Jim Singer will be writing this column next week. Thanks, Jim. You can send him information at SingerJO @aol.com for call him at 633-5561.

I am sure elsewhere in this paper you will nd an article about the Southport Town Meeting last Monday, March 3. Since this column is due on Monday by 3 p.m. and the meeting was held at 7:30 p.m., I could not write about it.

Here’s a story that marks our town as a special place. My neighbor, Edee Crosby, needed someone to shovel a path to her oil tank because she was running out of oil. As you remember the snow last week was icy and heavy, so neither of us could do it. After trying several commercial establishments with no luck, we ask for suggestions from two very busy island men. Both responded by giving their own names as helpers, one of whom got there rst to complete the task. Not their job, but willing to help a neighbor in need. Well done, guys, and thanks.

It seems to have been a tough winter for us older folks on Southport. This past week we lost two creative residents, June Elderkin and Donald Duncan. June, who lived on Pratts Island Road, is known to many as an artist, but she also was commodore of the Southport Yacht Club and a participant in many races, some with me as her mate. Very familiar with the sea as her husband was a lobsterman, she was quite at ease in the boat, teaching me much about the sea and sailing. Her daughter, Jennifer, followed her dad into the lobster business for a while, but now lives with her husband  and daughters in New Zealand. 

Many remember Donald Duncan—who retired from teaching math at Milton Academy, to his house of the east side of the island—as a bagpipe player. Complete with a tartan skirt, hat and knee socks, he would pipe for a variety of island events. Sometimes I would enjoy hearing him play, standing on the rocks at All Saints, looking out to sea, as if he were piping the boats home. More of his involvement on the island and elsewhere, I am sure, will be noted in his obituary elsewhere in the paper.

From Ella Long comes this news. “Southport Firemen, Southport Island Association Members, Southport Historical Society Members, and any other interested Southporters are invited to join in a discussion of Southport’s Emergency Preparedness and Communications at the Town Hall on Tuesday March 4 at 6 p.m. The session will be led by members of the Southport Climate Action Team (SCAT), who will offer an update of their findings, and present some ideas that may enhance Southport's emergency preparedness. Town feedback and discussion of these ideas are essential to SCAT’s next steps. Please participate!"

Plan to attend the Southport General Store’s St. Patrick’s Day dinner on Friday, March 14 from 4 to 7 p.m., consisting of traditional corn beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, and other goodies.

Next up for your calend dars is the Southport Island Association’s Winter Walk to be held Saturday, March 15 at the Southport Library from 3 to 5 p.m. The walk will start at the library with the beautiful alpacas from the Cape Newagen Alpaca Farm. Mike and Anne Gobes will lead us in the walk and talk to us about their farm friendly alpacas. Following the walk there will be social and warm up time in the library with refreshments for both children and adults. Call the library for additional information at 633-2741.

The Boothbay Region Democratic Committee (BRDC), the Southport Democratic Committee and other interested persons are invited to attend a meeting Saturday, March 22 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Rotary Club building at 66 Montgomery Road in Boothbay Harbor. The purpose of the meeting is to vote on the merger of the Southport Democratic Committee and the BRDC and to elect ocers for the Regional Committee and Vice-Chairs for each town. Speakers will include Maine Senator Cameron Reny, Representative Holly Stover, Keith Mestrich, and Brian Coleman. Bring refreshments to share if you wish. For more information, contact Lucian Laurie at dem.chair.23@gmail.com.

A reminder from Carla Boussen that the Keepers of Burnt Island Lighthouse (KBIL) are looking for volunteers—greeters, guides, gardeners and program helpers. They also hope that previous volunteers who know the ropes plus the new volunteers will blend the tried and true with new energy and ideas. She asks that we stay tuned for more info coming soon in the Boothbay Register.