The latest edition of the South Shore Press was sealed away as part of a time capsule buried beneath a centuries-old oak tree at the Moriches Branch of the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library, where it will remain untouched for the next 50 years before being opened during America’s 300th birthday celebration.
The newspaper joined dozens of items capturing a snapshot of life in 2026, including library newsletters, menus from local restaurants, news of the Knicks winning the NBA championship, coins, current book samples, a library card, library T-shirts, a flash drive containing photos of library programs and events, staff photographs, images of the building, library videos, a special video created specifically for the time capsule and keepsakes contributed by local residents.
The ceremony also honored two winners of a library essay contest focusing on what libraries mean to them. Adult winner Mike Imprixis of Shirley and youth winner Quintin Gutierrez of Mastic were recognized before the capsule was carefully placed beneath the historic tree.
The idea for the project came from Moriches Branch Manager Kerrilynn Jorgensen, who said she was inspired by a time capsule she helped create as a fifth-grade student at William Floyd. A brass plaque will mark the capsule’s location beneath the sprawling oak tree, which library employee J.D. Berbeck calculated to be approximately 300 years old.
“I hope in 50 years when they open the time capsule our legacy is that we were kind, compassionate and community focused,” said Library Director Lonna Castro.
The ceremony also celebrated the Moriches Branch itself, which was built as part of the library’s ambitious rebuilding project that included a completely renovated main branch in Shirley and a second annex in Mastic Beach, expanding services throughout the community.
Jorgensen said the open area surrounding the oak tree will soon become a StoryWalk, featuring rotating story panels, activities for all ages and yoga-inspired movement stations that will change with the seasons.
Long before the capsule is opened in 2076, the StoryWalk will invite visitors to create new memories around the same historic tree now entrusted with preserving a piece of the community’s past for future generations.