Planning a well-run event takes time, Joan Imhof, of Bayville said, the first committee meeting of the Red Cross Swim-A-Cross, took place last week. She and Judge Ute Lally are co-chairs of the event which is again being planned for August.

She was happy to see the mystery picture of the giant pink WKJY duck in the Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot newspaper. "It's beginning the advertising for the event," she said.

She and her husband John were at the Friends of the Bay Sunset Cocktail Party. They were talking about how the change has affected the swim.

Swimmers used to swim to Centre Island, now they are bused there and swim back. "You're transporting dry people now," said John!

"John runs one of the safety boats for swimmers," said Joan.

"The other boats being lined up for next year are Clint Smith's boat, Barbara Berg's boat and Dave Relyea's boat - all again," she said.

"I'm going to swim this year, for the first time," said John Imhof.

"That's excellent. Start training in June," said Joan.

The swim can be a challenge for people, said a listener.

"You can't hang on to the edge," said Joan.

"And...you have to make sure they all come out," John said.

"That's why they all wear ID bracelets," Joan added.

"People remark about how clean the bay is. The swim has grown over the years. Well over 100 swimmers have raised a nice sum for the Red Cross," she said.

Mrs. Imhof took the picture of the WKJY duck when she was out in one of the safety boats at a Swim-A-Cross a few years ago. She is a great photographer.

"I'm making my own photo cards. Taking a picture and putting it on heavy stationery. I enjoy it," she said.

Joan Imhof's day job is as the president of the Long Island Volunteer Center. Last week was National Volunteer Week, said Joan. "Last year's 93 million volunteers, provided services that had a value of $201 billion. That's greater than the value of Royal Dutch Shell or Microsoft," she said.

Bayville Intermediate Participates in Summer Reading Olympics

This summer, the students at Bayville Intermediate School will participate in New York State Senate's Summer Reading Olympics. The program is designed to get children to realize the rewards of reading by encouraging them to exercise their imaginations and make reading a daily event.

Senator Carl Marcellino is sponsoring this wonderful activity, where each student reads three age-appropriate books (other than those which may be required for school) and completes the Summertime Reading Olympic Record Book. At the end of the summer, the children send Senator Marcellino their completed Record Book with a parent's signature. Those who reach the finish line will be awarded special certificates congratulating them.

Library-media specialist Leslie Derenfeld has registered the entire school, because according to her, "the students at the Bayville Intermediate School are very interested in reading both fiction and nonfiction books." She feels sure that everyone will be a winner.

Principal Nora Friedman was recently notified that Bayville Elementary School is the recipient of the 1997-98 American Student Council Association's Honor Council Excellence Award. In a letter to Mrs. Friedman from the National Association of Elementary School Principals' Assistant Executive Director Margaret Evans, "Your students' commitment to leadership, citizenship and community service" earned the school this prestigious honor.

"This award can be attributed to all the staff, faculty, students and parents who work to make Bayville Elementary a special place in which to learn," commented Mrs. Friedman.

The Incorporated Village of Bayville is sponsoring the third annual 5K Run on Saturday, May 16. The race starts at 9 a.m. at West Harbor Memorial Beach.

Last year about 115 people took part in the race.

This year, the race benefits the Leukemia Society of America Long Island Chapter.

The entrance fee for the race is $15 prior to May 16 and $18 the day of the race.

Please call the Village Hall in Bayville at 628-1439 for more information.

Applications and information to exhibit your wares are now available for the Bayville Seaside Festival at Charles Ransom Beach, Bayville, hosted by OSIA Brian Piccolo Lodge #2467 on Sept. 13. Contact Jean at 628-1099.