Save The Great South Bay

Creek Defender East Islip Champlin Creek
2025-04-06 08:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York) | 50 Irish Lane East Islip
Help Creek Defender Bill Raftery cleanup litter and debris and remove logs and branches in Champlin creek!
Date: Saturday, April 6, 2025
Time: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Meet Up: 50 Irish Lane East Islip
Contact: w.raftery@yahoo.com
Sign up here!

Creek Defender Patchogue - West Lake
2025-04-12 09:00 - 11:00
Creek Defender – Patchogue River and Tuthills Creek
Date: Saturday, April 12, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Meet Up: West Lake Lawn, parking on Lakeland Avenue – 411 W Main St Patchogue, NY 11772
Contact: Jennifer George and Brian Pendergast
Sign up here!

Creek Defender Bay Shore Pentaquit Creek
2025-04-13 09:00 - 11:00
Creek Defender Bay Shore Pentaquit Creek
Date: Sunday, April 13, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Meet Up: Behind Napa Auto on Union Blvd, 1912 Union Blvd Bay Shore
Contact: Tom Kain
Sign up here!

Creek Defender Bayport - Bayport Beach
2025-04-19 11:00 - 13:00
Creek Defender Bayport – Bayport Beach
Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Meet Up: Bayport Beach, end of Paulanna Ave, Bayport
Contact: Bob Draffin
Sign up here!

Creek Defender Islip Orowoc Creek
2025-04-26 07:00 - 09:00
Creek Defender Islip Orowoc Creek
Date: Saturday April 26, 2025
Time: 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Meet Up: Intersection of Brook Street and Milton Street, Islip
** Chest waders are recommended for this clean up **
Contact: Bill Raftery
Sign up here!

Creek Defender Bellport Hedges Creek
2025-04-26 09:00 - 11:00
Creek Defender Bellport Hedges Creek
Date: Saturday April 26, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Meet Up: Entrance to Hedge’s Creek Preserve
Contact: Albert Poulos
Sign up here!

Creek Defender East Patchogue Swan River
2025-04-27 09:00 - 11:00
Creek Defender East Patchogue Swan River
Date: Sunday April 27, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Meet Up: Pine Neck Boat Ramp
Contact: Joe Werkmeister and Jeff Berholdt
Sign up here!

Creek Defender Great Sump Clean Up West Islip/North Babylon
2025-04-27 09:00 - 12:00
Creek Defender – West Islip/North Babylon along Sampawams Creek – Join Andy, Ed & Michael as they do a MAJOR clean up in the sump at the corner of Bayshore & Weeks Road.
Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Meet Up: Corner of Bayshore Rd and Weeks Rd. Suggesting parking along side streets of Weeks Road.

Contact: Andy Mirchel & Ed Ragan
Sign up here!

Oyster Shindig
2025-05-02 16:30 - 18:00 | Coastal Kitchen, 12 E Main St, Bay Shore, NY, 11706
Oyster Shindig 2025
Fresh Great South Bay Oysters, Cold Beverages, and Camaraderie!

Join us for Happy Hour celebrating oysters and the Great South Bay!

Start your summer off right with live music, local oysters, and a cold drink! The best part is you’ll be supporting our efforts to restore the bay, such as our Oyster Sanctuaries, Water Monitoring, and Creek Defender programs. Get your tickets now before they sell out!
Includes:
Live music by Bobby Digital

Fresh oysters from the Great South Bay

Delicious passed Hors d’oeuvres

Frothy ice cold beer

Chilled sparkling wine

Live Shucking with Michel Misson from Little A’s Oysters

Learn how you can help grow oysters for the GSB Oyster Project
Hope to see you there!

Creek Defender Oakdale Connetquot River
2025-05-04 09:00 - 11:00
Creek Defender Oakdale Connetquot River
Date: Sunday May 4, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
In collaboration with Friends of Connetquot and as part of NYS Love My Parks Day.
Meet Up: at the flagpole at Connetquot River State Park, 4090 Sunrise Hwy Oakdale, NY 11769
Contact: Janet Soley

Creek Defender Massapequa - Massapequa Creek
2025-05-10 09:00 - 12:00
Creek Defender Massapequa – Massapequa Creek
Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Meet Up: LIRR Parking Lot at 510 Parkside Blvd
Contact: Don Nedbalsky
Sign up here!

