Congratulations Hannah! MOP Volunteer going to Barnard College

Congratulations to Gann Academy Senior Hannah Dale, who will be matriculating at Barnard College next year. Hannah has been active in the Oyster Project since the early days. She wrote our first successful grant application to the New England Grass Roots Environmental Fund and has volunteered at various events measuring oysters and collecting petition signatures. 

According to Wikipedia, Barnard College is an affiliate of Columbia University, one of the original seven sisters, and has a terrific reputation. The College has an illustrious list of Alumnae including Jeane Kirkpatrick- the first female US representative to the United Nations, anthropologist Margaret Mead and lifestyle maven Martha Stewart. But the list goes on… Comedienne Joan Rivers, Choreographer Twyla Tharp, NPR’s Susan Stanberg, actress Zuzanna  Szadkowsky who plays Dorota on Gossip Girl. Barnard must be doing something right as these are just a few of the prominent names who caught my attention. In popular culture, the television show Mad Men includes the character Rachel Menken who is a Barnard College Graduate.

An interesting aside is that in 1960 the school attracted national attention when Barnard Students began wearing Bermuda shorts to classes at Columbia. How times change!

Hannah also is a volunteer at the New England Aquarium.

Thank You Visit to Constellation Energy

Earlier this week we stopped in to visit the Boston Office of Constellation Energy who granted MOP $5000 in an EcoStar Grant earlier this year.  We met with Brandon Fong who posed for this photo.

Next week we are meeting with the National Park Service who help oversee the Harbor Islands for an informational meeting. 

Beer Tasting February 16th- Great Writeup on NewYork Oyster Restoration- We are behind!

MOP will be sponsoring a beer tasting on February 16 at the Harpoon Brewery at 306 Northern Avenue in Boston from 5:30-7:00 pm. There is a suggested donation of $10 per person. We also will have Island Creek oysters for $1 each. To sign up go to our MOP/Harpoon beer tasting event page on Facebook.      For directions to the Brewery go to this map link. 

We were pleased to come across a terrific document updating the status of oyster restoration in the Hudson River Estuary.  Published by the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program it provides an excellent overview of the multiple restoration programs going on in that Watershed.  It also highlights many of the benefits of a program. To read it, click on this link to NYNJ Oyster Issue.

Visit Mass Oyster Christmas Tree at Max and Dylan's Restaurant

As part of the Charlestown Holiday Stroll, non-profits are placing trees at various retail establishments for viewing on December 4. Ours is at the popular Max and Dylan's Restaurant on Charlestown's City Square.

The tree is covered in oyster ornaments hand-drilled by Charlestown craftsperson extraordinaire- Bette Task.

People on the stroll can visit the trees and vote on their favorites. The day will be capped with a tree lighting in City Square that evening. To paraphrase a saying about former Boston Mayor Curley vote early and often.

The restaurant is offering 25% off dinner entrees so it is an ideal spot to end your stroll with a delicious meal .

If you are agonizing about your holiday tree, you can make it hassle free by bringing it home to impress your mother-in-law for $200.