About Cherry Grove

Enhancing the quality of life in Cherry Grove, Fire Island is a major responsibility of the CGCAI and CGPOA Boards of Directors. To preserve that quality, we need the cooperation of every property owner, renter and day visitor. Here are some information and cautions:

There are no Life Guards at the beach and there are no Public Rest Room Facilities in the Cherry Grove community.

1. FIRE SAFETY

Cherry Grove is protected by its trained and dedicated Volunteer Fire Department. Call 911 to report a fire. Keep your exact address, house number and name (if it has one) near the phone so that you can give this information when you report a fire. If the fire is inside the house, get out first. Have a neighbor call 911 or use one of the pull boxes located on every walk at both Bayview (bay) and Lewis Walk (ocean). Take a minute to locate the pull box nearest you. Finally, if there is a fire, or the alarm sounds, keep the walks clear for the responding firefighters and apparatus. Follow the instructions of the Fire Police. The Fire Department wants you to have a safe stay in the Grove. To them we owe the following cautionary notes and vital information.

Most Grove houses are made entirely of wood and are surrounded by equally combustible grass and brush. The walks are also wooden, which makes discarding of cigarette butts hazardous.

Please observe NO SMOKING signs, beginning at the dock. Please be careful if you smoke. Crush out all cigarettes; don't toss them off the walk into the sand or grass. They could land in or blow into combustible material. Don't toss them on the walk, either; the leaf litter under the walk is highly combustible. And please, don't smoke in bed!

Open Fires are not allowed anywhere on Fire Island. This includes the beach and the National Seashore property. Please don’t use “Tiki” torches.

Barbecues and grills should be used with caution. Don't place them near structures and never leave them unattended. Keep an extinguisher or hose handy in case of accident. And don't dispose of the ashes until they are completely cold. Never barbecue indoors - it's both a fire and carbon monoxide hazard.

Electrical Appliances, especially heaters, are another potential hazard. Make sure they are OFF when not in use. Be sure your extension cords are in good condition, of the proper gauge and not frayed. Don't string them around indiscriminately. Never use an extension cord on an electric heater. Don't overload circuits or replace circuit breakers with ones having a higher amperage rating. Many houses have old wiring and corrosion can cause circuit breakers to malfunction. This in turn can cause overloaded circuits to overheat rather than trip, resulting in a fire. In short, use common sense! Space Heaters and fires in the fireplace. NEVER leave them on or burning while you are away from the house or asleep. Keep fire screens. and chimney spark arrestors in good shape so that sparks do not escape.

Home Owners: Have your chimneys cleaned annually.

Fireworks are illegal on all of Fire Island. They are extremely dangerous and we ask you to celebrate the Glorious Fourth in a less combustible way.

If you have any questions on fire safety, please don’t hesitate to ask the Fire Department.

2. DOCTOR

In Case of Emergency Call 911. The Dr. Elmer A Lindsay Memorial Center, Inc. is located on Doctor’s Walk, one block east of Main Walk, telephone 631-597-6767. The Center is a non-profit community-supported project. There is usually a visiting, volunteer doctor in residence on weekends from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. The Center is open at hours posted on the blackboard outside. Please do not ask the doctor to make a house call unless it is a true emergency. If a doctor is not at the Center, or is unavailable in an emergency, please dial 911. Service is entered into voluntarily between you and the visiting doctor. No other entity is responsible or paid for any service given or received. Fees that are posted at the Center are solely between you and the visiting doctor, and payable at the time of the visit. The doctor may loan equipment such as wheelchairs or crutches for short-term use only. Such equipment must be returned promptly and a refundable deposit may be requested.

Prescriptions, if needed, may be filled by the doctor who will telephone the pharmacy in Sayville. You will be asked for a credit card number and the time of the call and you are responsible for picking up the delivery from the ferry captain.

The Dr. Elmer A. Lindsay Memorial Center, Inc. holds fundraising activities throughout the season so please attend and donate generously to this important project.