Creek Defender Amityville Woods Creek
2025-05-17 09:00 - 11:00
Creek Defender Amityville Woods Creek
Date: Saturday May 17, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Meet Up: 395 Merrick Rd, Amityville, NY 11701
Contact: James Bertsch
Sign up here!

Creek Defender - Wantagh - Mill Pond Preserve
2025-05-31 09:00 - 11:00 | Across Street from 2280 Lakeview Rd, Bellmore, NY 11710
Join Creek Defender Joe Damelio and the Wantagh Lions to clean up Mill Pond Preserve!

Date: 5/31/25
Time: 9AM-11AM

Meet up: Across Street from 2280 Lakeview Rd, Bellmore, NY 11710

Sign Up Here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084EA9AE2BA2FDCE9-56792421-creek

Community Oyster Gardens - Babylon Yacht Club
2025-06-02 15:00 - 17:00 | Babylon Yacht Club, 150 Sequams Ln E, West Islip, NY 11795
Join us to restore our oyster populations in the Bay! Oysters eat murky water for lunch. If we bring them back in volume, they’ll clean the bay better and faster than any human can. Help us maintain our Oyster Gardens by taking oyster-filled milk crates out of the water, hosing them down, counting a selection of the baby oysters (spat on shell) & measuring them. Then, returning the crates to the water. Volunteers do NOT go in the water.
This event will happen every Monday from 3-5pm from June 2nd – September 15th
Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084EA9AE2BA2FDCE9-54251515-great#/

Community Oyster Garden - Bayshore Yacht Club
2025-06-04 10:00 - 12:00 | Bay Shore Yacht Club, 20 W Shore Rd, Bay Shore, NY 11706
Join us to restore our oyster populations in the Bay! Oysters eat murky water for lunch. If we bring them back in volume, they’ll clean the bay better and faster than any human can. Help us maintain our Oyster Gardens by taking oyster-filled milk crates out of the water, hosing them down, counting a selection of the baby oysters (spat on shell) & measuring them. Then, returning the crates to the water. Volunteers do NOT go in the water.
This event will happen every Wednesday from 10-12pm from June 4th – September 17th
Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084EA9AE2BA2FDCE9-54251193-great#/

Speaker Series: My Life As A Clammer On The Bay With Steve Kuhn
2025-07-25 09:00 - 23:00 | The View, 3 Consuelo Place, Oakdale, NY
Clam Power: My Life as a Clammer on the Great South Bay
With Author and Longtime Clammer Steve Kuhn
Friday, July 25th, 2025 | 9:00–11:00 AM
The View, 3 Consuelo Place, Oakdale, NY

Join us for a special morning on the waterfront as we welcome Steve Kuhn, longtime bayman and author of Clam Power, for a fascinating look into the life of a clammer on Long Island’s Great South Bay.
As part of our Save The Great South Bay Speaker Series, this event offers a unique opportunity to hear firsthand stories from the bay, explore the history and culture of clamming, and reflect on how one man’s journey can teach us about resilience, sustainability, and the future of our coastal communities.
Whether you’re a lifelong Long Islander or just discovering the bay, this is a rare chance to learn from someone who has lived it.

About the Speaker: Steve Kuhn
Steve Kuhn began clamming in the Great South Bay in the 1970s, part of a golden era when the bay provided both a living and a way of life for thousands. Through boom times and busts, Steve stayed on the water—raking, tonging, and storytelling his way through a rapidly changing landscape. In his memoir Clam Power, he shares tales of grit, grace, and the grit in between.
A gifted writer and natural storyteller, Steve brings the voice of the bayman to life with humor, honesty, and heart. His book is not just about clamming—it’s about identity, legacy, and our relationship with the places that shape us.

Event Agenda

9:00–9:30 AM | Coffee & Continental Breakfast
Arrive early to enjoy complimentary coffee and light fare with a view of the bay.
9:30–10:15 AM | Clam Power: My Life as a Clammer on the Great South Bay
Steve Kuhn will present selected stories and insights from his life on the bay.
10:15–11:00 AM | Audience Q&A & Conversation
Bring your questions and memories—this is a space for shared stories and dialogue.

