JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
Today is the start of the long holiday weekend. Labor Day is on Monday. All municipal buildings and post offices will be closed. It was an excellent summer, weatherwise, but all good things must come to an end and school starts on Thursday. The VTA buses begin their fall schedule on Tuesday. There were several end-of-season parties last weekend, and a few more are planned over the holiday weekend.
Well, we had a significant weather event last Sunday with the arrival of tropical storm Irene. Rev. Cathlin Baker cancelled the worship service at the church in anticipation of the storm. The wind sure did blow, up to 65 mph in several gusts, a lot of tree limbs came down all around town but thankfully not much rain as we saw the devastating effects it caused in neighboring states. The highway department was busy cutting and chipping all day Monday and Tuesday. Noah and Susan Block of Music street surely will remember the day as several large limbs came down on their roof.
Activity around the school has increased dramatically as teachers have been returning to work preparing for the opening of school Thursday morning. The high school will open on Wednesday for the freshmen and all other students on the following day. Ruda Stone, secretary, reports that 37 new freshman students will be attending from our town; the exact number of students will not be available until the Oct. 1 school census. Donna Lowell Bettencourt, assistant principal, reports that the elementary school will have 268 students attending classes this year. School buses will be on the road so be prepared to stop when you see the red flashing lights. Most bus stops do not have sidewalks, so students may be standing near the edge of the road waiting to be picked up.
Walter and Lisa Smith of Augusta, Ga., returned home on Tuesday after spending a week with us. He has become the premier antique dealer and furniture restoration man in his home state and the southeastern part of the country. Walter reports that they arrived during the earthquake, their plane experienced their first-ever hurricane, met the President’s motorcade, went to the beach, visited antique shows, flea markets and yard sales, fixed John’s old chair and it surely was the most action packed week he could remember in a long time. Lisa took some great photographs to document the visit. Lisa and Anna whipped up a fantastic steak dinner Monday night topped off with special brownies. We all had a wonderful time with them and they are welcome back any time.
Ginny Jones of New Lane reports that a memorial service has been planned for Jane Newhall on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 2 p.m. in the First Congregational Church where she was a lifelong member. There will be a reception immediately following in the church parish hall.
Old friend Bruce Keep died last week. He was active in town affairs and a member of the park and recreation committee for several years. Our condolences to Mary Lu and the family.
Constance Koch of Edgartown Road will be leaving for her home in Washington, D.C., next week. She reports having a wonderful summer; most of her children visited her at various times last month, including daughter Anne and her husband, Chuck Taylor, from Seattle, Wash.; daughter Sarah, her husband, Sloan Seymour, and their children Claire, Grace and Caroline, from Brooklyn Heights, N.Y.; and son Peter and his finance, Karolina, from Washington, D.C. Her other son John was unable to make it this summer. Connie also had two guests last month, Deborah Seymour from Morristown, N.J., and Harry Odell of Washington, D.C.
Linda Baughman of Philadelphia, Pa., arrived on Tuesday to spend some time at Phyllis Meras’s house on Music street.
Denise Mount of Canton, Conn., arrives today to spend the holiday weekend at the Alley house on State Road.
Emme Brown reports that Featherstone’s last summer event is coming up Saturday, Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will be hosting a tour of 15 of the Island’s most talented artists’ studios. Julia Mitchell, Richard Lee, Steve Lohman and Jenifer Strachan are among those who have studios in this town. It will start at Featherstone; maps and programs will be provided. The reception is from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Olga Hirshhorn’s home in Vineyard Haven.
Ginger Duarte reports that the members of the Martha’s Vineyard Chapter of the Order of St. Luke have invited Barbara McBride to be their guest speaker on Saturday, Sept. 10. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. in the Anderson Room of Grace Episcopal Church. The Order of St. Luke would like to extend a warm welcome to the Vineyard community during this weekend for those interested in knowing more about Christian healing and/or in need of healing. Barbara will also be a special guest at the adult forum on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. in the Grace Church parish hall.
Laura Roosevelt of Seven Gates Farm is exhibiting her recent abstract photography at the Louisa Gould Gallery located on Main street in Vineyard Haven. The show, Rhythm and Blues, will also feature four painters who work in diverse media. The exhibit opens Thursday and will be on view through Sept. 15. The opening reception is from 5 to 7 p.m. tomorrow. Stop by for light refreshments, to see the art and talk with Laura and the other artists, including Roberta Gross, a seasonal resident of Aquinnah. Roberta will also be giving an artist talk about the show on Sept. 11 from 2 to 3 p.m. The talk will be informative and lively.
Andrea Rogers, manager of the 16th Artisan’s Labor Day Fair, reports that it begins tomorrow and runs through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. over at the Agricultural Hall. Many Island artisans will take part in the show; all types of art work will be on display, furniture, jewelry, photography and much more. There will also be music, catered food, many demonstrations and free admission. She reports that the $2 parking fee will go toward the Vineyard Artisans Scholarship Fund. There will be a special invitation-only sneak preview of the fair tonight from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Wendy Weldon has a one-person exhibit at the Shaw Cramer Gallery until Monday. She will have an open studio next Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jennifer reports that the J.C. Trio will be playing jazz favorites in the library today from 4 to 5 p.m.
Happy birthday to: Ann Bassett, Nelia Decker, Hilary Blocksom and Lena Strothe today; Bonnie Eldridge, Mary Sobel, Amanda Kram and Richard Burt tomorrow; John Hough, Bernard Holzer and Dyan Redick on Sunday; Ward Just, Gloria Sylva, Tucker Smith, Katherine Cordray and Perry Dripps on Monday; Laura Marshall, Melissa Hackney, Cheryl Larsen and Michael Jackson on Tuesday; Barbara Hull, Mary Bergeron, Joe Merry, Nancy Cramer and Chris Turner on Wednesday; Harry Athearn, Lucas Bailey, Shannon Robertson, Doug Bardwell and Dan Larkosh on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Liz Wilson and anniversary greetings to Claire Harrington and Ed Mossy and Matt Taylor and Dr. Carrie Fyler.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.
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