JO-ANN TILGHMAN

508-627-7669

(Tilghmanjb@aol.com)

There is no doubt that summer has arrived, a little late perhaps, but definitely here. The ferry line has been backed up in Edgartown, the beaches are more crowded, swamp azalea are lending their perfume to the warm breezes, the salt marsh heather is reaching its peak, the days are hot and steamy, and the night skies are abundant with stars.

However, the late arriving summer weather has also coincided with the conclusion of many summer activities and the departure of summer families who have students returning to school. The Chappaquiddick Community Center sailing, tennis, and art lessons have come to an end for another season. Thanks to Barton and JJ Phinney and Molly Sullivan for conducting the sailing program, to Donna DeFrancis for another successful year of tennis lessons, and to Elise Adibi for the new art program. Through their efforts many children and adults had the opportunity to broaden their Chappy experience. While these programs at the community center have concluded, pilates continues until the end of the month on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. and yoga on Thursday mornings, also at 9:30 a.m. This evening’s 7:30 p.m. foreign film is Secret of the Grain. Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chappy Pong continues on the porch of the community center and on Thursday, August 27 at 8 p.m. Chappy’s own Kevin Keady and the Cattle Driver Family Band will perform a concert at the community center.

The next book selection chosen by the Chappy Book Club for discussion is Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. The book group will meet at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 16 at the community center. In this autobiography Ms. Ali recounts her life in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, and Ethiopia and her flight to the Netherlands where she seeks citizenship. The book club is open to all.

Recently Rob Bierregaard gave a presentation at the community center on his three-year osprey tagging and migration research. Rob is still in need of funding for the young female osprey recently tagged on the pole at Judy Murphy’s home. If you are interested in making a donation to help Rob offset the transmitter costs please send donations to Massachusetts Audubon, attn: Amy Garfield, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA. 01773 or if you would like more information about this program you can searchbioweb.uncc.edu/Bierregaard.

A thank-you party for Terry Forde, who served as president of the CIA for six years, will be held at the Chappaquiddick Community Center, August 27 from 5 to 7 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity to stop by and thank Terry for his years of dedicated service to the Chappaquiddick community.

After 25 years the Tilghman Tennis Court Association will conclude at the end of this month. In the early 1960’s Olive Tilghman approached her cousin Charlie Bird to ask if she could put together an informal group to play tennis on the Bird Court with the understanding that the group would renovate and maintain the court. Over time, two tennis groups actually evolved, a July group and an August group. Then when Sally and Bob Nicholas purchased the Bird property in the early 1980’s Olive convinced her husband Hal and the August group to develop a formal arrangement to enable them to play tennis. The result of the discussion was the formation of the Tilghman Tennis Association and the construction of the Tilghman Tennis Court. The members of the Association were Joanna and Hal Scott, Lucille and George Gostenhofer, Diana and Peter Dibari, Joan and Siamak Adibi, Bonnie and Terry Dangel, Debbie and Barton Jones, Ann Merritt, and Olive and Hal Tilghman. Over the past 25 years there has been a decline in the amount of tennis that these members played with some of the families no longer coming to Chappy; golf became the game of choice for others, while, unfortunately, members Ann Merritt and Hal and Olive Tilghman died.

In a sense the Bird Court operation was the genesis of community tennis on Chappy, which was always Olive’s focus whether through the Chappy tennis tournament or later, the Community Center tennis lessons program. The Tilghman Tennis Court Association has always been supportive of community tennis, making the court available to the community center for tennis lessons at the beginning of the center’s program and then having the lessons return to their court several years ago. The end of the Tilghman Court Association is an “end of an era” event but the end of one era always portends the beginning of another. The new era is the development of the community center tennis courts and a community tennis program on a much grander scale. Those wishing to donate to the construction of the community center courts may do so by sending a tax deductible donation to the Community Center - Tennis Court Fund, P.O. Box 2966, Edgartown MA, 02539.

Condolences go out to MaryAnn and Jim Walsh on the loss of their beloved golden Labrador, Jack. Jack was 13 years old when he fell ill last weekend. Anyone who has lost a pet knows that they are a true part of the family and losing them can be very difficult.

Have you noticed that the rodent, rabbit, skunk, moth and mosquito populations seem to be down this summer? Last summer there were reports of rodents and rabbits in gardens attacking anything and everything they could eat, mosquitoes feasted on everyone, and skunks were certainly not in short supply. That does not appear to be the case this summer and while I do not miss the rodents I do miss the moths, particular the intriguing lunar months. I would be curious to know whether others share my observations.

One last thought and that is not to forget the Oak Bluffs fireworks tonight and the AG Fair. These are both long standing summer institutions and family fun!