RSVP Today – Seating is limited!
This is a free event, but registration is required. Books will be available for sale and signing on-site. Register here: https://givebutter.com/nzX60Z

Presented by Save The Great South Bay
Together, we are working to protect and preserve our bay—one story, one speaker, one action at a time.

Dockside Family Festival at Captree State Park
2025-09-06 10:00 - 18:00 | Captree State Park, 3500 E Ocean Pkwy, Bay Shore, NY
9/6/25
Captree State Park
10am-6pm
Help us spread the word about our mission and educate attendees on our programs!
Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084EA9AE2BA2FDCE9-58093349-dockside

Oyster Ball 2025
2025-09-13 18:00 - 22:00 | Gatsby on the Ocean, 2000 Ocean Pkwy, Wantagh, NY, 11793, United States
Join us for an unforgettable evening at Gatsby’s On The Ocean for The Oyster Ball, our signature fundraising gala supporting the restoration of the Great South Bay.
Enjoy an evening filled with live music, coastal-inspired cuisine, local oysters, and community celebration — all set against the breathtaking backdrop of our waterfront venue. Feel the sea breeze, soak in panoramic views of the water, and experience the natural beauty that makes our mission so meaningful.
Come enjoy the magic of the South Shore while supporting a cause that protects
it for generations to come.
Buy Tickets Here

West Islip County Fair
2025-09-21 09:00 - 17:00
9/21/25
9am-5pm
West Islip Library
Help us spread the word about our mission and educate attendees about our programs at the West Islip County Fair.
Sign Up Here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084EA9AE2BA2FDCE9-57958620-west#/

Speaker Series: State of the South Shore Bays
2025-10-10 09:00 - 11:00 | The View, 3 Consuelo Place, Oakdale, NY
Join Us for the Sixth Annual Speaker Series: State of the Bays with Dr. Christopher Gobler
📅 Friday, October 10, 2025
🕘 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
📍 The View, Oakdale
Sign up here
Save the Great South Bay is proud to host our Sixth Annual State of the Bays presentation with Dr. Christopher Gobler of The Gobler Laboratory at Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences.
Dr. Gobler will share the latest science on water quality across the South Shore Estuary Reserve—how conditions are changing over time, what the trends mean, and what we can expect if they continue.
Our Speaker Series brings together scientists, educators, elected officials, environmental agencies, non-profits, and the public to foster collaboration and inspire action to protect and restore our bays.
☕ Coffee and continental breakfast will be served.
❓ Audience Q&A to follow the presentation.
Agenda

9:00–9:30 AM Networking over continental breakfast
9:30–10:15 AM Presentation
10:15–10:45 AM One-on-one audience engagement

About Dr. Christopher Gobler
Dr. Christopher Gobler is a Professor at Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, where he also co-directs the Center for Clean Water Technology. A lifelong Long Islander, his research focuses on how climate change, nitrogen loading, and other human impacts drive harmful algal blooms, ocean acidification, and coastal ecosystem decline. His work has been central in identifying the causes of Long Island’s water quality challenges and advancing solutions to restore the region’s marine environment.
Sign up here

Beach Clean Up With Lessings Hospitality
2025-10-11 09:00 - 11:00
10/11/25
9am-11am
Join Lessings Hospitality to clean up Gilgo Beach
Sign Up Here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084EA9AE2BA2FDCE9-58090279-beach#/

Patchogue Clean Up
2025-10-18 09:00 - 11:00 | Tuthills Creek
We are hosting an incredible clean-up in Patchogue near the Gateway Plaza. We will update once we know the meetup location. Help us clean up litter, debris, and invasive species. Sign up using the link below!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084EA9AE2BA2FDCE9-58876028-tuthills

Oakdale Clean Up
2025-10-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Byron Lake Pool
We are collaborating with Oakdale Civic Association and Rae Paoletta to host an incredible, 3-part clean up in Oakdale! Help us clean up litter, debris, and invasive species. Sign up using the link below!
Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084EA9AE2BA2FDCE9-58759346-oakdale#/
