On May 1, 2021 membership renewal letters and a recap of the year’s activities were sent to current members and other past members who remained on our mailing list but had not paid in recent years.  As of August 28, 2021 the OSDA membership is at 229 members.  This breaks down to 215 renewals and 14 new members.  Each week the house sales listed in the Falmouth Enterprise is reviewed and a letter and application are dropped off at the homes of those in the OSDA neighborhood. During renewal 38 members provided extra funds totaling $1710.  The requested designation of funds was as follows:  $1335 not designated, $25 Flower Boxes, $75 Tuition Assistance, $100 Flowers at Sailors Memorial, $100 to Belonging to Each Other and $75 for Beach Improvement.  A thank you letter was sent on July 22, 2021 to the 37 that were received through that date. Thanks to all who continue to be members and those that recently joined.

Sunday, August 22, 2021.   Feature picture taken while watching Channel 7 news Sunday morning live from Surf Drive Beach. A few pictures of Surf Drive Beach after Tropical Storm Henri. Pics were taken at 3:15 pm several hours after high tide and when the winds had somewhat subsided.  The surf was hitting the low concrete wall at the bottom of Shore Street.  Lots of green seaweed and birds on the sand. The waves were still close to hitting the life guard chairs.

On Monday, July 12, 2021 Tuition Assistance Committee Members Carole Mendoza, Peter Cahill and Terry Saunders met to review the applications received.  The OSDA was pleased to present a check for $500 to each of the following 3 worthy applicants.  The OSDA wishes all the best to these three students as they continue their higher education.  Their parents and grandparents should be tremendously proud of their grades and achievements. Ryan Smith Ryan is the grandson of members Paul and Sandy Smith on Mill Road.  Ryan graduated from White River Valley High School in South Royalton, VT with a 97.89% grade average and he was ranked #1 of 43 in his class.  Ryan has taken many AP classes at White River Valley HS.  He was on varsity soccer (grades 9-11), varsity track and field (grades 10, 12), varsity baseball (grade 9) and varsity cross country (grade 12). He was also in the jazz band and played at several music festivals. Ryan has rehearsed and performed with the South Royalton Town Band and the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra.  He worked and volunteered as a counselor at Bethany Birches Camp for the past 3 summers.  He has volunteered at the town’s food shelf and worked on several congressional campaigns in 2020 doing voter outreach and organizing. Ryan will be attending Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT studying Biology / Pre-med. Ryan Smith’s Pic: Alec Washecka Alec is the grandson of members John and Donna Beusch on Walker Street.  His parents, Ed and Cheryl Washecka recently purchased a home on Thomas Lane and joined the OSDA as well.  Alec graduated from Darien High School, Darien, CT with a GPA of 3.9.  Alec has played varsity football for 3 years and was captain 2020-2021.  Alec was also a Link Leader and peer counselor to incoming freshman at DHS. Alec participated in St Thomas Youth Group with activities for the community through his church.  He was a Young Athlete Volunteer counselor at the YMCA for pre-elementary kids with special needs.  Alec has also worked at Camp Mather as a counselor for 4th graders. Alec will be attending Williams College, Williamstown, MA studying Economics. Alec Washecka’s Pic: Family Pic:  Front row, Grandparents and members Donna & John Beusch.  Back row, Father Ed Washecka, Recipient Alex Washecka and OSDA President Jay Thayer presenting the award. Ben Yaffe Ben is the grandson of members Clay and Janet Mathews on Walker Street.  Ben graduated from Brockton High School, Brockton, MA with a GPA of 3.76.  At Brockton HS Ben was a starting player on the Freshman and Junior Varsity football team.  During his Junior and Senior Year he was a member of the International Baccalaureate Program.  He has digitally designed posters and flyers for his HS. Ben has played guitar for the past 12 years and has played concerts at school and at the Dedham Arts Festival.  He has volunteered at the Braintree Animal Shelter and participated in an annual charity walk for autism awareness month in October. Ben will be attending [...]

On Tuesday, July 27, 2021 the OSDA sponsored a breakfast at the Ellen T Mitchell Bathhouse on Surf Drive Beach.  Board of Director Anne Prior organized the event and purchased beverages and breakfast items again this year.  It was started to thank the life guards, parking attendants and administrative staff for all their hard work and dedication to the Falmouth Beaches.  Maggie Clayton, Beach Superintendent along with Beach Committee Members Jeff Billard, Margie Mitchell, Dan Shearer, Barbara Schneider and Nancy Quigg were in attendance as well. Old Stone Dock members Peter Cahill, Kevin Doyle, Mike Herlihy, Pat Herlihy, Anne Prior, Laura Puopolo, Scott Puopolo, Terry Saunders, Jay Thayer and Polly Thayer came out to chat with, thank and support the crew as well.   Featured picture behind the food table. OSDA President, Jay Thayer as well as Town Manager Julian Suso spoke and gave thanks to all for another successful summer season. Group Picture & Beach Committee Members, Margie Mitchell, Jeff Billard and Nancy Quigg     Crowd Pictures

