Archives
Preparing. Preserving. Protecting.
For more than 30 years, the Fire Island Pines Seashore Defense Fund has provided an essential service to the community: protecting the beach that protects the Pines. Created after the devastating 1992 Nor’easter, the SDF funds emergency response, beach restoration, dune protection and education. Powered by donors, volunteers and community partnerships, its mission remains simple: prepare, preserve and protect the Pines for generations to come.
The Story of FIPPOA (est. 1953)
For over seventy years, the Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association (FIPPOA) has been a driving force in the transformation of the Pines from a rustic beach enclave into one of the most celebrated and glamorous gay communities in the world. Guided by a board of elected, unpaid volunteers, FIPPOA has spearheaded the development of the Pines’ physical infrastructure, while carefully navigating its cultural evolution from homophobic origins to a modern gay mecca.
The Pines Party - A Conversation With Allan Baum and Frank Liberto
Pines Party is an internationally renowned event that follows in the tradition of legendary parties like Beach and the GMHC Morning Party. For a dozen years, FIPPOA Vice President Allan Baum and his husband Frank Liberto have been at the helm. Pines Historical Society sat down with the for a candid and entertaining discussion as the prepare to pass the reins to a new generation of leaders.
The Pines and the Fight Against AIDS
The Pines was Ground Zero for both the start of the AIDS epidemic and the world’s response to it. As we mark World AIDS Day on December 1st, we look back on the journey that brought us to the point that AIDS is no longer a fatal disease, and on the profound role members of the Pines community played in making that possible. These warriors banded with others from across the country to overcome immense resistance and reshape how medical research is conducted and expand the social-service systems we rely on today. In this way, they improved the lives for millions of people. Today, with the LGBTQ+ community once again under siege, it is essential that we honor and carry forward the stories of some of America’s greatest heroes..
Pines Profile - Jay Pagano (b. 1945)
For more than 50 years, including more than 25 on the FIPPOA Board, Jay Pagano helped move the Pines forward. Through good times and bad, he worked tirelessly to ensure it remained a place of freedom, beauty, connection and love. His example, and the values he embodies, will stand among his most enduring legacies to a community he loves dearly.