Dans Papers - June 1, 2007

There's got to be at least a hundred of them every year on the North Fork. You know. The art and crafts fairs that spring up all over the place. In schools, parks, firehouses, churches, on a village green or in a retirement community. And the stuff for sale is usually just beautiful. Watercolor paintings of our bays and creeks, oil portraits, carefully stitched quilts, all kinds of hand-crafted toys and decorative pieces. Why, people come from all over Long Island and beyond to visit our fairs - and perhaps purchase a remembrance of their day here. You should see the cars! They're everywhere. Though North Forkers are used to it. As I said, it's been going on for years.

But this year? Just a few weeks ago something different in the world of art and crafts fairs came to our North Fork. Something new and very wonderful. It came quietly, steadily, guided by a devoted and dedicated couple, Linda and Mike Burke of Mattituck. They are devoted and dedicated to each other and their family, of course, but also to a kind of cause that took shape in their hearts and minds almost 19 years ago. I want to tell you about it.

Those 19 years ago, Linda and Mike had a young son attending a school for the developmentally disabled. He was doing well in his classes but his parents were concerned about the difficulties the young people had in establishing and maintaining friendships. The students traveled from all over the North Fork to their school on the South Fork. Not easy to get together with their friends after school or during summer vacations.

Linda and Mike, along with some other parents at the school, came up with what has proven a fine solution - Friends Unlimited. This is a congenial organization whose goal is to provide picnics, ball games, trips near and far, parties - you name it. It's spelled fun and good times for the developmentally disabled. For 19 years!

Now what does this have to do with art and crafts? Well, Linda had an idea (another one - she's full of 'em). Why not have a couple of days set aside for those developmentally disabled who have art and crafts talent and show their creativity to the world? Fine, Linda. But where? Well Linda is a member of the Old Town Art and Crafts Guild in Cutchogue so she approached New Suffolk's Bob Kuhne, president of the Guild, with her idea. Bob said yes, yes, yes. The Guild offered its building for the fair and Linda and Mike got to work.

And it came to pass. First the name: Ability Fair. Then the opening reception on a Saturday evening saw the Guild parking lot crowded, the Guild's display rooms filled with fine art and crafts, scores of proud relatives and friends admiring the work and enjoying wine, cheese, cider, cookies. All the while the artists and craftspeople accepted handshakes and hugs for their magnificent accomplishments. First-place ribbons were awarded, lots of photographs were taken. The last photo, a group shot, brought loud and long applause from the fairgoers. The next day, Sunday, the fair re-opened to sunny skies and many visitors. Oh, there was something else different about this art and crafts fair. Nothing was for sale. Everything was just because.

Everything? I can tell you only some of what I saw. How I wish you were there.

On one wall hung two hooked rugs - floral pastels by David Woodward of Southold. On another wall was fine framed photography. For example, Mattituck's Chris Burke had a super shot of Veterans Park in Mattituck. Dennis Healy of Greenport displayed his photography as did Cheryl Gromcki of Southold. Outstanding was her collage of photos of the TWA Flight 800 Memorial in Shirley.

Gerard McEneaney of Greenport talked just a little of his work. Rather, he talked baseball. Gerard's brother Jimmy works at Shea Stadium so Gerard gets to quite a few games. And Gerard is going to the Bahamas with Jimmy and his family. How about a one-man show on that cruise ship, Gerard?

Susan Gannon, 19, of Cutchogue, really caught my eye with her dolphin needlepoint pillow and her wood-board rocking horse ridden by papier-maachee Emily. Susan named the rider Emily after a favorite teacher.

Yes, this Ability Fair was a thing of beauty, a joy forever. Linda and Mike plan to do it again next year. This may sound foolish but I'm going to suggest they consider changing the name - from Ability Fair to Ability Great.