JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
With the fair in full swing, it is hard to believe our summer season is fast becoming history. It seems that everyone is entertaining houseguests, plus going to the fair and of course the fireworks tonight. I am now convinced this has been the busiest summer in my memory. The traffic has been flat-out awful. By next week the fair will be but a memory; the trucks, tents and carnival equipment will leave starting on Monday. Meanwhile we’re in a furious round of season-ending parties and summer guests. The President of the United States and his family are staying close by, and that has brought an added flurry of activity and excitement into town.
College students, summer visitors and their children have begun filling the boats everyday, but this time going in the opposite direction. Many public schools elsewhere in Massachusetts and other states will have opened before the end of the month. Long lines of people and cars leaving the Steamship Authority docks have been a daily occurrence since last Saturday. We are again reminded of the late Howard Andrews’s famous bumper sticker “Pray for September.” And it is just 16 days until Labor Day, the unofficial end of the summer season.
If you witnessed an unusual number of motorcycles of all shapes and sizes last weekend around town, your eyesight is just fine. Several hundred motorbike riders and guests attended the 27th annual Run to the Rock celebration last Saturday. The Martha’s Vineyard Harley Riders Association and its president, Mike Dow, sponsored the event. This month is also the 107th birthday of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Barbara and Bill Bennett’s son David visited and enjoyed showing the Island to his friend Page Bertelsen of San Francisco. David and Page had wonderful leisurely days at Long Point and went back to the West Coast relaxed and having enjoyed the Vineyard’s beautiful weather and natural beauty. Page is a professional photographer and plans to bring her equipment on her next visit to the Island. They continue their vacation with a biking and kayaking trip in California through Tahoe and on the American River.
Suzanna Schaper, of Parsonage Woods Road, reports that they celebrated a big birthday last week at her house as her daughter, Elsa, turned five! Suzanna’s sister Melissa Parente and her family are visiting from Centermorland, Pa., for the week and were on hand to celebrate the big day, which marked the start of her gum chewing career. A much anticipated day for that reason alone! Suzanna arrived in midJuly, later than usual, but has been enjoying the many events in town and has had many houseguests; several of those friends were from Bermuda, their other island home.
Daniel Whiting and his children Emma and David, of Celebration, Fla., arrived on Wednesday for their annual visit to the fair. They will help operate the parking lot and enjoy the fair. They will be staying with his sister, Tara.
Don Evon, of Canton, Conn., and his friend Tom Majeski of Raynham were our houseguests last weekend. The weather was outstanding and they enjoyed the beach every day. Don, an excellent cook, prepared two dinners on our grill. Our son, Sam, is not fond of fish, so Don assured him he would grill some leftover meatloaf for Sam to enjoy. Don prepared the dinner and served it to everyone and pointed out to Sam with pride as he served him that he had added a dash of olive oil and slathered the meatloaf with barbecue sauce before grilling and it smelled great. As he slid the meatloaf onto his plate Sam looked at it with surprise and said that it was grilled banana bread! Sure enough it was, as Don had mistakenly removed it from the refrigerator convinced it was meatloaf.
Ed and Jane Konicki of Webster arrived yesterday to attend the fair and visit friends. They brought along her grandchildren, Cameron and Katie, of Dudley. They are staying with the Alleys.
Erin Maddex, over at the youth hostel, reports that they have been very busy this summer. They have had several bike groups from all over the country. They also have had guests from France, Ireland, England, Denmark, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, New York, Arizona, San Francisco, Vermont and western Massachusetts, The hostel staff includes Erin from Utah, Damir, a student from Kazakhstan, and Joy from Ohio, who has previous hostel work experience in Truro on the Cape. Erin’s parents visited in July from Alameda, their first trip to Martha’s Vineyard, and it was the hottest week of the summer but they still had a great time exploring the Island.
George Hartman, of Panhandle Road, reports that on Saturday at 10 a.m. the fair’s fourth annual antique garden tractor pull will take place. Garden tractors must be at least 25 years old. There will be four weight classes: 1,000 pounds, 1,500 pounds, 3,000 pounds and 4,500 pounds. The competition is fierce, and it is a lot of fun for competitors and spectators alike. George’s granddaughter, Alison Gabel-Mahone, and her aunt, Ellen Northrup, are coming to stay with them during the fair while her mother, Nina, will stay home and work on their new house in Brockton. Alison will be working at the fair again this year in security.
