Welcome to our home page and my first column as president of the Senior Citizens Foundation of Shelter Island.
We were psyched about 2020 as a big year for us. There was a surge of generous donations funding wonderful new projects, not least of which, a new 20-passenger, wheelchair-accessible bus, “The Silver Streak,” was scheduled for spring delivery. [See some photos from the arrival of The Silver Streak on Thursday, August 20th on our Photos page.]
Then we hit a speed bump. You might have heard. Covid-19.
We’re still psyched. The silver lining of the “golden years” is learning that “this too shall pass” if we hang tough and help each other.
And that’s what SCF does. We’re forging ahead: a newly enhanced partnership with the Shelter Island Senior Center enables us to direct funds into projects that increase accessibility to our beaches, as well as makes life easier for people in wheelchairs.
You might check out that beautiful custom-designed mahogany picnic table in the Wades Beach pavilion, built by Brian Cass, who donated his labor, with materials purchased by SCF. Also, our contributions to construction of the soon-to-be renovated Wades Beach bathrooms, and housing for the Mobi mat and floating wheelchair. We support the Shelter Island Action Alliance, which in turn supports Island restaurants that prepare meals for medical personnel on the frontlines of Southampton and Eastern Long Island hospitals, as well as providing Meals on Wheels and Dinner Bell meals for our Island seniors.
And then there’s that beautiful new bus, waiting right around the corner to allow us to offer seniors more opportunities to travel off the Island to other points of interest. As soon as some semblance of “normal life” reopens, we’ll be boarding the bus.
Your bus, thanks to your generosity. Your donations go towards improving the lives of older adults—over half of the year-round population of Shelter Island.
We couldn’t do it without your support.
We’ll keep you up to date. Stay safe.
Chris Lewis, President