JUNE MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks@gis.net)

Spring has arrived in Aquinnah with the grass getting greener each day, daffodils in full bloom, forsythia flourishing, and a few herring starting to appear in the run. Tulips are about to blossom. Go Hillary!

The Rev. Roger H. Spinney and his wife Sharon have returned from their more than well-deserved two-week vacation. While away, the Rev. Arlene Bodge and the Rev. David Berube filled in at Community Baptist Church and the congregation thanks them for their assistance as always.

The annual Spring Social will be hosted by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) on Sunday, April 27 from noon to 5 p.m. at the tribal building on Black Brook Road. The Vineyard Transit Authority bus stops right at the front door for those who have bus passes and do not care to spend their money on gas. The potluck celebration welcomes the entire Vineyard community and beyond for the arrival of the new season.

Everyone is invited to attend — please bring a dish to share. The Aquinnah Youth Group has organized the festivities for the social and will be hosting fellow youth groups from the Eastern Pequot, Mashantucket Pequot, Mashpee, Mohegan, and Narragansett tribes who will all arrive for the weekend. Of course, there will also be representation from members of other tribes from across the country. It will be a fun afternoon of fellowship, feasting, dance, drumming, and singing. Please feel free to join in the festivities. For further information, please call Woody Vanderhoop at 508-645-9265, extension 116.

Woody Vanderhoop and Jannette Vanderhoop were chaperones over the weekend for the Aquinnah Youth Group as they participated in the annual Pow Wow at Brown University. Those traveling with them included Spencer Booker, Thomas Fantasia, Serel Garvin, James Hakenson, and Kayla Manning, The Black Brook Drum and Singers drummed while at Brown, they had a great time and represented Aquinnah quite well.

The Black Brook Drum has received a special invitation to perform at the annual Harvard University Pow Wow and invited to be the host drum on May 3 where Tiffany Smalley will be the head woman dancer and Tobias Vanderhoop will be the head man dancer; both are students at Harvard. On May 10 and 11, the Black Brook Drum will perform at the Dartmouth College Pow Wow.

This is it: the weekend that our own superstar Jesse Wiener will be the director and most specifically the music director of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd for the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club’s presentation which is based upon the writing of Hugh Wheeler.

Jesse and his cast will open their production at the Loeb Drama center at 64 Brattle street in Cambridge. Performances will be held April 25, 26, and 27 at 8 p.m., and will again on May 1, 2, and 3, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 each, or $8 for seniors and students. For further information, please call 617-547-8300. Jesse is a member of the Class of 2008 at Harvard and will be graduating soon. He is the son of Jerry Wiener and Carolyn Feltz, and an alumnus of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.

Neale Bassett, his wife Ellie, and friends Roy Scheffer and Eileen Phalen have recently returned from an incredibly special vacation and a wonderful time in the Caribbean for a week, returning on March 24. First they flew to Nassau, then on to Georgetown where they stayed, and then visited his brother Capt. Todd Bassett and his wife Lee on Stocking Island where they enjoyed lunch and the beach. They are there with their classic wooden yawl Magic Carpet. They all went to Elizabeth Island to visit Capt. Hugh Taylor and his wife Jeanne on an island that they quietly share with two other families. Their secluded section has a half bay beach with palm trees and a private dock with their small flotilla. Hugh took Neale, Todd, and Roy on a fun-filled successful fishing trip. Hugh and Jeanne will return soon to open their Outermost Inn while Todd and Lee are expected to return to Aquinnah by mid-May.

Chris Manning arrived home on Sunday after completing his freshman year studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Once again, his airplane reservations took on a life of their own but he was greeted at Logan by his 22-month-old brother Noah, and parents Paul and Theresa. Chris has enjoyed the lifestyle of St. John’s and the people and their culture. For now, he is assisting with the tribal historic preservation office, drumming, singing, and making regalia.

Condolences to the family and friends of Jean O’Brien, who is survived by her daughter Joanne and her husband Kevin Ryan and grandson Jonathan whom she doted over, and to her brother Bob.

While resting this week, I happened to learn that Eulalie Regan has retired from her position as that of librarian at the Vineyard Gazette. Eulalie has always gone above and beyond in her assistance over the years while on the staff. She thought she would simply retire without a great deal of fanfare which is how she keeps it all so simple. Her Gazette Chronicle has been the source of immense historical information that will be archived for years. We shall all miss her. May she and Peter enjoy their retirement years.

Professor Philip Weinstein presented a discussion at the Vineyard Haven Library on Tuesday evening on race relations in America and the insight as written in Confessions of Nat Turner by the late author William C. Styron Jr. Rose Styron was present for the discussion while specifically here for the presentation and to spend a few days at their West Chop home.

Sometimes life takes an unexpected course and we find ourselves somewhere we had not planned on being for the day. Such was the case on April 14 when I took a detour to Massachusetts General Hospital. An enormous thank-you to Patricia Bergeron, Sue Bettencourt, Cathy Twadelle and Dr. Tim Tsai at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital who all made my brief stay and transfer as easy as possible. Thank you to Oak Bluffs emergency medical technicians Peter Tennant and Kyle Gatchell for their ambulance transfer to the airport and to MedFlight emergency medical technicians Lynda and Mo Bell (who is still searching for Father Mike). Thank you to the Steamship Authority for getting Paul off-Island and then to Sean for our return trip.

Once again an enormous debt of gratitude for Dr. Timothy Guiney who was there within minutes of my arrival and to his entire staff who cared for me while at Massachusetts General Hospital. For now, life is at a little slower pace for a while.

I am ever so grateful to my son Paul Manning and his wife Theresa who have cared for me over the past week and a half and for the greatest encouragement from my youngest grandchild Noah. Blessings to all — I am so grateful to all for being there for me.

Happy 30th anniversary wishes to our treasured Chief Medicine Man Luther T. Madison and his wife Anne as they observe their special day today.

Happy 48th anniversary wishes to Henry and Joanne Vanderhoop Robey as they celebrate on April 30.

Belated happy birthday greetings to Josie Lucia Iadicicco who was 11 years old on April 18. Also celebrating on April 18 were Peter Ives and Mary Shea. Mitzi Pratt also celebrated on April 19, and shared the day with Larry Mollin, Cameron Cuch, and twins Jules and Noah Stuber as they celebrated their 14th birthday.

Joshua Tucker celebrated on April 21. Our up-Island Council on Aging Director Joyce Bowker partied on April 22. Rachel Millman Vanderhoop celebrated on Wednesday.

Jean Lince, one of our most faithful Aquinnah Public Library volunteers, will observe her special day on April 27. Naomi Scott will be sweet 16 on April 28. A very special birthday wish to Albert E. Rose as he celebrates his day on April 29. Alexander T. Galbraith will be 10 years old on April 29.