JUNE MANNING
508-645-2574
Cranberry Day celebration was grand this year. There was a more than abundant harvest of cranberries, the last berry of the season in Aquinnah. The potluck was a wonderful evening of socializing with friends and neighbors. Traditional dance and drum was enjoyed by all. We were graced by the presence of the eldest tribal member attendee, Gladys Widdiss, who was photographed with the youngest tribal member, Amos Sauer.
My honored guest was Jacob Ferreira, candidate for state representative and a fine candidate at that. His commitment to community was certainly quite evident throughout the evening and his classmates from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School class of 1998 were excited to have him in our midst. Jacob and I reminisced about our families who have been friends for several generations; he being a member of the Ferreira, Rose and Singer families, all well-known on the Vineyard. He is the only candidate who is a veteran, having served in the United States Coast Guard and has remained active while serving in the USCG Reserves. All the best to Jake in his bid for state representative. If you would like to learn more about Jacob, please check his Web site at JacobFerreira.com. He is very knowledgeable, dedicated, honest and articulate. We could certainly count on him to follow in footsteps of many of our great representatives from the Vineyard as he is committed to serve one and all.
At our recent tribal elders luncheon, we enjoyed another fine afternoon of dining carefully prepared by Kristina Leslie. Following our luncheon, we enjoyed viewing a DVD that had been transformed from 8 mm film by Corrinne Majno and her husband, Ken Kaufman, and their family. The Majnos had spent the summer of 1954 at the Chanticleer in what was then Gay Head and they captured the effects of Hurricane Carol on film. We were thrilled to see the Cliffs as they appeared 54 years ago, the lighthouse and the keeper’s home, Moshup Trail as a dirt road to the south side, Hariph’s bridge as it was washed away, and we traveled back and forth to Chilmark on a skiff with William Vanderhoop Sr. and Luther Madison with youngsters at the time Donald and Carl Widdiss on the bridge, and then the effects of the hurricane at Menemsha. For some of us it felt like only yesterday as those memories are the variety that tend to last forever. The devastation at Menemsha was incredible. Many of us remember the boats either at the bottom of the harbor or splintered atop the dock. Thank you to the Majno family for sharing such a significant part of our community history with us.
Get well wishes to Eleanor Thurber Eglinas who is recuperating at her home after being a patient at Falmouth Hospital. Ellie graduated with Eleanor Francis Hebert and myself from the MVRHS and we share many fond memories from over the years. Please give Ellie a call or send a card.
Waylon Sauer celebrated his second birthday with a party on Sunday with his family and friends. The children all especially enjoyed the playhouse that was also a gift.
Get well wishes to Paul Vanlandingham who recently underwent orthopaedic surgery in Boston and is once again out and about as he recuperates. We enjoyed seeing each other as I waited for the bus at Alley’s the other day. Paul certainly has retained his wonderful sense of humor through all the pain and suffering. He will return as a stand-up comic to tell the tales of his time while recuperating.
Community Baptist Church of Gay Head hosted members of the Smith Neck Friends Meetinghouse of Dartmouth on Sunday. There were nine children and five adults who accompanied Rev. Pamela Cole from the Apponegansett Meeting House, which was established in 1790 for the Quakers. A wonderful day of fellowship between the two churches, each with histories of more than 300 years.
The Smith Neck Members were given a tour on their way to Aquinnah, carefully driven by Ralph Grant II with Aquinnah Taxi Company. Rev. Roger Spinney greeted the guests, and their ministry and counsel chair, Russell Cornell, presented Reverend Spinney with one of their Smith Neck T-shirts. Thank you to Tobias Vanderhoop for his guided tour of the tribal building, and to the Gay Head Light keeper Joan LeLacheur for her tour. Then off to the Cliffs in the blustery cold of the day. Thank you to Reverend Spinney, Barry and Grace Reeves, and Fawn Fantasia for providing doughnuts and juice for our guests. We hope to host our friends from Smith Neck more often in the future.
Ghosts and goblins will be haunting the tribal building this evening, Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m. with the trunk or treat to follow. The cauldrons are already boiling over with treats. The gathering will be organized by the Tribal Youth Group and the Aquinnah community programs committee. For details, call Kristina Leslie at 508-645-9265, extension 132. Rather than trick or treating to individual homes, most residents of Aquinnah bring the treats to the tricksters. There will be games for all. One favorite is to consume the donuts hanging on a string (those jelly filled ones are the best). Prizes will be awarded for the best costume, the scariest, and of course the cutest. The one with the best trunk full of goodies will also receive an award.
Aquinnah Public Library will be temporarily housed at the old Aquinnah town hall. The library will be closed from Nov. 13 to 24 while volunteers begin to pack and move as many books as possible. The library will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 11, in honor of Veterans’ Day and again on Thanksgiving.
Tuesday, Nov. 4 is Election Day. Please exercise your right to vote. The polls in Aquinnah will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. See you at the polls!
Trying to catch up with news as my technologically challenged state is at it once again: belated happy birthday wishes to Stella Hopkins on Oct. 19, sharing the day with Louise Belain. Barbara Gentry partied on the 21st and shares the day with Nancy Campana. Joseph Vanderhoop Lee celebrated his 16th birthday on Oct. 21. Gene Berardi celebrated his 27th birthday on Oct. 22. Christopher Belain partied on the 23rd. Isaac C. Taylor partied on the 25th, hopefully in his new home already.
Gladys Widdiss celebrated her very special day on Oct. 26. Amy Rogers celebrated on Oct. 27. New Aquinnah resident Nefititi Jette will partied on Oct. 28 as she observed a major milestone. Birthday wishes to Dolly Noble on Oct. 28. Waylon Madison Sauer celebrated his second birthday on Oct. 28. Captain William D. Vanderhoop, Jr. aka Captain Buddy, partied on Oct. 29. Kathy Newman partied on the 29th. Arlen Roth celebrated on Thursday and Carla Cuch will party today.
Deb Bramkamp will celebrate on Nov. 1. Chief Ryan Malonson will observe his special day on Nov. 2 while still a patient at Boston Center. Janice Sylvia celebrates Nov. 3, Melissa Abrams Nov. 4 and Liz Witham Nov. 5.
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