GOOD THINGS, TOO

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The town may have budget constraints in this economy, but what about all the good things happening in the town of Oak Bluffs through grants and hard work and good will?

Off the top of my head, the huge puddle on East Chop Drive is being fixed thanks to a grant from Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management and the stewardship of the highway department. The East Chop Yacht Club is dredging some of their harbor slips and donating the sand to the town to help protect the town beach by the harbor. The town has new brick sidewalks downtown. The wastewater department received a $1.1 million dollar grant to tie the high school corridor into the sewer system, develop the Leonardo property leach fields and make wastewater plant improvements. The town has new, up-to-date floodplain and wind energy bylaws. The conservation commission is working on a long-term plan to protect the beaches and shoreline infrastructure. Thanks to the shellfish department, Farm Pond is part of the Massachusetts wetlands restoration program. All permits are in place to dredge the channel in Sengekontacket Pond. Lagoon, Farm and Sengekontacket Ponds are all part of the Massachusetts Estuaries Project, a program designed to help improve pond water quality. Permits are in place to rebuild the failed North Bluff seawall. The energy committee has brought in all kinds of grants.

It’s not all doom and gloom in beautiful Oak Bluffs.

Liz Durkee

Oak Bluffs

T-SHIRTS FOR NICARAGUA

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Omar and I are returning to the Vineyard on June 16 for a quick visit, and would love to collect T-shirts to take back with us. In our English class we have four young ladies and 24 boys, from little to teenagers, who are very poor. Please leave me a message on my cell phone at 1-508-330-5439 if you have clothes to donate. Remember, only summer clothes. It is tropical weather there.

If anyone at the high school would like to tell the other students about collecting T-shirts, and maybe some outfits for the girls, ages 13 to 15, that would be so super.

The Web site to view some photos of the group of teachers from the Vineyard who came down to work with our students and photos of the children is s958.photobucket.com/home/pacaya/index. These are the children who will wear the clothing you donate.

When we started this class a year ago, the first question I asked each student was, “Why do you want to learn English?” Almost all of them said: “Because I want to go to the United States. There is more opportunity there.”

After a year of classes, all that has fortunately changed. We have told them that education is the key to their futures. At this point, each of them now wants to stay in Nicaragua and make their own country better. That is music to my ears. If you empower children with what is possible, there is no need to seek refuge elsewhere.

And finally, did you know that Survivor will be filmed in Nicaragua this year? In San Juan del Sur, a posh section of Nicaragua, owned mostly by foreigners, but so beautiful. Great beach. If you have a chance to see this show, you may see some of this country.

Keep the faith.

Muriel Laverty

Masaya, Nicaragua

WHO PAYS?

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Burning coal releases heat, trapping carbon dioxide, harmful plumes of mercury and other hazardous substances into the atmosphere. The damaged Deepwater Horizon releases oil and natural gas into the Gulf ofMexico.  Burning coal damages the environment in a similar fashion to the damages inflicted by the oil and gas spewing into the Gulf ofMexico. To date, big coal has had about the same success rate in cleaning up its me ss as big oil is having in cleaning up the Gulf ofMexico. At least Congress is mandating that big oil pay out of its pocket the cost of cleaning up its mess. It would seem to me appropriate for the Congress to embark on a similar course of action with big coal, for cleaning up the harmful releases to the atmosphere from burning coal.

Peter Cabana

Vineyard Haven

CAMP MEMORIES

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Regarding the Gazette story titled “Marine Hospital, Summer Camp, History for Sale” (June 4, 2010):

As a member of a family with multiple generations of campers and counselors at the St. Pierre School of Sports from the 1940s to the 1970s, I would like to state for the record that, while Mr. St. Pierre may have had a first name, as you claim, and Dee St. Pierre may have called him Bud, to everyone else he was, quite simply, “Sir.”

Adam Greene

Chappaqua, N.Y.

WINE, HISTORY, GENEROSITY

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

At a time when we are still nervous about the economy and people are working hard to make ends meet, the generosity of the Vineyard shines.

I would like to thank Atria chef and owners Christian and Greer Thornton, sommelier John Clift and the entire staff for hosting the second annual Atria wine dinner for the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. It was a wonderful, intimate evening where people were able to sample delectable wines, enjoy five scrumptious courses, learn more about what the museum is doing for the summer season, meet new friends and catch up with old ones.

Through the generosity of Atria and our guests, we were able to raise some much-needed funds for the museum. Because of people like Christian and Greer, our board members, donors and volunteers, we are able to continue our mission: to inspire interest and understanding of the Island’s unique history, culture and physical characteristics by collecting, preserving and presenting relevant materials and information to a wide audience. With a summer filled with exciting kids’ programs, new exhibits, lecture and film series, and more, the museum is committed to providing an experience of the Vineyard through the eyes of its history, which is both relevant and captivating. All of which is made possible through the generosity of those who love and support the Vineyard.

Guinevere Cramer

Edgartown

The writer is marketing, membership and events manager for the Martha’s Vineyard Museum.

FRIENDS WHO HELP

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

My family and I would like to thank the staff at the Steamship Authority in Vineyard Haven and Richard Clark for getting us off on the boat on Tuesday, May 25, as we had a serious family medical emergency in New York. We would also like to thank the nice lady who was parked behind us on the boat who gave my visibly shaken daughter saltines and water. We didn’t get her name.

I would also like to thank my boss Emily Milstein at Mix, and Rosalyn Moore for covering for me and Nisa Counter, and for being such a good friend.

If we left anyone out we thank you as well.

Phyllis Williams

Vineyard Haven

The Vineyard Gazette welcomes letters to the editor on any subject concerning Martha’s Vineyard. The newspaper strives to publish all letters as space allows, although the editor reserves the right to reject letters that in her judgment are inappropriate. Letters must be signed, and should include a place of residence and contact telephone number. The Gazette does not publish anonymous letters.