1846. The historical society also uses its other buildings as museums, including the Jesse Tuthill house, built by one of Mattituck’s early residents in 1799; and the Ira Tuthill house, an extension to the main house built in 1841 by Jesse Tuthill’s oldest son. 
 Wamback, who lived and worked in New York City for most of his life and came back to Mattituck after retirement, said the area’s rich history and being part of the effort to preserve it is what keeps him there. 
 “It’s the history . . . It keeps me occupied and there’s quite a bit of it to focus on,” he said. 
 Photo:&nbsp;Love Lane in Mattituck back in the early 1900s.

Mattituck's history

Mattituck’s Love Lane once ‘an old, old foot path’

Historic photo of Love Lane

Burgers were sizzling on a grill outside the <a href="http://www.mattpres.com/">Mattituck Presbyterian Church</a> and a dedicated crew of volunteers was set up in the kitchen ready to serve dinner for between 40 and 80 people. 
 The diners -- all homeless -- would come through the doors in droves from locations on the East End, but it is hard to know exactly how many will show every Thursday. 
 At John’s Place, the weekly homeless outreach program hosted by <a href="http://www.mattpres.com/">Mattituck Presbyterian</a> and by St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church in Greenport, the most homeless that have attended in one night was 85, said Caren Heacock, pastoral care assistant at the Mattituck church. 
 “Most people think it’s the North Fork, it’s the Hamptons, there are no homeless people there,” Heacock said. “But we know we are only scratching the surface.” 
 Through the program, the homeless are offered a place to sleep and shower, dinner, breakfast the next morning and a bagged lunch to take with them when they leave. They are also given toiletries upon arriving, including a clean pair of socks. They are screened for drugs and alcohol before being admitted. 
 But according to the people who were there, the program is about much more than those basics. 
 “The atmosphere is that of a family,” said Brian, 61, who was living in Medford before he became homeless three years ago, and has been hopping from shelter to shelter almost every night since then. “We watch out for each other.” 
 Brian, who declined to give his last name, was one of about 50 people who came to the church Thursday night. 
 Heacock was instrumental in bringing the outreach program to Mattituck about 10 years ago under the name Maureen’s Haven, a program directed by the Peconic Community Council on the North and South forks. 
 Last November, <a href="http://www.mattpres.com/">Mattituck Presbyterian</a> and St. Agnes broke away from Maureen’s Haven to start John’s Place, under the auspices of the homeless advocacy group Mercy Haven in Islip Terrace. 
 Denis Yuen, the former director of Maureen’s Haven who is now a screener for John’s Place, said what’s important are the people who make the program work. 
 “This group of people is still wonderful,” he said. “That has not changed.” 
 Heacock said a core group of about 10 volunteers at <a href="http://www.mattpres.com/">Mattituck Presbyterian</a> are what make John’s Place so much more than just a shelter. Other volunteers include members of neighboring churches and Mattituck Presbyterian’s own Sunday School classes. 
 “They are really the backbone of this all,” she said. “They are here every week.” 
 She said since operating on their own, funding for the program has become even more difficult to come by, especially because each guest is given a round trip bus ticket to get to and from the church. 
 Most of the funding comes from individual donations and fundraisers, she said. On Jan. 28, the organization will hold the Fourth Annual Rockin’ for the Homeless Benefit Concert at the Polish Hall in Riverhead with proceeds going to John’s Place. 
 Jill DeSantis, 44, of Mattituck, has been volunteering for the program since it began as Maureen’s Haven. About six years ago, DeSantis lost most of her sight because of a medical condition, which she said has limited what she can do to help. But she comes every week if only so the homeless see a familiar face. 
 Before most of the guests had arrived, one man knelt down in front of the chair where DeSantis was sitting and introduced himself. He hadn’t needed the shelter for a few weeks, but mounting medical bills brought him back. 
 “Well, I’m sorry you need us but I’m happy you’re back,” DeSantis told him, before promising to join him for dinner. 
 “I can still listen to them,” DeSantis said about her role as a volunteer. “That’s what I do here.”

