Montauk Playhouse Community Center Foundation / March 2020 Newsletter

The Montauk Food Pantry will be extending their service into the spring this year, and will be distributing every 2 weeks. Visit their website (link below) for their schedule and location. If you would like to help the Montauk Food Pantry, the best way is to purchase Montauk IGA Gift Cards and mail them to: Montauk Food Pantry

P.O. Box 997, Montauk NY 11954

Many of our local restaurants and food purveyors are offering take-out or delivery. Restaurants are one of the hardest hit industries in this crisis—help support our local spots by ordering a meal to go. At last count, the following spots are currently offering take-out and delivery:

The Montauk Library has a variety of online services to explore for children and adults. Visit the Library’s website where you’ll find links for accessing free eBooks, audiobooks, magazines and newspapers, homework help, local history databases, and online learning resources.

Local fisherman Chucky Morici and his partner James Foley gave away more than 1,000 pounds of fresh fish to help their neighbors. “The stores were going empty and people were panicking,” Chucky said. “We thought we’d help calm people down by doing the right thing and giving the fish away.”

We’re a water-loving community—that’s for sure! While we won’t be dipping our toes into the ocean for a few months yet, we’re living vicariously through our local surfers who are suiting up and enjoying some salt water therapy. Our local photographers are taking some amazing shots, too—like this one (left) by Dalton Portella. Follow him on Instagram at: @dltnart and check out his website to explore his art and music: daltonportella.com

The Montauk Chamber of Commerce has news on their website relevant to the Montauk business community, including resources and links for small business owners.

Make sure to practice safe social distancing on our beaches and trails. As of now, all of our local beaches and trails are open but we encourage everyone to make sure they remain so, by not congregating in groups and only visiting these spots with those in your household with whom you are quarantining.

Can’t get to beach? View a live stream online from Terrace, HERE

The news can be scary—make sure to limit your children’s screen time as well as your own, by signing up for essential alerts. I use the COVID Suffolk texts (text: COVIDSUFFOLK to 67283), Town of East Hampton alerts, and News12 alerts. That way I can stay informed without keeping the TV on or feeling like I have to watch every press conference.

• Create structure: Make sure meal and snack times are consistent, and you are sticking to normal bed times and rising times.

• Stay positive and know that this time will pass. The safer you and your family can be, the better you will fare during this time.

From the Montauk Historical Society’s Facebook page: Photo of a soldier from Camp Wikoff after the Spanish – American war. In the summer of 1898, Montauk hills were dotted with tents for 29,500 soldiers returning from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Florida. Many brought back yellow fever and typhoid. Then as now, doctors, nurses and healthcare workers were and are doing heroic work. During this time 263 men died at Montauk’s Camp Wikoff. Let’s all stay safe and observe advised protocols.

Our local journalists and media outlets are doing an amazing job covering the Coronavirus pandemic, under difficult circumstances. Visit their websites for the latest breaking news, and if you can, support their efforts with a donation or a subscription.

East End Cares and The Clamshell Foundation are asking all who are able to donate $5 to help provide emergency food to the East Hampton Food Pantry, Springs Food Pantry, Sag Harbor Food Pantry, and Montauk Food Pantry.