Taxi Fares for the Playhouse

Mark Ripolone of Ditch Plains Taxi is tired of all the negativity coming out of Montauk this summer. He’s decided to put a positive spin on things and become a one-man fund-raiser by offering to donate all his fares from his two taxicabs on Wednesday between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. to the Montauk Playhouse Community Center.

Mr. Ripolone has owned the taxi business for four years and grew up working in the hamlet’s restaurants, fishing, and enjoying its beaches, he said. This summer, it seems, Montauk has turned from a family-oriented community to party central, he said.

He has witnessed firsthand, he said, how hard the East Hampton Town Board and Police Department and the Montauk Fire Department and ambulance squad have worked to get things under control and sustain the community. For that reason, he’ll donate his Wednesday fares.

“I am a firm believer that if we support one another in this community, the strength and overall presence of Montauk will remain a beautiful place,” he said.