Mattituck church helps homeless each week

Mattituck Presbyterian Church

Richie L’Hommedieu, 34, of Mattituck, was serving food Thursday night to the homeless during the Mattituck Presbyterian Church’s homeless outreach program, John’s Place. 
 How long have you lived in Mattituck? Not very long -- about four weeks. 
 What brought you here? I guess I came here to start over. 
 Where were you before this? I was in Ogdensburg, N.Y. I was doing some business up there for a while. I was in Charleston before that doing ship work. But I grew up on Long Island. I’m originally from Islip. It’s actually ironic that I moved out here because my ancestors were some of the early settlers. 
 Were you aware of that before you moved here? Yeah, my grandmother was into genealogy. She knew all about it and she would talk to us about it. 
 How long will you be here? Maybe just a few weeks. I’m waiting to get assigned to more work. Painting -- that’s what I do. I spray naval ships, but I might try to get into some residential painting. I’m really kind of living off my savings right now and this seemed like a good place to do it. 
 Had you been to Mattituck before moving here? I’ve been all over Long Island, I think it’s kind of hard not to when you grow up here. I’ve always liked the North Fork. I worked this end of the Island as a painter when I was a kid. 
 What do you like about being here now? I like that it’s not that populated, but enough not to get lonely. It’s pretty. It’s very serene. There’s a lot of good people here. I started going to this church and ended up volunteering here by accident. 
 How? I used to volunteer at the Salvation Army in Riverhead, and one day I was walking by here while this was going on and I saw a bunch of homeless guys that I knew from there. So I stopped to talk to them and ended up coming to help out. They put me to work right away. 
 How would you define Mattituck? It’s rustic but it has an urban flare. I don’t want to say simple, but, there’s a way of life there that’s reminiscent of a time past. You wave to somebody here and they wave back.

People of Mattituck: Richie L'Hommedieu

Richie L'Hommedieu

As I’ve met people in and around Mattituck this week, almost everyone has asked where I was coming from and then laments the long drive. 
 But as I wrap up this month’s Town Focus, I have to say, I’m going to miss spending my mornings passing through the beautiful North Fork. Each hamlet seems to have its own identity but the people who live there move comfortably between them as they work, live and play. 
 In Mattituck, I met just as many people from Southold and Cutchogue as I did locals, but they each thought of Mattituck as their own. They came to the central hamlet for work or to eat and shop on Love Lane, which was always busy and the people there always friendly. They appreciated the miles of open land, the limited commercial development and the easy access to both the Long Island Sound and Peconic Bay. 
 Today, look for the full story on Mattituck’s history and a video to accompany it. Also look for a story on the Mattituck Presbyterian Church and its role in hosting John’s Place, a homeless outreach program, which I attended last night. 
 Thanks for following me throughout the week on LI Now, Twitter and Foursquare. As usual, there were too many great story suggestions to get to them all, but that doesn’t mean you won’t see them eventually, so keep following.

Town Focus: Day 5 in Mattituck

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Art Hedler, 76, of Cutchogue has lived in the area for 11 years. 
 What brought you here? The water, the outside, the country. 
 What brings you to Mattituck? There's a Starbucks here. We don't have one. 
 How often do you come to Mattituck? I come for coffee a couple times a day. 
 How does Mattituck differ from Cutchogue? There's not as much there. There's more retail here. 
 How would you describe Mattituck? Small town. Friendly town. 
 Does Mattituck, and this area, in general, face any challenges? Everyone does. Growth, I guess. 
 Too much growth or too little? Too much.

