TOBAY Notebook: Annual Dune Planting Set

It's a fun way to volunteer and a way to protect and enhance Tobay Beach: The Town's 24th annual dune stabilization project is set for Saturday March 24.

Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto will join fellow Town officials, crews and volunteers March 24, at 10 a.m. at Tobay Beach.

“Since it started in 1989, the Tobay Dune Stabilization Project has become an immensely popular volunteer activity for residents of all ages,” Venditto said. “Part of the project’s appeal is that people can actually see the results of their efforts…"

Last year, 1,160 volunteers turned out for the event and planted 230,000 stalks of dune grass. The dunes provide a natural barrier against storm surges and high winds during severe weather, Venditto said.

In addition to helping preserve the beach, volunteers are treated to coffee, hot chocolate, donuts and famously good clam chowder, all provided by donors. 

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact the Department of Environmental Resources at 677-5748.

Historian to Discuss Oyster Bay's Civil War Role

Oyster Bay Town Historian John Hammond will be the featured speaker at the Thursday, March 8, meeting of the Oyster Bay Historical Society. He will be discussing Oyster Bay in the Civil War and his newest publication, Civil War Records: Town of Oyster Bay.   

The meeting will be held at the Koenig Center of Oyster Bay High School, McCoun’s Lane, starting at 7:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend.  

More than 2,000 men out of the total town population of less than 8,000 served and saw combat, and Hammond, a well-known authority on Oyster Bay during the Civil War, has compiled an extensive collection of records relating to soldiers and sailors, including African-Americans, from Oyster Bay who served.

Tax Brochure Available Free:

Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes James J. Stefanich is offering a free brochure about his office. The brochure offers an overview of the office and answers  frequently asked questions about paying your taxes,” Stefanich said.

Copies are available at town offices and parks and can be downloaded from the Town’s Web site, www.oysterbaytown.com.