3. POST OFFICE

The Post Office is located at Main & Bayview Walks, downtown Cherry Grove. It is usually open from May 1st to October 30th. The hours vary with changing ferry schedule, but are posted on the door. P.O. Boxes, if available, are free. Otherwise, use General Delivery, Cherry Grove, NY 11782. The post office provides most services, but does not sell money orders.

4. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

The Arts Project of Cherry Grove (APCG), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, has for over 50 years been synonymous with theater, art and entertainment activities in the Grove. Along with Bingo and Casino nights, these activities fund community projects such as beach maintenance, the Doctor’s Fund, the Dunes Fund, trash receptacles, the Fire Department and the Community House. To became a member send your membership fee and contributions to APCG, P.O. Box 4137, Cherry Grove, NY 11782. All activities are staffed by volunteers.

5. THE DUNES

The Dunes are our most vital assets, providing a bulwark for the community against forces of nature. Without them, there would be no Cherry Grove.

DO NOT WALK ON THE DUNES and speak to those who do. Don’t dump trash or trimmings on the dunes; it is destructive to the dunes’ ecosystem and unsightly too. While the Cherry Grove Dunes Fund, Inc. works hard to protect the dunes, everyone has a stake in seeing they are not damaged. Contributions may be sent to the Dunes Fund, Inc., P.O. Box 4141, Cherry Grove, NY 11782.

6. DEER

The deer population on Fire Island, even though reduced somewhat, may still be a problem. Besides wrecking flower gardens, the deer may damage native growth. They also carry ticks that can cause Lyme Disease.

DO NOT FEED THE DEER, however appealing they may seem. Fire island National Seashore regulations forbid deer feeding: it encourages them to rely on handouts and in severe winters they starve.

7. DOGS (AND CATS)

Leashes, please, on walks and the beach, although Town of Brookhaven ordinances ban dogs altogether from beaches. Please, don’t let your dog (or cat) roam free. They may easily spook and run away. Tears and the panicked calling of names of lost pets can be avoided this way.

Doggy-doo-doo is a ‘don’t-don’t’! Even dog lovers must be repelled by stepping on a moist turd at night when walking home from a party. While most dog owners do clean up after their pets, it takes just one who doesn’t to ruin an evening and a pair of pumps.

8. NOISE

Radio/Stereo/TV played at high volume at any time can be disturbing to your neighbors, especially because we live in such close quarters in Cherry Grove. Taste in music vary. Reasonable people can differ as to what noise is mildly annoying and what is outrageous. In general, please be aware of your surroundings and considerate of your next door neighbors. Some Fire Island communities ban radios on decks. We haven’t gone that far.

Loud Voices and laughter carry. Again, please be considerate, especially at night. There are those of us who do not dance till dawn and who retire early.

Report loud noise if it is beyond reason by calling the police. Brookhaven has enforceable municipal ordinances governing noise emanating both from private homes and from commercial establishments. Also, please notify the CGPOA and let them try to reason with the offender.

9. RESPONSIBILITY

All of us are responsible for keeping the Grove a safe and pleasant place to live and visit. Harassment based on an individual’s age, race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation disability, or marital status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable local, state, or federal law will not be tolerated in Cherry Grove. Littering, consuming open containers of alcoholic beverages on the board walks and illegal drug use are prohibited. If you see anything obviously out of order, from a broken board on the walk to more sinister goings-on, report it! Responsibilities for keeping the Grove a safe and a pleasant place to visit and live rests with all of us.

10. BULLETIN BOARDS

The Bulletin Boards at Cherry Grove are installed for announcements of general interest to our guests, visitors, renters and home owners.

To maximize its useable space please adhere to the following rules:

• The upper part of the boards are reserved for official community announcements and information on community events.
• Due to the limited space available and as a courtesy to others, please limit your announcement to the size of half a page.
• Advertisements for Off-Island issues or events may be removed without notice.
• Please use Push Pins only - Do not staple anything to the Bulletin Boards.

Thank you for your cooperation.