The holiday party will be held on Sunday, December 8, 2024 at Shoreway Acres following the parade. Details and registration forms will be sent in November. If you are interested in walking in the parade by yourself or with your family please write to info@oldstonedock.com with the names of those who will participate. If we don't have at least 10 volunteers we will not complete the application.
This year the Tuition Assistance Committee consisted of myself and Ed Washecka. A check for $500 was presented to each of the following students. Our first recipient is Emerson Yaffee. Eme Yaffee is here today with her grandparents Janet and Clay Mathews who are OSD members from Walker Street. Her mom Melinda Yaffe is also here along with her aunt and uncle Nancy and Harry Campbell also members from Walker Street. Eme will attend Johnson & Wales University for Culinary Arts. Eme graduated from Brockton High School with a GPA of 3.2. During her Sophomore and Junior year, she was active in the Gay Straight Alliance Club. During her senior year Eme participated in the schools TV Production Club and the peer mediation program where students help work out disagreements with other students. Our 2nd recipient is Lauren Devine. She is here with her parents John and Jeanne Devine, OSD members who have a home on Mill Road. Lauren graduated from Dover Sherborne High School with a 2.9 GPA. Lauren plans to attend the University of Denver. She has played field hockey and lacrosse, and she also coached youth field hockey. Lauren volunteered at the Dover American Legion, the Falmouth Yacht Club and the Most Precious Blood Church in Dover. Our 3rd recipient is Kelly Devine. Yes, sister and twin of Lauren Devine. Of course, her parents are John and Jeanne. Kelly graduated with 3.0 GPA and will be majoring in marketing at Elon University. Kelly also played field hockey and lacrosse. She captained the lacrosse team and was a member of the Red Cross Club, taught youth sports and was active in her church. David Wilson is our 4th recipient. He is here with his grandmother and OSD member Anne Prior of Clipper Lane. His parents Katherine and Brian Wilson along with his sister Anna are also here today. He graduated from Medfield High School with a 3.2 GPA and will pursue mechanical engineering at UMass Amherst. David was active in his church, community and high school. At Medfield High, he was on the track team and played basketball, and was also in the Chess Club and the Cradles to Crayons club. David was a summer camp counselor for Medfield Parks and Rec department and a volunteer at St. Edward the Confessor and the United Church of Christ, both in Medfield. Our 5th and final recipient is Michael Todaro. Michael is not able to be with us today. He is the grandson of OSDA member Sal & June Todaro from Fresh River Lane who is here today. He will be attending the University of Michigan to study economics. Michael graduated from Belmont High School with a 4.1 GPA. Michael played football, lacrosse and track. He was Captain of the lacrosse team and founded the Humanitarian Research Club in high school which provided a platform for students to engage with global socio-economic issues. He also coached youth basketball, lacrosse and hockey.
The OSDA held their annal meeting and summer social at the Flying Bridge on Sunday, 08/11/24. Ninety members and guests were in attendance. Terry Saunders welcomed members and guests and identified present and past officers and board members. The luncheon consisted of chowder, hamburgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken, Caesar salad, pasta salad, corn on the cob, watermelon and cornbread. Desert of mud pie was served at the table. Following the luncheon Terry Saunders introduced the guest speakers: Jim Fox, Barbara Schneider, Police Chief Jeff Lourie and Deputy Chief Brian Loewen. The tuition assistance committee approved 5 students to each receive $500. Four of them and their families were able to attend the meeting and accept their checks. The 5th was not able to attend but his grandparents did. See separate story and pictures of the worthy recipients. Terry Saunders highlighted all of the 2024 activities along with each of the volunteers that made these events happen. Below is the presentation for those who were not able to be with us. ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2024 Membership mailing and renewals – chaired by Terry Saunders ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2024 Membership mailing and renewals – chaired by Terry Saunders The stuffing and mailing committee consisted of: Terry & Steve Saunders, Bob & Cindy Lehtinen, Brian Callanan, Jack Driscoll, Carol Mendoza and Paul Smith We sent a letter and renewal form to 284 families 226 were current members. Thus far we have 210 renewing and new members with a few forms and checks still coming in each week. 43 members provided additional funds. Most said to use as needed. Others stated to go towards, tuition, flowers, beach cleanup and gatherings. When sales are listed in the Friday Falmouth Enterprise new families receive the current years renewal letter and a renewal form. Flower Boxes – Chaired by Steve Saunders 16 flower boxes were brought to Soares Gardens mid-May and were picked up and put in place before Memorial Day. Steve watered the flowers as needed in May and June until the bathhouse was open and staffed. We had 2 major sponsors and plaques were purchased and installed to recognize them. Denis and David Crocco in memory of their parents, Laura Crocco a past treasurer of the OSDA and Michael Crocco. The other was from Christine Huber in memory of her parents George & Anna Creighton. Beach Cleanup – chaired by Terry Saunders On Saturday June 8th 20 members and guests cleaned up the parking area and around the Ellen T Mitchell Bathhouse and neighboring streets. Assistant Beach Superintendent Brooke McMillan spoke briefly thanking us for the things we have done and continue to do for the beaches. She thanked the OSD for their donation of funds for the flower boxes. Beach Committee members Barbara Schneider and Nancy Quigg mingled with members and assisted in the clean up as well. Volunteers included: Ed Jackson, Alan Leary, Bill Lee, Bob & Cindy Lehtinen, Greg & Carol Mills, Pat & Bill O’Connell, Catherine Offinger, Emeline, Nancy & Otis Porter, [...]
