JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

slaterjn@comcast.net

Chilmark says goodbye to another August. It was an eventful one with earthquakes, a presidential visit, a hurricane and more. The town lost a few trees and a lot of visitors to Irene. Most of our visitors on short vacations left early, only, I fear, to return to worse conditions in Connecticut, New York and other New England locations than we suffered here.

It was a busy month with lots of memories to take away for reflection on a quiet winter’s day. The Community Center offered a very successful book fair. The Chilmark Community Church continued to please appetites with their weekly lobster rolls; the road race drew the determined and the Firemen’s Backyard Bash was as tasty as ever. All the major events of a Chilmark August were successful this year.

I have a few memories of my own to cherish and to share. There were more than the usual spectacular sunsets at Menemsha, the visiting yachts were bigger and better this year and there were seemingly never-ending beach days for the young and young at heart.

However, I can’t resist one reality check that sort of brings August 2011 into perspective. There were economic ups and downs across the world and, maybe, in Chilmark. I visited a flea market this week and found an ordinary-looking zucchini bread on a vendor’s table. Casually pricing it, I was told it was $17. No reason was given, nor did I ask for one. I just assumed it was the nuts. Now, you and I both know, somebody bought that bread and is eating it tonight.

The Chilmark Community Church will host the Boston String Quartet on Oct. 2 at 4 p.m. at the church. The August program was canceled due to Irene.

Wendy Weldon is having a show of her recent paintings at the Shaw Cramer Gallery in Vineyard Haven. The show runs from August 29 through Sept. 5. She will also host an open studio day on Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 18 Austin Pastures in Chilmark.

Congratulations to the Aquinnah Library and Cathy Thompson, Aquinnah librarian, for winning a grant from the LIBRI Foundation of Eugene, Oregon. A gift of books was received.

We send condolences to the friends and family of Marion Savage Isakson, who died in Greenport, N.Y. on July 7 at the age of 91. She and her late husband, Carl, spent five months a year in Chilmark from 1967 to 1997 at their South Road home. They were active in Chilmark life and organizations here and had many friends. Many of us remember her cheerful presence.

We are invited on Sept. 4 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. to Salt Marsh, the home of Phil and Lynn Lilienthal, on the Menemsha Inn Road. They want to introduce some of the African camp counselors who have been working at Global Camps Africa. The Lilienthals founded the African camps in 2003 in Soweto, South Africa, and the intention has been to create an AIDS-free environment for children to learn and grow in a camp experience. The camps have been very successful and many children over the years have had their lives greatly improved. David and Sandy Berler, Chilmark seasonal residents of many years, are cohosting the event. They have worked as volunteer counselors at Camp Sizanani in the past and are enthusiastic supporters. We hope that the event raises funds to allow them to expand and continue this good work for children. Please call Phil and Lynn at 508-645-9434 to RSVP and for more information.

Chilmark resident, Lia Kahler-Littlefield and pianist Richard Gordon will present a concert at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown, for the benefit of the Polly Hill Arboretum and the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard. The concert is called Songs For My Father and is dedicated to Lia’s father, the late Albert Littlefield. The concert begins at 3 p.m. on Sept. 11.