Author: Useppa

Easter Cotton Club – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – Another night of fellowship and fun under the stars dancing poolside to music by Stolen Fruit. Thank you to Doug Hitchcox for arranging everything. Thanks to Jaclyn and Ryan Berger for sponsoring the event. And thank you to Donald Beckstead and the Useppa Island Club for making it happen. Hurricane recovery continues.

Springtime on Useppa – Thoughts and Photos by UseppaGin – Recovery from Hurricane Ian continues, but it no longer defines life on Useppa. Reconstruction of the Marina dock is almost finished. Members and guests mix with Islanders enjoying lunch and Friday Happy Hour at the Tarpon Bar. The Barbara Sumwalt Museum hosted a favorite writer. Craig Pitman spoke about Florida’s efforts to save the panther combining humor and science. The UYC is sailing every Saturday, weather permitting, and then gathering for lunch at Bill’s Grille. Spring Break means family visits. Useppa’s Cub Reporter is checking on butterfly births. Useppa is a gift we don’t take for granted.

Saint Patrick’s Day on Useppa Part II – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – One week ago, we paraded and partied. We danced and went to a delicious barbecue under the Pink Path Banyan Tree. Thanks to the Useppa Island Club and generous homeowners, we tipped a few beers, we listened to the Jug Creek Band, and just had fun. The comeback from Hurricane Ian continues. Thank you to all whose good deeds remind us just how fortunate we are.

Saint Patrick’s Day on Useppa, Part I – Pictures and Thoughts by UseppaGin – Hurricane recovery is hard work. Sometimes we just need to have fun, come together as the Useppa family and play. The tradition of a Saint Patrick’s Day Parade is decades old, but this year it was Part I of a celebration. Decorated golf carts paraded up and down the beach. Prizes were awarded to all, and then in Part II, there was music and a barbecue. How lucky all of us were to be part of it. Congratulations to the winners in the parade and thank you to all who made it possible.

Under the Stars, the 2023 Museum Fund Raiser – Thoughts by Linda Colgan, Pictures by UseppaGin – Friday, March 10th was a night of island magic for over one hundred members of our Useppa family listening to strolling guitars, enjoying paella from an open fire, and coming together to support our Barbara Sumwalt Museum. With a beautiful starry night above, an open tent on the croquet court, it could not have been more perfect. The fundraiser committee, spearheaded by Brian and Mary McColgan, the Useppa Island Historical Society’s Board of Directors, and Rona Stage, Executive Director set out to promote goodwill, have an entertaining evening, and help the Museum raise funds. Thanks to everyone who attended and supported the event. The Museum more than succeeded in meeting its goals!

Dancing the Night Away – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – The year’s 1st Cotton Club party could not have been more fun. An almost full moon rising over the water, the band Deb and the Dynamics playing, a deck filled with dancers, and smiles everywhere. Thank you to all who made it possible. The night was a gift to all of us.

Island Fun on Useppa – Thoughts by UseppaGin, Pictures by UseppaGin and Cindy Ryan – The island is almost back to normal activity wise. On a Wednesday morning coffee, questions, and fire extinguishers at the Fire House with Fire Chief William Schobel. Another day the Paradise Partnership volunteered members for an overgrown plant cleanup duty at Bill’s Grille. Friday Happy Hours are fun for all at the Tarpon Bar. Sunday means French bakery goodies and a ride on the island launch. Everywhere smiles.

RAIN A History for Stormy Times: Useppa Museum Talk by Cynthia Barnett – Pictures and Thoughts by UseppaGin – Speaking at the Useppa Museum, award-winning environmental author Cynthia Barnett shared a natural and cultural tour of RAIN, from the torrents that filled the oceans four billion years ago to the modern story of climate change. In a thank you Barnett wrote, “Useppa Museum is a gem and I was so honored to be invited to return. I love the extent to which the community honors barrier island history, style, and wild landscaping. I hope you all can hold tightly to those commitments as the rest of the region grows too quickly and too generically. Thank you for a lovely weekend.”

Useppa Yacht Club, Another Season Begins – Thoughts by UseppaGin, Photographs by Cindy Ryan and UseppaGin – Marshall Catboats back in the water Friday, Bill’s Grille on Saturday, and on Sunday morning, the 2023 season’s 1st Sail. It was a fun weekend for everyone, and only the first of many to come. Comradery on and off the water describes the UYC. Thanks to the Useppa Service Department for getting the boats back in the water. Thanks to all who made Bill’s Grille a delicious treat, and thanks to the UYC Race Committee for making it happen.

Butterflies, Children, and Grownups – Photos and Thoughts by UseppaGin – On a Saturday afternoon we were all together. It was a magical time for all ages. Children created artwork, and then wondering through the Butterfly Garden, they discovered tomorrow’s butterflies ready to hatch. Grownups shared fellowship and nature. Thank you to the Useppa Butterfly Garden for making us all one in nature.