Flanders

June is really creeping up quickly, isn’t it? I’m not complaining about it, I’m complaining because it felt like forever until spring, and now that the warm weather has finally arrived, it seems to be blowing by like a dandelion seed in the wind.

Speaking of spring, Phillips Avenue School held its annual spring concert last week. I’m happy to report that it was a great success. Student writers who introduced each song were: Avenue Smith, Darius Johnson, Grace Tocci, Souraka Diakite and Zairel Lune. If that wasn’t enough talent, there were also dancers. The following students performed to “Cotton-Eyed Joe”: Donald Oliver, Aniyah Pita, Joshua Quito, Janise Diaz, Alexis Brown, Melissa Blackmore, Chris D’Amour, Emily Beers and Maria Castillo on the violin. Not only are the students at Phillips talented, they are also very giving. Inspired by the song “You Can Help,” by Teresa Jennings, the students decided to donate leftover gifts from Christmas to the victims of the Horton Avenue flood in Riverhead. Ocean Van Der Loos had a solo in that performance. The last song was “Heroes,” which is sung every year at Phillips Avenue as a tribute to the heroes of 9/11, along with a slide show of pictures of the chorus members’ personal heroes. Great job, everyone!

Four Doors Down in Mattituck is hosting a pig roast benefit for everyone’s friend Spencer Shea on Saturday, June 5, starting at 3 p.m. Musical guests Tidal Groove will be performing at 5 p.m. A $10 donation per person is requested and all proceeds will benefit Spencer and his continuing care. Everyone is invited. There will be great food, live music, giveaways and of course, Spencer himself. I hope to see you there. Please call Four Doors Down, 298-8311, and ask for Marianne for more information.

This month’s FRNCA meeting will feature guest speakers from Family Service League and will be held on Monday, May 24, at the David W. Crohan Community Center, starting at 7 p.m. All are invited.

Everyone is invited to this year’s Memorial Day Parade in Riverhead. It will start at 10 a.m. at the corner of Pulaski Street and Osborne Avenue, and will proceed down Osborne Avenue to the War Memorial at Court and West Main streets, where a brief ceremony will be held. Then the parade will move east on Main Street to Roanoke Avenue, turn left and continue to Northville Turnpike and turn right. The march will then go to East Avenue, turn left and proceed to St. John’s Cemetery, where it will stop for a second wreath-laying ceremony. Finally, the parade will return to Roanoke Avenue via Fifth Street, travel north to Pulaski Street, turn west on Pulaski and go to the Riverhead Cemetery. After a short commemoration there, the marchers will re-form and continue to the start location at Pulaski Street and Osborne Avenue where a closing ceremony will be held.

That’s all for this week. Be safe and keep the news coming. See you around the neighborhood.