REMEMBERING BILL HONEY

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I was sad to read of the death of Bill Honey. During my time as superintendent of the Island schools (1970-1975), this gentle and thoughtful man was treasurer of the regional high school district. Even though he was president of the largest bank on the Island, he made the time to attend school committee meetings faithfully, and he was always available for advice.

I learned a great deal from him. Everybody trusted him. His quiet voice will be missed.

Jonathan M. Daube

Manchester, Conn.

Mr. Daube is president emeritus of Manchester Community College.

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HIRE ISLANDERS

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I live on Nantucket and we have a bumper sticker seen on hundreds of vehicles that makes sense to most islanders: Buy Local/Hire Local.

Jim Armstrong

Sconset

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WINDEMERE SUMMER

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Every summer Windemere residents sample some of the great Island events. We do that through the amazing generosity of the Island community. We have many to thank: the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center, the Vineyard Playhouse, the Tabernacle (MVCMA), Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven libraries, the Preservation Trust, chamber music society, Farm Neck Golf Club, and many individual artists and performers. We also must thank the many volunteers who assist us on our outings and the elevator operators that have eased our way. Finally, a standing ovation for the people of Martha’s Vineyard, those who have kindly waited when we blocked the way with our van or helped a resident into an event. Your patience and understanding is appreciated.

Betsy Burmeister

and Mary Holmes

Oak Bluffs

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CARING CREW

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

You’ve read this letter before, but it bears repeating.

I found myself quite ill, and rushed to the emergency room at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. I was admitted for three days. I can’t say enough nice things about the nurses, CNAs and doctors who took care of me. They were outstanding. I received excellent medical care, for which I am most grateful.

We’re excited about the new hospital, but it’s the people who provide the care, not the building. We’re fortunate to have a kind and caring crew to serve in our transitional hospital, until the new hospital opens early next year.

Thomas Dresser

Oak Bluffs

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MULTI-TASKING

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

It would appear to me that the people we hire (vote) to represent us in Washington, D.C., with a starting salary of $162,000 a year with the best perks in the land should earn their salary by being able to work on more than one issue at a time. Working people do it all the time. But then again, we don’t hire (vote) for our Washington representatives to work, we hire (vote) for them to represent us. They just choose to represent those with money first, and those who check the hire option in the voting booth second.

Health care, regulating the market to create a level playing field for all investors (not just the big investors), and energy are three important issues that can and should be worked on simultaneously. It doesn’t take a mental giant to work on these three issues at the same time. If business employees chose to be popular and work on only one issue at a time, they, in all likelihood, would end up at the unemployment office. New, unpopular worker bee representatives in Washington could not possibly accomplish less than the current slate of incumbents.

The next time we step into the voting booth we might want to consider voting for unpopular worker bees and send all popular, less responsive incumbents to the unemployment office.

Peter Cabana

Vineyard Haven

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FALL CLASSIC

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The fall season is upon us and so is the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank Golf Classic benefiting the Vineyard Nursing Association. And once again the Vineyard Golf Club has generously agreed to be the host site for this annual tournament on Monday, Sept. 28 at 8 a.m.

With fund-raising at the VNA heavily impacted by the weak economy, this year’s golf tournament takes on more importance in our effort to raise funds, funds that help the VNA make 30,000 visits annually to help our neighbors.

Now to make the event more affordable for Islanders, this year we have lowered the admission fee to $200 per player and also lowered the sponsorships for greens and tees by $50 each. While the fees may be lower, the quality of the golf, food and prizes remains exceptional.

As in the past, the golfer’s fee includes breakfast on the Vineyard Golf Club porch, lunch served and prepared by the Vineyard Golf Club outstanding staff in their beautiful dining room, special prizes and a chance to putt for a $20,000 jackpot or win $15,000 for a hole in one.

Please consider joining us for a memorable day. For more information, please call 508-696-0785.

Bob Tonti

West Tisbury

Bob Tonti is chief executive officer of the Vineyard Nursing Association.

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FILM FESTIVAL SUCCESS

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The fourth annual Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival has come and gone — in a blur! Despite the down economy, amazingly attendance seems to have risen again this year to over 2,500 and the four days and nights of showcasing international movies, parties and other gatherings was a true success in every sense of the word.

All this, of course, is due to the unbelievable dedication of a huge team of volunteers. I have to thank Mary Spencer, Angie Park-Sayles, and TaraRose Macuch in charge of volunteers and the box office and the special parties, respectively. Nothing would have worked without them. But there are also many more who staffed the box office day and night, greeted festival attendees with pithy and interesting introductions, who took tickets and ran projectors, provided lodging and food donations, and performed the dozens of small but essential tasks a successful festival requires. And they did it all with smiles on their faces.

I doubt the newspaper can afford the many column inches it would take to thank each of you individually, as you deserve, so please know that as I look at the volunteer roster with all your names I’m incredibly grateful to know you and to have been able to depend on you once again to make the Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival the success it was.

Now on to year five!

Richard Paradise

Vineyard Haven