On July 4, 2021 I stumbled by this double yellow shell heart memorial at Surf Drive Beach.  I think (zoomed in on pic) the note on middle stone states “I never got to say goodbye.  Wish I could go back to the day when angels came and took you away.  I wanted to hold your hand so tight, kiss you gently and say goodnight and just before you had to go, I would tell you how much I love you”.  It appears that there was a pail of shells and a marker and others added names and notes on the shells of their loved ones who had also passed.

Hello Neighbor - Greetings from the Old Stone Dock Association, I hope that this note finds you healthy and preparing for a fun-filled summer in Falmouth. A lot has changed from this time last year. Most of our wishes to safely emerge from the pandemic are being realized and lives are returning to a more recognizable normalcy. There are a lot of reasons to believe that this trend will continue. Some activities that I wanted to update you on follow: The  Beach House Flower Boxes on the Ellen T. Mitchell Bathhouse were placed in time for the Memorial Day weekend and provide a nice splash of color on the Surf Drive beach landscape. Beach Superintendent Maggie Clayton expressed appreciation from the beach staff who work out of the bathhouse daily and she assured me that they would make sure that the flowers get the care that they need this Summer.   The Annual Surf Drive Beach Cleanup was held on June 6 with 18 members picking up trash along the beach and surrounding roadways as well as sand around the bathhouse and parking lot. The beach was busy with many people picking up beach stickers and some stopping by our table to purchase Old Stone Dock Association 'Logowear'. Beach Director Maggie Clayton and members of the Beach Committee including our liaison Margie Mitchell joined us and thanked the members. Membership Renewal Notices were mailed on April  30 to approximately 350 new, current and past members. The response so far has been strong and we are optimistic about a strong membership for 2021/22. Please support the OSDA this year as we will be turning our attention back to issues and activities that affect our members and our neighborhood as well as looking for opportunities to interact with other town organizations. Completed membership forms can be returned now to P.O. Box 835, Falmouth, MA  02541 for the current year of 6/1/2021 to 5/31/2022. I have attached the membership letter and application to this email. The membership renewal form can also be found on our website at oldstonedock.com if that is more convenient for you. We thank you in advance for participating in the neighborhood association and allowing us to pass along items and information which may be of interest to you and your neighbors.   Tuition Assistance Applications are available to children and grandchildren of Old Stone Dock Association members who will be freshmen at a 2 or 4 year college in the Fall semester of 2021.  Members must be paid up and current with their 2021/2022 dues.  Applications must be postmarked by June 30, 2021. The quantity and amount of scholarships provided annually will be determined by the Board of Directors and recipients will be selected by the committee.  The Tuition Assistance Application can be opened on the OSD website (oldstonedock.com) as a fillable PDF form, saved and printed from your PC.  A copy is also attached to this email if you would like to print it and fill it in by hand.  Applications must be mailed to OSDA-Tuition Assistance, P.O. Box 835, Falmouth, MA  02541 and [...]

On June 5, 2021 OSDA members gathered at the Ellen T Mitchell Administrative Building for their annual beach and roadway clean up and membership promotion.  Old Stone Dock Members, Cindy Lehtinen, Terry Saunders and Steve Saunders manned the table and explained to those who passed by what their members were doing and had handouts, membership applications and the new ‘beach rack cards’ to provide to those who were interested.  Old Stone Dock Logo Wear including T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Vests, Caps, Winter Hats, Tote Bags, Note Cards were sold. Surf Drive Beach was cleaned both beach side and road side from Shore Street down to the raised houses on the beach after Mill Road.  Side streets were also cleaned where they intersected with Surf Drive.  Many members worked at the Surf Drive parking lot sweeping and weeding around the area. The following members participated in the clean-up.  Peter Cahill, Mike Herlihy, Bob Lehtinen, Rocco Maffei, Carole Mendoza, Pat O’Connell, Anne Prior, Laura Puopolo, Scott Puopolo, Paul Smith, Jay Thayer, Polly Thayer. They were joined in the clean up by Beach Committee Members Margie Mitchell and Barbara Schneider.  Jeff Billard, Beach Committee Chair also stopped by to meet our Officers, Board Members and Volunteers. Beach Committee members Margie Mitchell and Barbara Schneider are pictured with members Anne Prior and Carole Mendoza Members Steve Saunders and Jay Thayer Member Pat O'Connell OSDA President Jay Thayer, Beach Committee Chair Jeff Billard