Preparing. Preserving. Protecting.
Thirty Years of the Fire Island Pines Seashore Defense Fund
By Russell Saray. August 2026
On a barrier island, the beach is more than a destination—it is our first line of defense, our shared backyard, and the very foundation of the Fire Island Pines community. For thirty years, the Fire Island Pines Seashore Defense Fund (SDF) has helped ensure it remains strong for generations to come.
SDF was created with a simple but vital purpose: to prepare, preserve, and protect Fire Island Pines' most valuable natural asset—its beaches and dunes. As FIPPOA's emergency funding mechanism, the SDF provides the financial flexibility to respond quickly after storms and other natural disasters while supporting long-term preservation efforts that strengthen the shoreline. Just as importantly, it maintains a healthy reserve so the community is prepared before the next crisis occurs.
A Community Responds
Damage from December 1992 Hurricane. Photo courtesy of Dr. Ed Schulhafer.
The Seashore Defense Fund (SDF) was formed in response to the Nor’easter of December 11, 1992. Dr. Ed Schulhafer, then a new homeowner in Fire Island Pines, saw the need for an organized response and helped form the independent organization, leading the effort that raised $40,000 in 1993.
The SDF did not attain its 501(c) status until May 3, 1996. Regardless, it played a pivotal role in educating the Pines community about the necessity of increasing the Beach Erosion Control District taxation from 1% to 10% of assessed value. The goal was for the Pines to move forward on its own and contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake an independent beach project for the community.
Early drawing promoting Seashore Defense Fund. Courtesy of Seashore Defense Fund.
While the Fire Island Association (FIA) recognized the need for an island-wide Beach Erosion Control District to provide sand for all of Fire Island, there were too many headwinds to accomplish that at the time. Congress was trying to exclude Fire Island from the National Flood Insurance Program. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) proposed preventing any house suffering more than 50% destruction from a storm from being rebuilt. Following the 1992 Nor’easter, the DEC also ruled that nothing could be rebuilt if there was not a ten-foot sand dune in front of the house.
The SDF paid for consultations with Dr. Robert Dean and Chuck Bowman of Land Use to help get the project underway. That work led to the first of five beach restoration projects that Fire Island Pines built itself before the island-wide federal project was finally approved.
Becoming Part of FIPPOA
As the need for beach preservation grew, so did the importance of the Seashore Defense Fund. In 2004, the SDF became part of the FIPPOA Charitable Foundation, now The Pines Foundation. Integrating the Fund into FIPPOA strengthened its effectiveness by providing greater organizational resources while expanding educational efforts focused on preserving, protecting, and preparing the beach for future storms.
A New Chapter
In 2011, the SDF entered a new phase when FIPPOA President Jay Pagano asked Russell Saray to lead a renewed effort to educate and engage the community around "all things beach."
Russell Saray. Photo courtesy Russell Saray.
The campaign combined public education with creative fundraising. Inspired by City Harvest's successful checkout donation program, the Pines Pantry invited customers to round up their purchases in support of the SDF. Soon afterward, The Pines Liquor Shop joined the effort by donating a portion of the proceeds from every case of wine sold. Russell joined the FIPPOA Board of Directors in 2012 and later became Chair of the Seashore Defense Fund, helping guide its continued growth.
SDF Poster. Photo courtesy of Seashore Defense Fund.
Mother Nature quickly demonstrated why the renewed effort was so important. Hurricane Irene struck in 2011, requiring SDF resources to assist with emergency cleanup and restoration. Before the community had fully recovered, Superstorm Sandy devastated Fire Island Pines in October 2012, causing unprecedented damage to the beaches, dunes, homes, and infrastructure. Once again, the community rallied behind the SDF, providing the resources needed to fund critical emergency measures while longer-term government assistance was secured.
Throughout those challenging years, longtime partners—including the Pines Pantry and The Pines Liquor Shop—continued their unwavering support through fundraising initiatives such as reusable tote bags, specially bottled rum, and other creative campaigns that strengthened both awareness and financial support.
Scoops For The Beach. An ice cream sale courtesy of Pines Pantry and community volunteers Josh Judge, (now State Senator) Erik Bottcher and Jory Stifel.
Working Together
Partnership has always been one of the SDF's greatest strengths.
For the past three years, the Fund has partnered with the Pines Party and The Pines Liquor Shop to ensure one of the community's largest celebrations leaves no trace behind. Together they organize annual post-party beach cleanups that restore the shoreline while highlighting the environmental responsibility shared by the Pines Party, volunteers, and local businesses.
