On behalf of the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard I wish to publicly thank some very amazing young people who are summer visitors to the Vineyard. First is Emile Newsome, an accomplished young violinist, who spent many nights this past summer demonstrating her musical talent on the porch of Chesca’s. Through her efforts she received over $1,000 from people who appreciated her skills, and she donated all of it to the shelter.

Jenna and Julia London set up a lemonade stand at South Beach, and Nicholas and Caroline Beloff set up a lemonade stand on Illumination Night. Both pairs donated all of their income to the shelter, which not only illustrates their generosity but also their cleverness in choosing great locations.

There are also many other young people who donate to the shelter in various ways. All of us who live on the Vineyard, year round and seasonal, are fortunate to live in a place that appreciates and loves animals.

Duncan Ross
Oak Bluffs

The writer is chairman of the board of directors of the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard.