Bide-A-Wee Animal Hospital is a veterinary clinic serving the Westhampton area. It offers quality and professional petcare by highly trained doctors and staff. From yearly examinations to surgery, your pet's needs will be handled with love and care. In addition to veterinary services, Bide-A-Wee also has an adoption center for cats and dogs. The professional staff takes great care in matching eligible families to the right pet in hopes of finding their forever home.
The Family YMCA houses a heated pool, gymnasium, child care facilities, art studio, fitness center, weight room, exercise studio, dance and yoga studio, massage therapy suite and sauna and steam room. The non-profit organization also aims to impact the wider community by offering educational scholarships and support to individuals of all faiths, races, ages, abilities and incomes.
A-Home is a non-profit organization devoted to assisting eligible individuals with affordable housing in Northern Westchester County. In service to the elderly, disabled or single parent families, A-Home has built or renovated 17 properties in affluent communities. First established in 1985, the organization has helped many individuals by providing them affordable rental opportunities. For more information or in order to apply, visit the listed Web site.
QWR: 75 Years of History!
The Quogue Wildlife Refuge celebrated its 75th year of existence in October, 2009. The Refuge has a fascinating history that started in 1934. Several exceptionally cold winters in the early 1930s caused a decline in the Black Duck population which alarmed many local duck hunters. During a meeting at the Hampton Bays Firehouse, Charlie Belt explained the severity of the waterfowl plight, and suggested they establish a waterfowl refuge, a place where they could propagate and rear
waterfowl “…to put two ducks in the air for every one we take.” From this meeting, the Southampton Township Wildfowl Association (STWA) was formed with 45 charter members; all were duck hunters and pioneer conservationists from the town of Southampton. Their signatures are on the charter which hangs over the fireplace in the Charles Banks Belt Nature Center at the Refuge.
STWA used the land that was formerly the Quogue Ice Company to create a sanctuary. The easterly 104 acres of the former Ice Company was donated by Richard and George Post, sons of charter member Abram Post. This land was given to the Incorporated Village of Quogue who appointed STWA Trustees as the official stewards of the land. In 1938, STWA rallied friends to purchase the westerly half of the Quogue Ice Company, 107 acres for $1,400 from charter member Erastus Post. Another 100 acres of land was added to the
Refuge for preservation by Southampton Town in the 1980s, when town officials agreed to rezone a nearby subdivision from two- acre lots to one- acre lots.
Feeding the birds was a top priority. This was a huge undertaking, requiring two men for at least two hours a day. These men volunteered their time to cut ice from the pond and feed the famished flocks. In one year alone, over thirty tons of grain-potato mix was prepared and fed by STWA volunteers.
In 1936, STWA was awarded First Prize in a National Waterfowl Contest, sponsored by More Game Birds in America (Ducks Unlimited, Inc.) for the vast amount of work accomplished through volunteer efforts. The engraved Silver Cup remains on the mantle.
What was known as the Quogue Waterfowl Sanctuary on old maps is now known as the Quogue Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge has evolved over time to take school groups on tours, to care for permanently injured animals in the Distressed Wildlife Complex, and to offer educational programs for people of all ages throughout the year. The 305 acres remain a safe place for plants and animals, and a peaceful haven for people to visit.
Nassau Lionel Operating Engineers (NLOE) is a model train club based in Levittown. This organization has been in the community for more than 20 years, and it is open to new members who are interested in trains and model train building. Before moving to its new location, NLOE housed one of the largest O-Gauge model railroads in the nation, and now has built a new model twice the size of the original. The organization offers open houses to the public, and also hosts holiday shows each year. Check the Web site for details on membership, or to look at some of the models themselves.
The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation's largest veterans service organization, committed to mentoring and sponsorship of youth programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans.
The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with great political influence perpetuated by its grass-roots involvements in the legislation process. Legionnaires' sense of obligation to their community, state and nation drives an honest advocacy for veterans in Washington. The Legion stands not behind politics, but the issues and people that institute progress by focusing on veterans rights and quality of life.
The American Legion's success depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. The organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives.
The Hudson Valley Writers' Center is dedicated to the advancement of the literary arts and serves as an important hub for writers and readers in the region. Since 1988, HVWC has hosted workshops, classes and readings in the community. The non-profit also conducts outreach programs to enrich regional audiences. Each year the group releases at least one book of poetry, published by HVWC's Slapering Hol Press.
