JUNE D. MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks@gis.net)

The Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living will usher in Black History Month with the second in a series of cultural luncheons on Saturday at the Grill on Main. Guest speakers will be Carrie Tankard, Elaine Weintraub and Thomas Dresser. Music will be performed by Toby Riseborough and Rykerr Maynard. Thank you to Vineyard artist Harry Seymour for contributing one of his beach scenes for the design on our posters and tickets. Only a few tickets are left for this luncheon. We will be selling raffle tickets through the spring in our ongoing quest to fundraise and build a permanent home for the Center for Living and especially to house the Supportive Day Program. Please call 508-939-9440 for tickets or details.

To learn more about the mission and goals of the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living, please view MVTV interviews with president Diane Jetmund and director Leslie Clapp on the program Tank Talk. Several of us also recently presented at the All-Island Selectmen’s meeting of Jan. 13. These two programs may be viewed on MVTV.org, by going to “on demand” and then to the schedule. President Jetmund also will be featured in an interview with Ann Bassett to be aired in March. We are still in need of board members, alternates and members at large from each town except Edgartown, which has a full complement. Our ultimate goal is to have a permanent home for the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living. For find out about serving on the board, call Leslie at 508-939-9440 or write to her at MVC4L, Box 1729, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. Thank you.

The Irish Studies program at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School will sponsor a traditional Irish dinner on Thursday, Feb. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Portuguese-American Club on Vineyard avenue in Oak Bluffs. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children under seven. Proceeds will assist the students with their travel to Ireland.

The Oak Bluffs Rescue Truck is sponsoring a benefit dinner for Kenny Ponte on Saturday, Feb. 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Portuguese-American Club on Vineyard avenue. Kenny has end stage renal disease and is in need of a kidney transplant. Tickets are $12 per adult and $6 per child. For further information or to purchase a ticket, please call 508-939-0370 to support Kenny, his wife, Erica and their children, Hunter, Shelby and Jake. If you are unable to attend and would like to send a donation, please mail to the Oak Bluffs Fire Department, Attention Rescue Truck, Box 2131, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557. Thank you.

Friends of Aquinnah Public Library would appreciate your assistance in meeting a goal to match a grant two-to-one through the Libri Foundation for the purchase of children’s books. The choice of books will be quite varied, with many international and cultural themes. Please drop off clean and neatly contained refundable deposit bottles and cans from now through the beginning of April at the Aquinnah Landfill Drop-Off during business hours. To meet their goal of $350, they will try to collect 7,000 bottles and cans. For more information, please call the library at 508-645-2314.

The needlecraft group will meet at the Aquinnah Public Library on Tuesday, Feb. 1 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Please bring your knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, crewel or any other handiwork items and join in the fun. Assistance will be available for beginners. Hot beverages and snacks will be available. On Tuesday, Feb. 8, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Emma Young will introduce simple bookbinding techniques to beginners and help those with more experience. Supplies will be available at the library with a small expense for the supplies. Don’t forget story time on Saturdays at 3 p.m. for a story and craft time for three to seven-year-olds with adult participation and supervision.

Christian Boos was the recent guest of Woody and Jamie Vanderhoop for a fun-filled time in Aquinnah and a brief trip to Mohegan Sun. Christian and Woody were schoolmates at Dartmouth College and members of NAD (Native Americans at Dartmouth). They recently enjoyed time together at the wedding of his brother, Justin Boos, but Christian’s travel to Aquinnah was a surprise Christmas gift to Woody from Jamie. Christian and Justin have enjoyed many glorious weeks at Aquinnah in the past, both visiting and previously working for the tribe.

Christopher Fischer would appreciate your assistance in finding his black Labrador, Olive. While celebrating on New Year’s Eve, Olive decided she would try a new adventure to welcome in the new year by touring the up-Island scenery. She has been missing since then and has been spotted in West Tisbury over the past week. If you see Olive, please call Chris at 508-939-0010. They miss her immensely.

Samantha Maltais, daughter of Dan and Cheryl, returned to her freshman year studies at St. George’s School in Newport over the weekend. Samantha has been an A-average student throughout the first semester. She also has been honored as the athlete of the week not only in soccer but in basketball as well.

Congratulations to Samuel Scott, son of Francis and Linda, on being a on the dean’s list at Nichols College. Sam is a sophomore student at Nichols.

As one of my friends said, this was priceless: After answering an early morning telephone call one day this week, I was still half asleep when I thought I put the cordless telephone back into the charger cradle. A couple of hours later I discovered it had actually been put into a cup of tea that had been sitting there since midnight. So, suggestions started pouring in on Facebook and I followed the advice of Aquinnah police officer Steve Mathias by placing the handset in a container of rice. There it sat overnight and the next morning, voilá, the cordless telephone works once more. Thank you, Steve.

Happy birthday wishes this week to David E. Vanderhoop on Jan. 29, who shares the day with Mary Vanderhoop as she turns 14. VTA administrative assistant Lois Craine will party on Jan. 30. Christopher Camacho will be 18 years old on Jan. 30 and shares the day with Gimili Glavin and Bette Carroll.

Vanessa Lavadinho celebrates on Feb. 1 and shares the day with Anastasia Sargent, Andrew Fischer, Angela Waldron and Tamara Jardin. Emmett Carroll, Betty Joslow, Mark Shea and Adam Gebb all share the day on Feb. 2. Jeffrey O. Day and Laurie Thompson celebrate on Feb. 4.