The Firemen’s Auction was a great success last Saturday, Aug. 20. Kit and I were very sorry to miss it, but that was the only day we could visit our son, Andy, and his family who were staying for a week on Monhegan. Look for an article about the auction and a picture elsewhere in the paper. The article says the firemen raised about $23,500. Good work everyone.

Oliver reports from the Island Store that he, Janet, and the store staff have a moment to catch their breath since most families of sailors departed after the Southport Yacht Club (SYC) banquet last Friday evening. They expect business will pick up again come Labor Day and for a few weeks thereafter. Island store hours are reduced slightly so that now they are open Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday they will extend the closing time until 7 p.m.

The Island School opens on Wednesday, Aug. 31 with 30 students, up from 26 students last year, and all of the staff returning. Tina Warren has been added as an education tech, working with Mrs. Durost in grades one through three.

Since the school has now been hooked up to water from the Boothbay Region Water District, Matt Thibault has more room in the boiler room where he previously had to keep large plastic jugs of water in reserve for emergencies.

When I stopped by on Monday afternoon the staff were deep in conversation, Matt was hard at work rearranging the boiler room, and the classrooms beckoned as they always do with color, inviting spaces, and objects to explore. Lucky kids!

For us adults, on Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 6 p.m. at the Southport Town Hall the State Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing concerning plans to replace the Thompson Bridge, that is the little bridge over Decker Cove. I have been wondering when such plans would be discussed as the bridge appears more fragile each year. From an article in last week’s “Boothbay Register” I learned that although construction is not scheduled to begin until 2018, the state would like to hear from the public about the variety of use the bridge gets and any other concerns we may have. The bridge was built in 1933 making it older than the Southport Bridge built in 1939.

Looking ahead to the last weekend in August, the SYC’s annual membership meeting will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27 with the Commodore’s closing reception at 5:30 p.m. that evening.

The following night, Sunday, Aug. 28, the Southport Island Association will host its annual meeting at Newagen Seaside Inn from 5 until 7. Please bring an appetizer to share. A cash bar will be available.

We can celebrate with friends and neighbors as our beautiful summer season winds down and the Association gears up for next year with a new slate of officers!  Association president, Barbara Baseman, will welcome the membership and offer a brief review of 2015/16 accomplishments before, pending membership approval, officially "passing the hat" to our incoming president for the 2016/17 season. 

Barbara thanks the board and the membership of the Southport Island Association for the tremendous support she has received as president over the past two years. Barbara will remain on the board in an ex Officio status for the next year. We give our hearty thanks to Barbara for her great work in keeping our Association exciting and meaningful for all on the island.

De Amplo is entertaining two friends from younger days when De visited her southern family and a few years later when she and her husband were attending “Ole Miss” (the University of Mississippi). Becky Jones from Bryant, Arkansas, and Patsy Garner from Goldwater, Mississippi, were shopping in the Gift Barn when I arrived looking for news on Monday afternoon. Both Becky and Patsy exclaimed about the Southport’s beauty, not only of scenery but also of weather. They will be here for almost two weeks so if you see two attractive, vivacious ladies who speak with the southern accent, please welcome them.

We extend sympathy to June Elderkin and her family for the loss of June’s daughter, Laurel Elderkin-Graham, whose obituary appeared in last week’s paper.