By Bill Landon
With a break in the incessant wind, Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, featured a Town of Brookhaven sponsored Winter Wonderland Walk at the Cedar Beach Nature Center in Mount Sinai. The attendees were treated to a guided tour where they observed the cold and stark beauty of the beach and the salt marsh and learned how wildlife adapted to survive the winter conditions and the important role that native plant life plays in the fragile ecosystem.
Hundreds of brave Special Olympics New York supporters are expected to participate in the Polar Plunge Saturday, November 23, running into the freezing waters of the Long Island Sound to raise funds and awareness for local Special Olympics athletes and programming.
The Polar Plunge is one of the most popular, profitable, and exciting fundraisers for Special Olympics New York. Participants raise money by asking friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances for donations. Event details are as follows.
When: Saturday, November 23, 2024
9:30 a.m. – Registration
11:30 a.m. – Polar Plunge
Where: Cedar Beach, Mount Sinai
244 Harbor Beach Rd, Mt Sinai, NY 11766
Link: Donate or Support the Plunge Here.
For additional information, please contact Alexis Dawson at [email protected] or 631-386-8038.
About Special Olympics New York
Special Olympics New York is one of the largest state chapters in the country, serving more than 45,000 athletes across New York with year-round sports training, athletic competition, and health screenings. The organization also partners with more than 300 schools statewide to offer Unified Sports, where students with and without disabilities compete as teammates. All Special Olympics New York programs are offered at no cost to athletes, their families or caregivers. The organization has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.com and a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, making it one of the most trusted charities in the business nationally. For additional information about Special Olympics New York, to learn more about getting involved, or to make a donation, visit www.specialolympicsNY.org.
Fifty members from Mather Hospital’s leadership team in Port Jefferson recently took part in the hospital’s second annual day of service to the community, volunteering with Coastal Steward Long Island (CSLI) at Cedar Beach in Mt. Sinai and at Bethel Hobbs Community Farm in Centereach.
“Our day of service is Mather’s way of giving back to our community while engaging in activities that make us better leaders, team members, and neighbors,” said Executive Director Kevn McGeachy, who was part of the team at Coastal Steward.
Volunteers with CSLI worked at the Mt. Sinai Harbor shellfish facility and cleaned up Cedar Beach. The Coastal Steward team cleaned 80,000 oysters and collected 120 pounds of garbage.
The Bethel Hobbs team from Mather harvested enough kale, collards, and onions to feed 100 families.
Last year’s day of service was at a Habitat for Humanity home build in Mastic Beach and at Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck, a camp for individuals with disabilities, in Center Moriches.
New York Marine Rescue Center seeks volunteers to join them for a beach cleanup at Cedar Beach, 223 Harbor Road, Mt. Sinai on Sunday, Aug. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m.; and at Crab Meadow Beach, 90 Waterview St., Fort Salonga on Sunday, Aug. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. Come join them in their effort to eradicate marine debris from our local beaches and help save our wildlife! To sign up, visit nymarinerescue.org.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the woman who allegedly used stolen credit cards in Shirley in August.
Credit cards were stolen from a vehicle parked in the parking lot of Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai on August 17. A short time later, a woman used the stolen credit cards at Kohl’s, located at 999 Montauk Highway. The woman fled in a dark-colored vehicle.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.
Hope House Ministries will host the 7th Annual Jake Engel Hoops for Hope Fundraiser at the Cedar Beach Basketball Court, 244 Harbor Beach Road in Mt. Sinai on Friday, July 28 from 4 to 8 p.m. with a 3v3 Basketball Tournament, food, music, basket prizes and raffles. All are welcome to enjoy a fun, exciting night. All proceeds to benefit Hope House Ministries. To register for the 3v3 tournament or for more information please call 631-473-8796 or email at [email protected].
New York Marine hosts a Pick It Up Beach Clean-Up at Cedar Beach, 244 Harbor Beach Road, Mount Sinai on Sunday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to noon. Come join them in their effort to eradicate marine debris from our local beaches and help save our wildlife! Can’t make it? Beach clean-ups are also scheduled at various times for May 7, June 11, July 9, August 13, September 10 and October 15. To participate, register at www.nymarinerescue.org.
Councilwoman Jane Bonner has announced the 2022 schedule of Spring Nature Programs at the Town of Brookhaven’s Cedar Beach, located on Harbor Beach Road in Mount Sinai. All programs are free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, e-mail Environmental Educator Nicole Pocchiare at [email protected]. Please provide your name, phone number, and the number of people and the ages of the children attending. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Programs will not run during inclement weather.
“Cedar Beach is one of the most beautiful locations in all of Brookhaven Town. It’s a wonderful place for children to get up close and personal with nature and the best way to do it is for them to participate in our Spring Nature programs. I encourage parents to enroll their children in the fun and educational seasonal programs offered free of charge by the Town of Brookhaven,” said Councilwoman Bonner.
The 2022 schedule of Summer Nature Programs are:
Gee Golly Geology March 26 at 2:00 pm Cedar Beach Nature Center We start our nature program series from the ground up. Join us for a geology lesson and guided walk of the peninsula. On this walking tour we will explore and observe the ever-changing topography that provides the foundation for distinct ecosystems and habitats of the beach and salt marsh.