People of Mattituck: Art Hedler

Art Hedler

The stairs at the <a href="http://www.nfct.com/index.aspx">North Fork Community Theatre</a> creak. A pile of crumbled bricks and dust sits in the corner of the actors’ waiting room below the stage. In the attic, where costumes and set props are kept, the wooden support beams are black and charred but still standing as survivors of a fire in the 80s. 
 But despite their building’s shortcomings, the members of Mattituck’s <a href="http://www.nfct.com/index.aspx">North Fork Community Theatre</a> have just one wish -- to own it. 
 “You look around and you think, ‘This is the place they want to buy?’ ” said Robert Horn, a member of the theater’s board of directors. “But we love it. It’s home.” 
 The building was constructed 1830 as the Mattituck Presbyterian Church. It was expanded in 1856 when it was leased by the Methodist Church. 
 The theater group has leased the building rent-free from Mattituck Presbyterian Church since 1961, but that arrangement will come to an end this year, said Mary Kalich, head of the fundraising campaign to purchase the theater, called “Building on Tradition.” 
 The group is now at the tail-end of that campaign. With a looming August deadline, the group has about $150,000 to go toward its $500,000 total. 
 Kalich said after the initial purchase later this year, the group will hold a second phase of fundraising for renovations. 
 “We have raised over $70,000 in the last few months,” Kalich said, “so there is really good momentum. Things are moving along.” 
 Marilee Scheer, 62, of Mattituck, and a member of the theater’s board, said a permanent home is the “No. 1 thing” a community theater needs in order to be successful. The <a href="http://www.nfct.com/index.aspx">North Fork Community Theatre </a>has been lucky enough to have one of those for more than 50 years, so they’d like to keep it. 
 “This is just our theater,” she said, “this is just our building. When it’s needed upkeep, we take care of it. When it needed a new furnace, we put it in.” 
 The theater puts on five shows a year, including a variety show and “Youth on Stage,” a fully staged musical production for students that runs every summer. All auditions are open to the public and actors come from all around the island, said Horn, who is from Rocky Point and is directing the upcoming performance of&nbsp; “Doubt: A Parable.” 
 Horn said the theater is a “jewel,” and an invaluable resource for the community, especially for its youth. 
 He said he sees the theater building as a “crossroads” for local high schools. Students come from the North and South forks and farther west, and high school cliques disappear as they all support each other on stage. 
 “They have so much pride in this place,” he said. 
 Scheer said donations have come in through a direct mailing campaign, and often, from people who are impressed with a performance and ask how they can help. 
 She said the pride the people who use it feel for the building is priceless. 
 “It’s old and it is what it is,” she said. “But it’s home. And when people go away and come back, we say, ‘Yes, it does smell just the same.’” 
 <a href="http://www.nfct.com/support/index.aspx">Click here for more information on how to donate.</a> <a href="http://www.nfct.com/index.aspx">Click here for information on upcoming show and tickets.</a> &nbsp;

Mattituck theater members aim to own it

Robert Horn

I wrapped up my day yesterday at the North Fork Community Theatre, where I got a glimpse of the theater group’s upcoming show and spoke with board members about their fundraising campaign. 
 The theater was built in the mid-1800s, initially as the Mattituck Presbyterian Church. The group has leased the space from the church rent-free for more than 50 years - an agreement that will come to an end in August. 
 Look for a story on the theater and what the building means to the people who use it later today. 
 Tonight, I’m headed to the current Mattituck Presbyterian Church to see how community volunteers help run John’s Place, a homeless outreach shelter. Every Thursday, the church opens its doors to the less fortunate, providing them with a place to sleep for the night, a warm meal and resources for after they leave. 
 Also, I’ve gotten some great suggestions this week, including inquiries about the children’s summer camps on Laurel Lake that existed until the 60s and an offer to check out the original bank safe from Mattituck Bank that was blown open in a bank robbery in 1918. 
 Keep them coming. If I don’t get to them this week, it will be one more reason to come back to Mattituck.

Town Focus: Mattituck, Day 4

Lori Surozenski, 27, of Mattituck is a bartender at Four Doors Down. 
 How long have you lived in Mattituck? I've lived around here my whole life. I grew up in Cutchogue, it's basically the same thing. But I live in Mattituck now. 
 How long have you worked at Four Doors Down? I was trying to figure that out the other day. A while. I left for college and came back. Maybe around five years. 
 Where did you go to college? East Carolina 
 What was it like growing up here? It's very small town. Everyone knows everyone and everyone helps each other out. You can count on people, like I know I could ask anyone here for anything and they'd do it. It's a little slower, but I wouldn't change it. We have the beaches, it's a great place. When you leave, you miss it. 
 Is that how you felt when you left for college? Yeah, all I wanted to do was come home. 
 How would you define the character of the Mattituck community? It's one big family, that's what it is. 
 Do you ever think about moving away again? You always think about it but now it's the economy, it's jobs and things like that.

