TALE OF TWO CITIZENS

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

There it was in black and white on page one of the Gazette (March 4), and the contrast depicted in the stories of two individuals was just as startling. The remembrance of the late Edwin (Bob) Newhall Woods described a model environmentalist whose conservation practices assured that many acres of Vineyard land would remain forever wild. Then we have the case of Ms. Mary Howell who, wishing to improve her little piece of West Chop, dredged a pond and filled in a wetland. It’s too bad Ms. Howell did not bother to show up at the recent conservation commission meeting to discuss these violations. How do you defend such blatant disregard for protecting sensitive land? The commission can fine up to $300 a day for violations, but the cost of land lost? Priceless.

Pamela Street

Vineyard Haven

•

SAME GARBAGE

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

There was a time, in Vineyard Haven, when there was one garbageman who drove the truck and gathered the masses of refuse from the cans every week, once a week. One man. And once upon a time, when one was remiss with a garbage sticker, one could put out a pie, or cold soda, and the sticker situation magically disappeared by said garbageman. Being made aware that this soul had a lot to deal with, I was well trained in the art of being appreciative of the garbageman.

It’s slightly different in these southern climes on Palm Beach. A snappy truck and multiple little trucks zoom up and down the lanes every morning. No stickers are needed ­— for gosh sakes the property taxes alone are enough to provide a third world country food, housing and clothing for a decade, thus no sodas, pies or stickers are required for the removal of garbage.

Dutifully I have been dragging the garbage can from this house to the roadside. Mindful of the garbageman’s plight, I saw no reason for the man to run up this driveway and drag the can down to the street after all, I have been Vineyard trained. Morning after morning they silently appear and the can is emptied. I drag it back up the drive and all is well until it is filled and then I drag it back down the driveway to the roadside.

I need no rock, approximately a size 8 shoe, to hold this lid firmly attached to the can. Palm Beach has no skunks sniffing out yogurt containers, or crows, except for a few older bipeds dressed in pinks and greens from the Sixties. One can actually leave a garbage bag on the street and in all its resplendent green glory, not one little claw mark or DNA swatch could be found by any CSI agent on said bag.

This morning, much to my horror, I discovered a very tastefully appointed calling card on my front door from the Palm Beach Code Enforcement Task Force. What had I done this time? Is the pool too dirty? Is the dryer running too hot? Is my little dog too uncoiffed? Are there too many white pebbles in the pea gravel driveway? Is the doormat outdated? Have I gone out in public with a broken nail? None of the above!

I made the mistake of taking the trash can to the edge of the driveway. On Palm Beach a trash can is supposed to be hidden, at all times. It is the job of the garbageman to hunt for them. Not only do they not get a pie or soda, they have to search high and low, behind ficus and thorny bougainvillea, and as the temperature climbs, perhaps these men have to go by scent. There are no trails of empty yogurt containers to follow or little bits of green plastic. Everything is just so pristine, perfect, except for the few misadventures, like me and my garbage can, down on the road.

Jean Goodman-McIntosh

Vineyard Haven

•

DAYBREAK CLUBHOUSE

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Members and staff of the Daybreak Clubhouse of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services urge Island legislators to protect funding for clubhouses.

The Department of Mental Health has proposed $3 million in cuts to clubhouses across the state. Losing the clubhouse would be losing the lifeline for people with mental illness on the Island.

“Daybreak has enabled me to find stability and structure in my life and keeps me out of the hospital,” said a member.

Upwards of 30 Islanders are active with Daybreak, upwards of 100 Islanders are permanent members; 7,000 hours of attendance are logged each year.

Daybreak provides community.

“Not everyone has the support of a family member to rely on. That’s what daybreak does,” said one young woman.

The clubhouse is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“It gives me something to do during the day It has given me the opportunity to work at Murdick’s Fudge and Cronig’s,” said one man.

Many essential services would be lost without the clubhouse.

The community would lose much of the financial contributions made by clubhouse members.

The clubhouse holds jobs with local businesses. Ten to fifteen members are working at any given time in the community, logging 6,812 hours a year and earning an aggregate of over $65,000.

Vocational training also would be lost if Daybreak Clubhouse closes. An education scholarship fund at Daybreak provides scholarships of up to $500 allowing members to advance their skills.

The clubhouse is open weekends and every holiday for social events.

The Daybreak Clubhouse cannot afford to lose any more funding. The clubhouse already operates on a bare-bones budget having been flat-funded for 13 years.

“It’s unfortunate that DMH is proposing such deep cuts to the clubhouse program. If anything the clubhouse program is the most successful program for those who are vulnerable. To limit the services of the clubhouse would be a great expense to all.”

Please support the Daybreak Clubhouse of MVCS by calling Rep. Tim Madden, 617-722-2810, and Sen. Daniel Wolfe, 617-722-1570 and voicing your support.

Carolyn Eddy

Vineyard Haven

•

SOLES FOR SOULS

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Thanks to everyone who helped with the shoe drive over the last few months. We collected hundreds of pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls who will distribute them to areas of need in America and around the world. As in all things, the compassion and generosity of Vineyarders is unparalleled. I will keep the drop box open throughout the year.

Dr. Michelle McCrumb

Vineyard Haven

•

THE CHILDREN’S ROOM

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I’m delighted about the design for the new Edgartown Library that provides for both children and adults. In this new building we’ll be able, for the first time, to have programs for kids without impinging on the adults who want it quiet. We’ll also be able, for the first time, to have adult programs without having to close the Children’s Room to children, which is what happens now.

The Children’s Room will be on the first floor of the new building, right inside the entrance. Adults won’t have the sound of running feet overhead, because kids won’t have to go through the building to get to their space. Adults will have twice the room they had before — quiet and removed from the children’s area. This library provides for all our users, and I love that.

We’ve been losing patrons in Edgartown over the years because they can’t get to the library, and they can’t park. For most people, this new location will be so much better. And perhaps we can persuade the VTA to route its in-town shuttle service so it helps Chappy people get to the new library.

I’ve been a librarian here since 1977, and recently I realized there have been only three years, in all my time here, when we didn’t have water leaking into the Children’s Room. I recently had a patron, who is a local day care provider, tell me that she knows other day care providers who don’t come to programs here because the building is so dilapidated. Twice, for six months, we have had to condense or move to cope with old building woes. I think the children of Edgartown deserve so much better.

I also remembered how we used to joke that someday most of my “library kids” would someday be Edgartown voters. Now that has come true. Not many weeks go by when I don’t have parents come in who were my library kids once, bringing their own children to introduce them to me and let them share our library. They deserve a great space to come to.

I know how important libraries can be to the kids who don’t entirely fit in. Sometimes the library is the only safe place for a unique child. I also know that children who hang out at the library are often the children who are on the honor roll, even if they are doing nothing academic when they are here.

If having kids hang out at the library after school gets them in here so they’re comfortable when they have to pick out a book for school — how great is that? This library will give kids another option. After school, they can go to the Boys’ and Girls’ Club and run around and get their exercise. But if they need a little help, we’ll be right there.

Deborah MacInnis

Edgartown

The Vineyard Gazette welcomes letters to the editor on any subject concerning Martha’s Vineyard. The newspaper strives to publish all letters as space allows, although the editor reserves the right to reject letters that in her judgment are inappropriate. Letters must be signed, and should include a place of residence and contact telephone number. The Gazette does not publish anonymous letters.