Calverton Column: Your Stop & Shop points can help Riley Avenue

What weird weather this year, right? Last Saturday I was driving my truck down Route 58, going past Riverhead Raceway, when I just happened to look at my temperature gauge, which read 48 degrees. For some reason I looked at it again and the temperature had dropped. It kept dropping till it reached 41 degrees, which happened in just one mile. Then it began to rain and as I turned the corner it started snowing. Spooky stuff.

Congratulations to Benny Orlowski, who has retired from Cornell Cooperative Extension after 29 years. A great party was thrown for him at Indian Island, at which many of his co-workers and lots of family and friends helped him celebrate. Benny, all your friends, your lovely wife, Eileen, your children, grandchildren and myself wish you a very warm, sunny retirement with tropical breezes following you everywhere. Congratulations and have fun!

It’s spaghetti time! This Saturday, Jan. 21, is Baiting Hollow Congregational Church’s annual spaghetti dinner. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 10. Call 591-0822. There are two seatings available: 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Do go, eat, relax and enjoy some great food and wonderful friends.

There’s an ongoing fundraiser at Riley where you can help raise money for the school by doing virtually nothing. Those with a Stop & Shop points card can help Riley earn money from your purchases. To register for 2012 log on to stopandshop.com/aplus or call 1-877-275-2758 and use school ID 09106. Do consider participating.

Many thanks to a few wonderful, kind and caring people at Riley: Mrs. Kappenberg and Mrs. Masterson for the holiday murals, which are brought to Peconic Bay Medical Center each year, much to the delight of its patients and staff. And to Rose’s Care and Share, RAPA and all our Riley parents who have donated many gifts to help families in need this past holiday season. Thank you all so much!

Belated happy birthday to Gary Pelis on Jan. 16 from all your family and friends. We hope you had a simply wonderful birthday, honey!

My mom grows orchids and she grows them amazingly. I was always leery about trying to grow them. I am happy to say she’s right, they are easy to grow as long as you feed them and water them regularly. It’s fun to watch their little buds pop out. Do try it. Get an orchid with or without flowers (they are much cheaper without flowers), sit back and watch the fun begin.

Take care, have a great week and I shall talk to you next time. Bye.