On Monday, 07/29/24 the OSDA held their Annual Beach Worker Appreciation Breakfast for 80 or so beach workers including life guards, parking attendants, supervisors, clerks and beach management. Thanks to Cape Cod Bagel who gave us a very generous discount on the bagels and cream cheese. Pastries, breakfast bars, fruit and cold beverages were also provided. The committee was led by Brian Callanan and Terry Saunders. On Sunday, Brian, Terry, Steve Saunders, Bill Lee and Pat Albanese gathered to bag all the bagels and pastries. They along with Carole Mendoza, Anne Prior, Scott Puopolo and Laura Puopolo gathered at 7:00 am set up the food inside the bathhouse due to possible rain showers. The Falmouth Enterprise was in attendance and wrote a story that was on line on Tuesday, 07/30/24 and in the paper on Friday, 08/02/24.
The OSDA purchased 125 metal water bottles from Howlingbird Studios on Palmer Avenue as gifts for all of the Falmouth Beach Workers. They were distributed prior to the 4th of July weekend. On 07/06/24 the OSDA purchased three cross walk signs that have since been placed on Surf Drive.
On Saturday, 06/08/24 twenty OSDA Members gathered at Surf Drive Beach before the annual cleanup at 9:30 am to meet with Beach Committee Chair Barb Schneider and Beach Committee Member Nancy Quigg. Members had the opportunity to bring to their attention issues in the neighborhood. Member volunteers included: Ed Jackson, Alan Leary, Bill Lee, Bob Lehtinen, Cindy Lehtinen, Carol Mills, Greg Mills, Bill O’Connell, Pat O’Connell, Catherine Offinger, Charlene Pastore, John Pastore, Emeline Porter, Nancy Porter, Otis Porter, Steve Saunders, Terry Saunders, Paul Skudder, Paul Smith, Dean Sullivan. Beach Committee members: Committee Chair Barb Schneider and member Nancy Quigg A check for the Beach Donation Account was presented to Assistant Beach Superintendent Brook McMillan for the cost of the flowers that Steve Saunders purchased from Soares Nursery and installed on 05/22/24.
06/01/24 Hello OSDA Members, Neighbors and Friends I hope this note finds you well and you are enjoying the warmer weather. We are in the process of reviewing, updating and reducing the size of our email mailings. This is the last mailing that will go to over 400 present and past members. After the renewal process, we anticipate removing 100 to 150+ past members with the next email blast. If you want to be sure that you are notified of current 'happenings' in the neighborhood, please be sure to renew your membership now if you have not already done so. Last year we had 225 ~ paid member families. Thank you to the 144 that have returned your dues thus far thru last week. Membership Renewal Notices were mailed on 04/30/24 to approximately 300 current and past members. Please support the OSDA by renewing your membership for 06/01/24 to 05/31/25. We've attached the membership letter, renewal notice and a survey form asking for your participation in order to keep this association moving forward. Please complete the forms and return now with your check for $25.00. We thank you in advance for your support of the neighborhood association. The Annual Surf Drive Beach Cleanup will be held this coming Saturday, 06/08/24. Rain date Sunday, 06/09/24. We will gather at 9:30 a.m. to socialize with our members and meet up with the invited beach committee members and beach staff. Before we head out at 10:00 am we will take a photo of all the volunteers and we will present a check payable to the Beach Donation Account to either Beach Superintendent Maggie Clayton or Assistant Beach Superintendent Brooke McMillan. This is your opportunity to converse with others who are interested in the condition of the Falmouth Beaches. We'll have water and snacks for our crew and OSDA logo wear for sale. We will concentrate cleaning around the parking lot, the Ellen T Mitchell Bathhouse and the roadways nearby. If you plan to participate but have not RSVP'd yet, please do so now by replying to all (will go to the President and Terry Saunders who monitors the ‘info’ email account) so we will know who and how many to expect. The following have signed up: Ed Jackson, Bill Lee, Anne Marie Lee, Greg Mills, Pat O’Connell, Steve Saunders, Terry Saunders, Rick Sherman, Paul Smith, Dean Sullivan. The Beach House Flower Boxes at the Ellen T. Mitchell Bath House were placed on 05/22/24 by Board Member Steve Saunders in time for the Memorial Day weekend. The flowers will be watered by Steve until the bathhouse is staffed for the summer. This year we had two major donors that provided funds for the flower boxes. They are the Creighton / Huber Family and the Crocco Family. The plaques recognizing their family members were installed today. Tuition Assistance is available to children and grandchildren of Old Stone Dock Association members who will be freshmen at a 2 or 4 year college in the 2024 Fall semester. Members must be paid [...]
