Waiting for the parade to begin on Sunday, May 3, I met Timothy Quill, NC Department of Community and Youth Services. Part of his job is to monitor the programs at the Boys & Girls Club of Oyster Bay-East Norwich, as they partially fund the programs, he explained.

"They are fantastic programs," he said. "They never have had anything wrong. The people are only to be commended. There should be more like this."

He said, "We'd like to bring our Town of Oyster Bay Youth Advisory Board members here to let them see this and maybe they can develop this kind of building - throughout the town. There is a need for this in Oyster Bay and throughout the town.

"This is a monument to the children saying: welcome on behalf of the community."

Mr. Quill said the township is in a good position vis a vis youth affairs. "The Town is extremely fortunate to have Supervisor John Venditto since children are his first priority. Children are our asset. Without them we won't have a town. We have to keep the children in Oyster Bay."

Mr. Quill was also bully on the Teens for a Better Oyster Bay program. "We fund that also through Peter Thompson of Youth and Family Counseling Agency of Oyster Bay-East Norwich." He saw that, too, as a great program for youth in Oyster Bay.

So this is to congratulate all the wonderful people who have been caring for the children of Oyster Bay-East Norwich area through the various guises of the club since 1952. It seems we are trend setters. That should bring out some applause from the bigger community. This past weekend, there was much applause and many reasons for applause.

If you want to be part of the program, and haven't as yet, there are still ways to join in. You and your family can still purchase wall bricks at $500 and granite tiles - the pink at $1,000 and the matte black at $2,500 and you can even be a star in the firmament! The bronze stars are $5,000.

It's great to be in on a sure thing. This surely is a great thing to be involved with. Share the joy!