Charlie Kernick, of Edgartown Road, reports that his daughter Kellee and her son Jack from Taunton came down last weekend while he was out of town to celebrate their anniversary. Charlie returned home on Monday after a week on the Outer Banks of North Carolina with Stevie’s family and she came back to the Island with him. His son Tyler, his wife, Crissy, and daughters Alex and Bella arrived this morning to spend fair weekend with Dad. Charlie picked rainbow carrots from his garden on Wednesday and decided not to enter them in the fair as they might frighten small children.
Ben and Paddy Moore, of Alley Way, returned home on Monday after a five-day vacation in Bermuda with his former roommate Jeremy and Judy Fitzpatrick of Virginia. Ben managed to play several rounds of golf, lounge at beautiful beaches, and, he remarked, the scenery wasn’t bad either.
Lynn Demond was in town last weekend. She competed in the Chilmark Road Race. She visited with old friends and next week will be off to Lima, Peru for a little archicology and relaxation.
New York’s top political comedian, Scott Blakeman, will be performing at the Grange Hall on August 28 at 8 p.m. He will be bringing us his political humor from a liberal Jewish point of view. He has performed his political humor around the world, including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam, and the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal.
Susan Goldstein reports that on Monday from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Mansion House you can learn how they now employ Mother Earth and new technology to keep cool and reduce energy waste. The inn’s health club and spa will host a reception and presentation on its new geothermal heating and cooling systems with Brian Nelson and Jay McMann. For details or to RSVP, please contact Susan at 508-693-2200, extension 102.
The current issue of the Martha’s Vineyard Magazine has an article on Susan Feller’s abundant vegetable garden in our town, photographs and an article on nesting shorebirds by Lanny McDowell, and Charlie Kernick’s photograph, which won third prize in the magazine’s second annual photo contest. Summer visitor Barbara Berresford won an honorable mention in the contest.
Tara Whiting, town clerk, reports that absentee ballots for the September primary arrived late last week; if you will be unable vote in the primary, on Sept. 14, please contact her at the town hall during normal business hours at 508-696-0148 to make arrangements to vote absentee.
Pam and Jim Butterick will again open their home on Barnes Road, Oak Bluffs, to host An Evening of Music on the Lagoon on Sunday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. Please come and enjoy the trio consisting of John Gorman, Jan Hyer and Matt Pelikan as they set the sunset scene for the final Sunday of the summer, while enjoying wine and appetizers. No admission is required, but a donation is encouraged that will directly benefit the ongoing restoration of the historic 1895 Hook and Hastings pipe organ of the Federated Church. Any questions, please call 505-939-0335.
Doris Clark reports that Skype has just moved to their new offices at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport main terminal. Come have wine and refreshments and learn all about video conferencing. She looks forward to seeing you on Monday, August 23, from 10 a.m. through 7 p.m. at the airport.
The Carol Craven Gallery announces a new exhibition of paintings by Harry Seymour with an opening reception on Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. Her new gallery is located at 497 State Road near the post office and is open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5p.m.
On August 16, 1945 Miss Marjorie Manter was the hostess to 16 young people in town at a scavenger hunt birthday party. The guest list of friends attending the festivities were, Ladies: Muriel Doane, Cynthia Riggs, Rosemarie Duys, Sally Raymond, Virginia Rebello, and Jane Austin. Men: Jack Reed, Ted Brown, George Manter, Lincoln Foote, Robert Doane, Robert Austin, John Raymond, Daniel Bryant, James Alley, and David Engley. Duplicate lists containing thirty articles to be collected were distributed to the guests and the hunt was on. The participants went door to door in an effort to collect the items. Robert Doane and Lincoln Foote were the only two to collect all the articles and to find a 1940 license plate and won first prize. Marjorie Manter and Jack Reed garnered second prize and Muriel Doane, James Alley and Robert Austin third prize. Mrs. Nelson Bryant and Elizabeth Manter assisted in checking in articles from the hunt and the serving of refreshments.
Happy birthday to Bruce Marshard, Maureen Hall, Debra Polucci and Robert Francis today; Amelia Kauffman, Elizabeth Orcutt and Jessica Francis tomorrow; Sharon Edell and Kevin Hopkins on Sunday; Judith Morse, Mo Bresnahan and Lindsay Webster on Monday; Michael Oliveira and Caryn Broitman on Tuesday; Sherm Goldstein, William Knight, TJ Hegarty and Kendall Chaves on Wednesday; David Rhoderick and Ken Rusczyk on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Colleen Morris. Happy 48th wedding anniversary wishes on Monday to Dick and Diana Reische.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. You have a choice of activities tonight, fireworks in Oak Bluffs or the fair. I’ll see you at the fair. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.
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