The Rotary Club of Oyster Bay gathered for a celebration with its members recently. About 40 people attended the evening event at Spinnakers, including several committee members and volunteers from the 35th Oyster Festival. They included the winner of the 2017 Oyster Festival Raffle, Patrick Greenawalt.
“He donated the money to a little child,” said Harlan Freidman, Oyster Festival event director/location manager.
“It’s my son Ari, 18 months. It’s his college fund,” said Greenawalt, the regional sales manager for a food manufacturer.
“Patrick volunteers at the Oyster Fest helping with everything, including building the booths and putting up signs,” Freidman added.
Also attending were Kerry Gillick-Goldberg, Oyster Festival director of media relations; and Mel Warren, who is in charge of the Arts & Crafts part of the festival.
Rotary President Judy Wasilchuk was wearing a Christmas jacket: a family heirloom with beaded red poinsettias on the cuffs and collar. There were fresh flowers on the tables and yellow and blue Rotary balloons floating above. Rotary Vice President Rich Elias organized the dinner and longtime member Surinder Wadyal thanked him for getting out so many Rotarians and friends for the evening. Dr. Wadyal was recently nominated president of the NYS Veterinarians Medical Society.
Oyster Festival Chair Jim Fuccio thanked everyone present for contributing to the success of the 2017 festival, “which raises money for charities in Oyster Bay.”
Fuccio was part of the entertainment and sang a Johnny Cash song, “Folsom Prison” and “Like A Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan. His singing demonstrated why the Nobel Prize in Literature went to Dylan.
Fuccio was accompanied by Michael Dorio on guitar, who also performs at the Open Mike Night, Tuesdays at Spinnakers.
“Open Mike Tuesdays at Spinnakers are showcasing amazing new talents. It is really becoming a very special event,” promised Fuccio.
Rotary Past President Walter Imperatore and Bill Smith are planning a February food drive at Stop & Shop again. Smith’s management skills made last year’s event a success to remember. He also organized Rotary’s Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive, another great event that benefits yet another charity organization.