People of Mattituck: Lori Surozenski

Lori Surozenski

Rosemarie Milowski, 69, of Mattituck, was walking around Love Lane with her grandson Thomas on Tuesday when we caught up with her. 
 How long have you lived here? since 1965. 
 What brought you here? My husband and the house he built. 
 What made you stay? I love the place. I wouldn't think of going anywhere else. 
 What do you love about it? The friendly shopkeepers. Anywhere you go you say 'Hi' and people say 'Hi' back. 
 Do you work in town? I'm retired now. I was a kindergarten aid for 25 years at Our Lady of Mercy in Cutchogue. 
 What challenges does Mattituck face? Well, I don't want to see any shopping centers. Maybe better transportation. 
 How would you define the character of the community? Warm. Friendly. Helpful.

People of Mattituck: Rosemarie Milowski

Rosemarie Milowski

Day 3 of Town Focus: Mattituck brings me to another meeting with Norman Wamback, this one for an on-camera interview about Mattituck’s history and what it was like growing up there. 
 At the end of the week, we’ll produce a video on Mattituck, including Wamback’s and other interviews, old photos and shots from around town. 
 Have a favorite historic spot in Mattituck you think should be included? Let us know, and I’ll make sure to get there. You can reach me via comments below, <a href="mailto:erin.geismar@newsday.com">email</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/eringeismar">Twitter</a>. 
 Yesterday was a shining example of why we do Town Focus. When we learned the Mattituck-Laurel Historical Society was looking for a paid director, I reached out to its board president, Nick Planamento. While on the phone with Planamento, I explained to him what the series was about and that I’d be working all week from Mattituck. 
 “Are you in Mattituck right now?” he asked me. 
 I was indeed, at a Starbucks. A few minutes later, so was he. 
 “Just thought I’d come introduce myself,” he said, and we finished our conversation in person. 
 I’ll be in town every day. Come say hello, tell me what’s on your mind and what you think other people should know about the place you live.

Town Focus: Mattituck, Day 3

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Tina Langer and her husband, Kevin, have owned The LLL Deli for about 15 years and lived in Mattituck for more than 25. Langer is originally from Riverhead. 
 What brought you to Mattituck? My husband. His family owned the Coffee Pot on Pike Street. We both worked there for a while. 
 What were your first impressions of Mattituck? I didn't know it existed. Where I grew up I was always on the other side of the island, my friends all lived in Riverhead and Flanders. But I thought it was very pretty, quiet, a little too quiet for me. I like a little excitement. 
 So what made you stay all this time? Did you raise a family here? Yep, two girls. It's very pretty and there's not much crime. I live within walking distance of town, the docks, even the Waldbaums shopping center I could walk to if I want. You don't really need a car. You kind of know everybody here and they've known you since you were little. 
 What challenges does this community face? Getting people to come in. It's not like Riverhead that has the aquarium and now a big hotel. Greenport has the carousel and the big ships. Mattituck is a drive-by town. We need something to attract the people here. And Lord knows we don't need any more food places. There are more places to eat in Mattituck than anything else. 
 Define the character of Mattituck. Quaint. &nbsp;

People of Mattituck: Tina Langer

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The Mattituck-Laurel Historical Society is looking for a paid, part-time director to help shape the future of the organization that’s nearing its 50th anniversary. 
 This is the first time the society has considered adding a paid position, said President Nicholas Planamento. It is currently run by about eight officers, all volunteers, and about 80 other members that assist with various events. 
 Planamento said the board decided late last year to seek a paid director to help achieve continuity and long-term goals. 
 “We have a graying population of members,” he said. “Historically, we have fabulous volunteers but like any organization that is strictly volunteer, it’s very hard to achieve long-term planning when people come and go.” 
 The director will be required to work five hours a week at $100 per week. Initially, the position will be filled for a three-month trial period, Planamento said. 
 “We operate on a very strict budget,” he said. “So this is basically a $1,200 commitment to see if this idea works.” 
 He said the ideal candidate is someone not currently an officer at the society that lives in the community and has time to dedicate to the job. Rather than give a job description, the society would like the applicant to submit his own ideas about how he can help the organization. 
 To inquire about the position or apply, contact Planamento at 631-948-0143 or <a href="mailto:donate@mlhistoricalsociety.org?subject=Historical%20society%20director%20search">donate@mlhistoricalsociety.org</a>.

