Wine Fairies 'Dusting' LI With Kindness During Pandemic

LONG ISLAND, NY — "I've been dusted!"

The words are spreading across Facebook posts faster than a fairy can fly as hundreds of women have come together with a new and creative way to spread acts of kindness during the pandemic.

"Dusting" is what's done by groups of "wine fairies" who belong to Facebook groups and go out into the community, leaving surprise bags of wine, champagne, chocolate, popcorn, cookies, scratch-off tickets, flip flops, flowers, and other treats on doorsteps.

Here's how it works: After joining a Facebook group, a person tells the members that she'll be going out "dusting" in the next day or so, and asks whoever would like a chance to be dusted to leave their address. Then, she heads out on her magical mission, leaving gifts outside and doing her best to hurry off before the lucky recipient can get a glimpse. Usually, the "fairy" gets a sprinkle of "Drinkerbell" magic back, as the many she's gifted fly over to leave surprises on her steps, too.

And it's not all about wine: There are "dustings" for those who don't drink, for children, for graduation high school seniors, and even for dads and guys in the group.

According to Debbie Doka, who created the North Fork Wine/Treats Dust Fairies Facebook page — which has brought more than 600 North Fork women together in a new kind of sisterhood — "dusting" meant everything during the coronavirus crisis.

An RN, Doka works in the emergency room at Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport and full-time at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson.

'During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a horrible, horrible time," she said. "On my days off I would just cry all day. But just about every day, someone would do something to brighten my day. I'd come home and there would be a bottle of wine on my porch, plants, meals, flowers. It truly got me through those two to three months. It meant everything to me," she said.

Doka had friends in a "wine fairy" group, but all the dustings were in western Suffolk and Nassau County. "I wanted to bring some of that good feeling to the North Fork, because I know what it meant to me," she said.

Also, Doka said, "dustings" helped women who've been struggling with the isolation sparked by the pandemic.

"I thought this was a great way to see people — while socially distancing — and just say 'hello'. It just feels right."

The North Fork group's administrator, Charlotte Smilovich, who lives in Mattituck, was in the group "up-island" and dusted her, Doka said.

"I knew she'd be a great partner.There's not a lot rules, just one huge one — no drama. This is meant to be a feel-good, no stress thing," Doka said.

The rules can be found on the group's Facebook page, Doka said.

"The response has been overwhelming and just makes us so happy to see how much everyone is enjoying it," Doka said. "It's so much fun to give back and dust — and fun to be dusted. I do think 'dusting' bought the community together at a time when we have been so isolated."

Smilovich said a few members who belonged to a Long Island fairy group realized that no one was dusting on the North fork.

"I invited all my North Fork friends and quite a few joined. That’s when I went dusting on the North Fork," Smilovich said. "Debbie Doka was the first on my list. Then it was a trickle effect. Now hundreds of ladies are coming home each week with surprise dustings on their front porches. That first night Debbie got dusted she started the group. And we are so glad she did. It is bringing the North Fork woman together in such a beautiful way. It’s making us even stronger."

Doka and Smilovich are designing "dusting" T-shirts that they will be selling, with 100 percent of the proceeds donated back to women in need in the community.

"We know things happen in life and when they do, we will be there for each other," Smilovich said. "The woman will receive a special dusting to help them through the hard times."

Smilovich said she has a message for all the ladies who've turned to dusting to lift spirits: "Here’s a true fact: Happens to me all the time. I can spot them miles away. You can see a sort of sparkle in their eyes. Then their eyes meet yours, and you kind of just smile at each other. Then one of you can’t help but to ask the very obvious question. 'You're a fairy, right?' You’ll see them in the dollar store, the liquor store, Target, your local supermarket. And you’ll just know. You’ll smile because it’s a very good possibility that fairy has either dusted you or you dusted her. The feeling is amazing and peaceful during these crazy times we are living in. So dust on, ladies. Earn your wings. Smile at each other and sparkle on."

Donna Goldense of Southold said the group adds joy to difficult coronavirus days. "This is a lovely group of ladies who lift others up," she said. "It’s nice to come home, after a rough day, and find a little something on your steps. The goodies are put together with lots of love, a little bit of fun and just a touch of magic."

Kids are loving the dustings, too: Beth Zilnicki started Little Fairies of the North Fork. "And she is doing an amazing job getting all the children in the group dusted, too," Smilovich said.

Christine Springer said she loves dusting with her son. "It’s fun, thinking of a theme and spreading the joy. We have our next three weekend themes picked out." She added that her son Jesse, who is a big part of every dusting she sets out on, is going to dress up each week as the NOFO Fairy, depending on the week's theme.

"Then when you arrive home and found you’ve been dusted, it adds to the magic of the day," Springer said.