The SDF is especially grateful to the Pines Party for naming the Fund one of its beneficiaries in 2023. That partnership dramatically expanded public awareness of the SDF and introduced many new supporters to its mission.
The SDF also enjoys a longstanding partnership with the Pines Conservation Society. In 2022, the Society organized and funded a major natural sea kelp fertilization project that complemented ongoing beach restoration efforts. For more than fifty years, the Society has championed environmental stewardship, making it a natural ally in protecting the Pines shoreline.
Education, Stewardship, and Community Impact
The Seashore Defense Fund has always believed that protecting the beach requires more than raising money—it requires educating everyone who enjoys it. Preparing the community, preserving the shoreline, and protecting our future are at the heart of every campaign, volunteer effort, and fundraising initiative.
Awareness campaigns, educational signage, harbor displays, and community outreach have become hallmarks of the organization. Today, the SDF raises more individual donations than any other initiative of The Pines Foundation.
Seashore Defense Fund poster courtesy of Seashore Defense Fund.
SDF Beach Clean Up Crew. Photo courtesy of Russell Saray.
The results are visible throughout Fire Island Pines. During the past decade alone, the SDF has coordinated the installation of more than ten miles of dune fencing, added dozens of KEEP OFF DUNE signs, installed 26 Beach Bin trash receptacles, and sold more than 1,000 reusable tote bags that both raise funds and promote environmental awareness.
The organization's educational campaigns have also benefited from the creativity of Pines residents. Its iconic logo—created by Emmy Award-winning resident Doug Dimon and inspired by Rosie the Riveter—has become a recognizable symbol of beach stewardship, combining images of sand fencing and beach grass with the reminder that every resident has a role to play.
Each year, new campaign themes keep the message fresh, including Help Us Stay a Step Ahead of Mother Nature, The Pines. So Many Reasons to Love It, and Love the Beach? Share Your Love.
Seashore Defense Fund campaign poster. Photo courtesy of Seashore Defense Fund.
Why the Seashore Defense Fund Matters
Seashore Defense Fund poster. Photo courtesy of Seashore Defense Fund.
The importance of the Seashore Defense Fund has been demonstrated repeatedly over the past three decades.
Following Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, it took nearly eight years before the federally funded Fire Island to Montauk Point (FIMI) Coastal Storm Risk Management Project reached Fire Island Pines. During that time, the SDF financed temporary protective measures—including TrapBags®, dune fencing, and beach grass—that stabilized the shoreline and reduced further erosion. Without those emergency interventions, many homes and significant portions of the dune system could have been lost.
Even after completion of the FIMI project, nature continued to test the community. Major storms in 2022 and multiple nor'easters during the winter of 2023 again damaged the beaches. Thanks to FIPPOA's successful advocacy, new federal, state, and local funding was secured for another major beach restoration project completed in early 2025 in record time.
Most recently, FIPPOA led the effort to secure the final Partnership Participation Agreement between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the Fire Island to Montauk Point project, ensuring routine beach nourishment for years to come.
Throughout each of these challenges, the Seashore Defense Fund remained ready to provide immediate assistance whenever emergency action was needed.
As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of coastal storms, maintaining a strong emergency reserve has never been more important. Storms once considered "100-year events" now occur every few years. The SDF ensures Fire Island Pines is never forced to wait for help when its beaches, dunes, homes, and infrastructure are at risk.
Preparing for the Next Thirty Years
The work continues.
The Seashore Defense Fund remains committed to proactive beach management through regular serpentine dune fencing, expanded beach grass planting, educational outreach, and emergency preparedness. Its mission remains unchanged: to prepare, preserve, and protect Fire Island Pines' most precious natural resource for generations to come.
Everyone can play a part. Financial contributions ensure emergency resources are available when they are needed most. Equally important, every resident and visitor can help by respecting dune protection measures, staying off fragile vegetation, and encouraging others to do the same.
Protecting the beach is not the responsibility of one organization alone—it is a shared commitment embraced by an entire community. Every dollar contributed, every volunteer who lends a hand, and every resident and visitor who respects the dunes helps strengthen the resilience of Fire Island Pines.
For more than thirty years, the Seashore Defense Fund has turned that shared commitment into action—preparing for the next storm, preserving the shoreline, and protecting the place we all love. With the continued support of our Beach Defenders, the SDF stands ready for whatever the future may bring.