North Fork historical society seeks director

On day two of our Town Focus series in Mattituck, I will focus on two organizations based in the hamlet that impact the entire North Fork - and both have a big year ahead of them. 
 The North Fork Environmental Council, with a quaint building at the intersection of Main Road and Sound Avenue, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. It was founded in 1972, motivated by the first Earth Day a couple years before. 
 Yesterday, I talked with council president Bill Toedter about the group’s goals and what it’s accomplished since its start. Of course, I also had to talk to Bill about what makes Mattituck a special place to him, look out for that interview later today and more about the environmental council this week. 
 The North Fork Community Theatre is will reach the deadline for its $500,000 fundraising goal this year. With the slogan ‘It Takes a Community to Buy a Theater,’ the group has raised more than half of the money needed to purchase its building and will continue to close that gap this year. 
 oday, I’ll speak with Mary Motto Kalich, head of the fundraising campaign, and also try to sit in on a rehearsal for the theater’s upcoming production of “Doubt: A Parable.” 
 I’ve received some great suggestiona already and I’m looking into them. Keep them coming. You can always reach me by email or on Twitter.

Town Focus: Mattituck, Day 2

Geismar met with Bill Toedter at the North Fork Environmental Council’s office in Mattituck before the group’s board of directors monthly meeting. Toedter has a house in Southold but his grandfather owned a house in Mattituck, which is where Toedter’s father grew up and he has fond memories. Geismar talked to him about his connection to Mattituck. 
 Bill Toedter Age: 52 Community association: President, North Fork Environmental Council 
 What are your memories of Mattituck as a kid? They stem from my father, really. There was a pharmacy on Love Lane. It’s Barth’s Pharmacy now, I think. My father was a soda jerk there when he was a kid -- that’s the 20s or 30s. For me, there’s just a lot of family history here. 
 I remember we used to take the Sunfish out on the sound and there would be these beautiful bunkfish and porpuses coming up all around the boat. That’s one of the things we lost over the years, just these great schools of fish that used to be everywhere. Hopefully, we’ll see that again. 
 What made you stay connected to the area? The natural beauty. I have a great appreciation for it. The cottage I live in is on the beach. I developed a love of marine biology early on from living out here and I ended up going to college for it. I didn’t stick with the major, but discovering that as an interest was a guiding light for me. 
 What did you end up doing instead? When President Reagan was elected, funding for marine biology sort of dried up. I thought, ‘Well, I want a job when I get out of college, so maybe this isn’t the best thing.’ I went into economics and business, and now I’m a business communication consultant. 
 What are your favorite things about Mattituck? The thing I love about Mattituck is the small town atmosphere it’s maintained. There’s so much here that is the same as it was many, many years ago. It’s also a place that’s on the edge between progress and building but maintains that natural beauty. 
 How would you define the character of this community? Each hamlet in the Town of Southold has it’s own sense of being. Mattituck is still very much a place where people really believe in fundamentals basics and an aspect of life and natural beauty out here that they work to maintain.

People of Mattituck: Bill Toedter

Erin Geismar caught up with Norman Wamback on Monday at Mattituck-Laurel Historical Society &amp; Museums, which are currently closed for restoration. She then sat down with him at his home in Mattituck to discuss his upbringing there and how the community has changed. 
 Norman Wamback Age: 76 Curator, Mattituck-Laurel Historical Society &amp; Museums; trustee, Mattituck-Laurel Library 
 How long have you lived here? I was born here. My parents bought my house the year before I was born. 
 What did you do for work before retiring? I did financials for a pharmaceutical firm in New York City. 
 Did you commute from Mattituck? No, I lived in the city for a large part of my life while I was working. When I retired, I owned a place in Brooklyn at that point and my mother was still living here. Right before she died, I started coming out more often on the weekends to take care of things with her aides and I also started doing some things with the historical society. So when she died, I had two choices: I could sell this place and live in the apartment, or I could sell the apartment and live out here. I decided to sell the apartment because I thought, if I don’t like living here, I could always move back to the city … That was in 2004. 
 So what made you stay here? Because of my involvement with the historical society. Then the Suffolk Times also asked me to write some articles. But it was mostly because of the Mattituck Historical Society. I was the unofficial Mattituck historian, which is what they still call me. I’m also a trustee of the Mattituck library. 
 How has the community changed? We used to take our bicycles to school. In the winter when we couldn’t get out because of so much snow, we walked in it. Today the children all ride the bus and that’s a big difference. Also, back in the '50s, there was nothing to do out here. For an occupation, you worked at a gasoline station or on a farm. That’s why I got out. 
 Do you think a lot of people stay in Mattituck for life, or leave and come back to the same house, as you did? I know a lot of people that I knew when I was growing up here, but it’s not that common. There was a time when everyone was buying and selling their homes. There’s a lot more people here now that I don’t know. 
 How would you define the character of Mattituck? Rural. Quiet. Laid back.