Return to Nature Walk April 2 at 2:00 pm Cedar Beach Nature Center Please join us as we explore the unique ecology of the beach and salt marsh. We will learn about the different and overlapping ecosystems of flora and fauna, and the habitats that comprise this beautiful place. Please wear closed, comfortable shoes and bring binoculars if you have them.
Arbor Day Walk April 30 at 2:00 pm Cedar Beach Nature Center Come join us as we take a closer look at the trees that shape the landscape and support the ecosystem on this beautiful north shore peninsula. Bring binoculars to better see the birds and animals that live in or visit these trees.
Birding by the Beach April 9 at 2:00 pm Cedar Beach Nature Center
Long Island is a popular stop over and nesting area for many avian species. Join us as we observe and identify the birds that spend time on our coast. Please wear closed comfortable shoes, bring binoculars and a field guide if you have them.
International Migratory Bird Day May 14 at 2:00 pm Cedar Beach Nature Center Long Island is a popular stop over and nesting area for many avian species. Join us as we observe and identify the birds that spend time on our coast. Please wear closed comfortable shoes, bring binoculars and a field guide if you have them.
Every Day is Earth Day April 23 at 10:00 am or 2:00 pm Cedar Beach Nature Center Families are invited to celebrate Earth Day with their little ones. During the class we will discuss what kids can do to help save the planet, followed by some Earth Day fun, and a sneak peak of our Center. For kids ages 3-10.
Growing Up Wild May 21 at 10:00 am or 2:00 pm Cedar Beach Nature Center Parents and grandparents are invited to explore nature with their little ones. Each class will feature a nature topic, include a story telling, and may feature some live marine animals. For children ages 3-6.
Junior Environmental Stewards Ages 11+ Animal Tracks March 19 at 10:00 am Cedar Beach Nature Center Today’s goal will be to restore the animal tracks on the Nature Trail. This amazing educational component will teach visitors for years to come about the animals they can find here, and how to identify their tracks.
Native Plants April 16 at 2:00 pm Cedar Beach Nature Center During this lesson and activity, the stewards will learn about plants that are native to Long Island, how to care for them, and why planting native and encouraging our pollinators is so important.
Micro-Plastic & Data Collection May 7 at 2:00 pm Cedar Beach Nature Center
Our stewards will concentrate on finding and cataloguing tiny pieces of plastic hiding in the sands and seaweed of the beach. These microplastics are detrimental to all life in the water and on the shore. Not only are the stewards helping to remove these troubling plastics, but the data collected will go towards helping us understand more about the plastic bits that are plaguing our seas and shorelines.
For more information, call 631-451-TOWN.
COLORS OF THE RAINBOW
Elisa Hendrey of Sound Beach snapped this photo in October at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai. She writes, ‘Last days for kayaking at Mt. Sinai Harbor before the weather gets too cold. I was struck by the vibrant colors on this blue-skied early autumn day.’
Send your Photo of the Week to [email protected]
By Cayla Rosenhagen
Smiles abounded on Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai during the Children’s Bird Walk and Beach Clean-Up on August 21st. Run by me and my sister through our education program, Beach Bucket Brigade, the event brought 20 children aged 4 to 12 and their families together to participate in fun, nature-themed activities.
To kick off the program, we gathered on the beach to play ‘Sparrow Says,’ and read a book about our incredible avian life here on Long Island. Soon after, participants took to the paved nature trail to learn about and observe these birds in their natural surroundings. The children were delighted to see and hear mockingbirds, sparrows, catbirds, Mourning Doves, and cardinals.
Litter poses an immense danger to these birds as well as other local wildlife. Animals can get tangled up in it, or even ingest it, leading to heartbreaking outcomes.
After observing such an abundance of wildlife, the families were motivated to do something to protect them, and so began the beach clean-up. Equipped with gloves and beach buckets to collect litter, we scoured the beach. We found a variety of improperly disposed-of waste including throw-away plastic utensils and straws, fishing lines, and lots of cigarettes.
At the end of the clean-up, we thanked the families for volunteering their time and told them they were heroes for doing their part to protect our environment. As a token of our gratitude, we gave the families eco-friendly souvenirs to take home with them.
The event was a great success. We collected an enormous amount of litter, all the while giving kids and their families an educational, entertaining, and fun-filled day to remember. Our hope is that by observing the wonder of nature firsthand, the younger generation will gain an even better appreciation and respect for it.
To keep an eye out for our upcoming programs, please follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/BeachBucketBrigade.
Cayla Rosenhagen is a local high school student who enjoys capturing the unique charm of the community through photography and journalism. She serves on the board of directors for the Four Harbors Audubon Society and Brookhaven’s Youth Board, and is the founder and coordinator of Beach Bucket Brigade, a community outreach program dedicated to environmental awareness, engagement, and education. She is also an avid birder, hiker, and artist who is concurrently enrolled in college, pursuing a degree in teaching.
