One tell-tale sign that OPET's outgrowing infancy, is the turnover of its founding board members. This year, a whopping one-third of the Board, namely five founding directors, completed their 5-year terms. To guarantee smooth continuity of OPET's programs, the Board amended OPET's Bylaws to permit a staggered turnover of founding directors by allowing some of them to serve 1 or 2 years longer than the maximum of 5 consecutive years. At the Annual Meeting, OPET's membership sanctioned this amendment. Founding directors John Dowling, Barry Norris and Dana Rodin agreed to continue to serve, while Stanley Hart and William Kerfoot did not seek re-election. Non-founding board members Carl Breivogel and Cheryl Peach also stepped down. Every one of the former directors has contributed greatly to OPET's operation, and they will be sorely missed! However, we know we can call on them any time for help and input -- and believe us, we do! Regretfully, Robert Wilsterman also resigned from the Board of Directors in September, due to an overload of other commitments (including to his two young daughters).
OPET is fortunate to have recruited three new directors who bring a diversity of talent and at least one common interest, namely the well-being of Oyster Pond, to the Board. Mindy Hall of Oyster Pond Rd and her husband Larry Praff have been generous financial supporters of OPETfor many years. Mindy attended OPET board meetings throughout last year. She is a researcher with WHOI, studying deep sea currents at the equator. Nature conservation and volunteering at the Falmouth dog pound are high up in her non-professional agenda. Christine Gault, executive director of Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, moved to Ransom Road in May and was immediately courted by board members eager to tap into her vast expertise in everything concerning estuaries, water quality, nutrient overload, you name it. She is an avid kayaker and no doubt you have already seen her plying the waters of Oyster Pond. Robert King and his wife Ginny are sailors who have visited this area each summer for years. They have moved to Treetops because they were charmed by the view of Oyster Pond and the Sound. Robert headed various Marketing Research and Systems departments at General Foods before retiring to Falmyuth. We are looking forward to his involvement in OPET efforts.
K.O. Emery, the author of the classic study on Oyster Pond, A Coastal Pond Studied by Oceanographic Methods, a book reprinted by OPET in 1997, lived in a house on a bluff on the north end of Oyster Pond. The red house with white window trimmings commanded a view down the length of the pond clear across Vineyard Sound. Because of its double-sized lot and ample buffer of trees surrounding it, the Emery house, though small in size, held its own against the nearby bulk of Treetops buildings. Sadly, this historic building had to be torn down in the fall of 1999. But the house going up in its stead looks very similar, it and its septic system are set a bit farther back from the pond, and the surrounding vegetation remains intact.
Benefit your favorite school and OPET at the same time! Here is the plan: middle and high school students always are on the lookout for science projects. The Emery book A Coastal Pond, published by OPET, is a great source for environmental projects involving watersheds and ponds. Buy 10 copies of the book from OPET ($16.50 each or $150.00 for 10, plus sales tax), donate them to the library of your favorite school and get a tax deduction for the value of the books! The book is also great for colleges with earth and environmental science departments! Call 540-7345 to place your order or include a check with the donation form!
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