People of Mattituck: Norman Wamback

All this week Erin Geismar will be profiling people she meets in Mattituck, from community leaders to residents she bumps into around town. 
 Caren Heacock Age: 58 Occupation: Pastoral Care Assistant, Mattituck Presbyterian Church 
 How long have you lived in the area? It’s going on 30 years. 
 What made you join the Mattituck Presbyterian Church? My husband and I had tried out several churches. We decided on this one because Pastor George made a visit to our home and he asked, ‘May I pray with you?’ He was the only pastor to do that. That was an important thing to me. 
 What are a few ways the church is involved in the community? We have a team leaving for Haiti on a mission trip. . . . We have building projects there, we built a clinic. . . . We’ve been going down there for over 25 years. In fact, one of our church members was one of the first to go down there three days after the earthquake. There’s also John’s Place. Every week we provide shelter for the homeless. We also have an active youth group. 
 What is your role? As the pastoral care assistant, I visit the homebound, visit nursing homes, hospitals. I’m about to officiate my first wedding -- that’s a big thing. I’m a shepherd for the church. I kind of do it all. I clean the bathrooms sometimes. I preach sometimes. I got my master’s in divinity from the Luther Rice Seminary based out of Atlanta. 
 What made you go for your master’s? After I had joined the church, I became the shepherd coordinator and the youth director. Then I started counseling, and when I started that, I thought I should go back for my master’s. You don’t have to be ordained in the Presbyterian Church for all these roles, so that’s why I’m able to do them. 
 And what did you do before that? Secretarial work, just to pay the bills. 
 What is your favorite thing about Mattituck? The wonderful people. I love to walk the beaches. Sunrise on the bay -- there’s nothing like it in the world. It’s close enough to things that you don’t feel like you’re in the boonies, but it’s small enough that it’s not a big city feel. You don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything, all you have to do is walk down Love Lane. 
 Is it the kind of place where you know all of your neighbors? Yeah, pretty much. More so in Mattituck, I think, than in other towns out here. That’s the nature of Love Lane, it’s more intimate. You’re bound to run into someone you know when you go to the post office, where in Southold, the post office is separate from the main shopping area. So here you have more of a chance of pausing to say hello. 
 Define Mattituck. It’s a very caring community. A lot of people really care about each other. If there’s a crisis, people come together. They take care of each other, even if you’re not from here.

People of Mattituck: Caren Heacock

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For the latest installment of Town Focus, I’ll spend the week getting to know Mattituck. 
 Located in the middle of the North Fork wine country, Mattituck has sprawling vistas of open land, the Peconic Bay and Long Island Sound. The community has a fire department with an active auxiliary, the largest school on the North Fork and a lively commercial strip on Love Lane. 
 This week, I’ll focus on all those things and more, including how some of the local churches participate in the community. 
 I’ll be walking around town, taking photos and talking to residents (and also eating lunch and drinking coffee at all of their favorite spots). If you’re in town, stop me to say hello. If you’re following on Twitter, let me know what you’d like to learn about Mattituck. 
 As always, I welcome suggestions in the comments below, by <a href="mailto:erin.geismar@newsday.com">email </a>and on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/eringeismar">Twitter</a>. 
 Photo: Mattituck Inlet from Wickham Avenue. (Jan. 3, 2012)

Town Focus: Mattituck, Day 1

Town Focus: Mattituck

Mattituck

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