On Tuesday, 04/23/24 Barbara Schneider PhD, chairman of the Falmouth beach committee, introduced a discussion by the Woods Hole Group consultants regarding the status of the Surf Drive beach from Shore Street to the Trunk River. This area of the beach was the subject of an intensive study by the Woods Hole Group released in 2020. As many of you may recall the study looked at estimates for the rate of sea level rise, damage to infrastructure, property, and natural resources that might result, and addressed the potential responses which the town of Falmouth might take as this situation evolves. The meeting was very well attended, lasted about 75 minutes, and was recorded by FCTV (Falmouth Community TV). Last evening's discussion was presented by Leslie Fields, a Coastal Geologist from The Woods Hole Group and Kirk Bosma from the same firm. The presentation began with several images and videos demonstrating flooding, and complete coverage with sand of large portions of Surf Drive, damage to the road, threats to the bathhouse and the like, all associated with 6 stormy days in December 2023, January 2024, and April 2024. The presenters stressed that this represented a dramatic change over the past few years. A large number of the members of the audience agreed in a show of hands. The presenters went on to re-discuss the findings and suggestions made at the time of the 2020 report. The findings acknowledged that the impact of climate change on the coastline is uncertain. However, the study included predictions that climate change during the remainder of the 21st century could be sufficiently severe to result in flooding of town infrastructure and properties and potentially loss of access to properties inland from Surf Drive. Infrastructure at risk includes the road itself, the Shining Sea Bikeway, the sewer main from Woods Hole to the Falmouth water treatment plant (the sewer main runs under the bike path), the Ellen T Mitchell bathhouse, a sewer pump station underlying the bathhouse parking lot, the parking lot itself, and the electrical connections that feed Martha's Vineyard near the base of Mill Road (currently undergoing some reconstruction). Having provided this information, the presenters then outlined a broad array of options to mitigate the impact on properties and infrastructure as well as natural resources. Options considered included everything from "doing nothing" and abandoning threatened infrastructure and properties, all the way to very expensive and hopefully durable responses such as raising the Surf Drive roadway (potentially in a bridge-like fashion) and protecting it with a large seawall. They had suggested, in 2020, a "preferred option" that began with modest interventions such as extensive beach and dune nourishment, coupled with ongoing monitoring of the situation, and consideration of other options (once again, options including doing nothing all the way to dramatic construction projects) if and when the evidence indicated that the initial efforts were becoming inadequate as the situation progresses. Given recent events discussed earlier in the meeting, the presenters moved to discussion of the [...]
05/24/24 Flowers at the bath house will be installed before Memorial Day 06/08/24 Saturday - Annual Beach Clean-Up, (Rain Date Sunday 06/09/24) 07/24/24 Wednesday - Annual Beach Worker Breakfast 08/11/24 Sunday - Annual Meeting & Summer Social Booked at Flying Bridge 12/08/24 Sunday - Annual Parade & Holiday Party, to be confirmed
It was a rough winter at Surf Drive Beach. Rain storms, heavy winds and astronomical high tides caused damage to the shoreline, dunes beach house and picnic area. Rocks have been exposed. In December 2023 the pipe (hose) that that is used for dredging washed up on shore and is still there in April 2024. October 2023 December 2023 January 2024 January 2024 (flooding and repairs Walker Street) February 2024 April 2024
