LOCAL HEROES

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

At Camp Jabberwocky we are the fortunate recipients of this Island’s generosity and good will throughout the year. This past week, however, members of the community truly sprang into action in our behalf; for this we’d like extend special thanks. Last Friday night, just as our campers were settling into their beds, an underground wire in the camp’s electrical system combusted and sent flames crawling along the power lines on Greenwood avenue. As we watched events unfold, and accounted for everyone’s safety, we began to prepare for the daunting possibility of running the camp without electrical power for several days. Our large walk-in refrigerator and freezer would have to be cleared out, laundry shipped elsewhere, meals served on disposable foodware, campers forced to endure cold showers and forego using their electrical adaptive devices. This difficult scenario was averted because of a wonderful confluence of excavators, electricians and NStar workers on the Island. Steve Trieschmann, our caretaker, stayed up throughout the night with Island electrician Mark Forbus, who came immediately, loaned us his generator and hooked it up to run our walk-in refrigerator.

Several of the workers offered their own materials and services should we need them in the coming days. It was clear that they loved the camp and would drop everything to help. In what we view as heroic efforts, these men located the source of the underground troubles, dug it up, replaced the cable, and put everything back in order, all before early Saturday afternoon. We had been planning on skipping our beach trip that day because we’d have no way to wash upon our return, but instead we hit State Beach with our usual abandon, all thanks to their very hard work and dedication. We know we are fortunate to be part of such an excellent community, and we want to thank these workers in particular for truly saving our summer. You have made a big difference!

Arthur Bradford and Joanna Romero DeSlavy

Vineyard Haven

The writers are codirectors of the July session for Camp Jabberwocky.

RESCUE RESPONSE

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Thinking about the recent beach rescue on Chappy, it reminded me of a simple system I put forth to a couple of emergency response people a year or so ago. I think it was last year when there was another rescue call off the south shore in the up-Island area. There was some confusion on the exact location of the call and several of the emergency response teams did not know which of the several dirt roads would lead to this emergency call. I had suggested that a simple letter/number sign be posted at several beach locations around the Island, for example Long Point L1, L2, L3. Other possibilities include South Beach, ED1, ED2, etc., Aquinnah A1, A2, split in the road A1A, A1B, and so on around the Vineyard. A large, crossed type lettered sign that could be seen for several hundred feet in all directions at about six to eight feet high would be a simple fix, in my estimation. This would give anyone on the beach a location of the incident and a number to forward to 911. A small numbered sign at the head of each of the dirt roads along with an Islandwide map of these locations for emergency response teams would eliminate any confusion when responding to a beach call, or for that matter any emergency call along the same route. I think if this simple plan was put in place and saved one life it would be worth the effort.

Don Macdonald

West Tisbury

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VOLUNTEER GARDENERS

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

In the spring of 2010, Oak Bluffs addressed the flooding problem at the south end of Waban Park by, among other fixes, planting perennials with the ability to soak up the rain as well as survive drought. After getting through the dry summer of 2010, the plants have come back strongly this year, but as so often happens, so have the weeds.

I’ve begun pulling the weeds, but it is a big task and will need to be an ongoing one, so I’m looking for help.

Whether you’re a year-round resident, a seasonal resident or a visitor, if you have any interest in gardening, here is an opportunity to pitch in to accomplish something that could be a point of pride for our town.

There’s no pay, other than the satisfaction that every gardener feels knowing that their creation is being given the chance to thrive.

We meet at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and at least one other day, so please call me at 508-693-9315 and we can coordinate our efforts.

Steve Auerbach

Oak Bluffs

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LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The following letter was sent to President and Mrs. Obama:

Greetings to you both. My name is Estelle T. Burnham and I live in Edgartown on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. We Vineyarders were so honored to know you and your family paid us a visit. We hope it was enjoyable.

I volunteer under the guidance of Jo Ann Murphy, an Army veteran. Mrs. Murphy is in charge of veterans services on the Vineyard. She is so wonderful to all in need. We send cards, letters and packages to all, anywhere we have the addresses. At this time much mail and many packages are sent to Afghanistan, Iraq and anywhere across the globe.

Mr. President, I am writing on behalf of our soldiers about certain issues that have been presented to us and I felt I had to share them with you and Mrs. Obama. I am so proud to be an American, the USA is the greatest and our military gives us the greatest gift of their service, dedication and ultimate gift, their sacrifice of life in securing our freedom.

Unfortunately, some Americans must be reminded as they take their freedom for granted. I feel our soldiers should be at the top of the list as heroes.

The first issue became evident awhile ago, when our government came close to shutting down and the first group to be affected was our military. That was so unheard of. It was presented to us on television as they showed a picture of our troops in battle in Afghanistan. We were told, Mr. President, that the only salaries to be sent were to you and Congress. What is the reasoning behind this?

Later Jo Ann received calls from worried soldiers with families. Can you at some point assure them this will be changed? They have such concerns.

The second issue involves the homeless and jobless. We have knowledge of many soldiers who have returned home from war to nothing. This is not right. They should be given job preference, of course, after their years of service; some have done three or four tours.

The third issue involves foreclosures — this is so devastating to so many. Soldiers and their families have been dealt a bad deal, putting them out of their homes. The soldiers do not need this kind of stress; after all their families also give so much.

The fourth issue involves salaries and defense cutting. It annoys me so when I hear of the entertainment world, the sports world, the political world, the monies that run in the millions. Then there are our military salaries, no comparison. Why? With what they do and sacrifice, there should be no questions asked.

As for cutting down on defense spending — how can that be when our nation’s welfare depends on it? We have always been known as the greatest country. Please let us get our standards in the right order.

Thank you for letting me write of my concerns. It means so much. If you have time, please let me know that you read my letter and perhaps were able to address the issues. I have had military members in my family. My father, now deceased, in the 1940s worked for the government at the White House as a special guard. Years later he was transferred to work for the government in New York city until he retired.

Mr. President, you are such a good person, so caring. Be sure and leave your mark in history. Do not ever let the opposition get you down and thank you for deciding to run again. Someone told my retired Marine cousin that when you were elected you stepped into a quagmire. Some expected you to change things quickly, but that is impossible as certain steps must be taken. He also said we shouldn’t be in Afghanistan and Iraq and that was not your doing.

Mr. President and Mrs. Obama, God bless America and thank you both for being there for us.

Estelle T. Burnham

Edgartown