JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
Well, Sunday was the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attack. Taylor Wilson rang the church bell at the precise moments that the two hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center. It demonstrated that this town cared about the awful incident.
A lot of people were able to work outside on Sunday on many needed chores and home improvements. The Island seemed to empty of tourists a little faster than usual this year; perhaps it was the storms. The fall foliage may be spectacular in some places, but in others affected by the salt spray from the recent storms, the leaves have turned brown and have fallen. At this time of the year Joe Howes would remind people of an old saying that has proved to be quite true over the years: “You can tell what the coming winter will be like by how large the area of black is on the first white caterpillar that you see in the fall.” The shoulder season of transit service will cease on Oct. 12 and then we begin the winter bus schedule.
Tomorrow is electronics disposal day at the central transfer station.
The Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby is in full swing and the fish appear to be plentiful.
The firemen held their annual picnic at Flat Point Farm last Sunday afternoon under a sunny sky. The weather was ideal, and the firemen, their wives, children and assorted guests who attended the affair had a wonderful time. The children enjoyed flying kites and riding on the fire truck.
John Churchill, of Los Angeles, flew in the Saturday of Labor Day weekend to pick up his wife, Elizabeth, and their three children, Freddy, Bobby and Lucy, to return to California after they had spent two months vacationing here. Most of the time they stayed with Elizabeth’s parents, Bob and Barbara Day, and some of the time at the home of the Day’s other daughter, Catha Carlson in Chilmark, plus two weeks again renting one of the Whiting cottages.
Matthew Day and his wife, Tracy, and their children, Jackson, Garrett and Caroline, also visited the Days for two weeks in August.
Hunter Moorman and Leslie Gray, of Panhandle Road, are looking forward to the visit of Hunter’s daughter, Anna Lentz, her husband, Steffen, and baby daughter, Alicia, from Hermetschwil-Staffeln, Switzerland; they will arrive on Sunday and stay for a week. They will be accompanied by friends Claus and Heike Vaupel and their baby son, Valentin, from Germany.
Phyllis Meras, of Music street, returned home yesterday after a weeklong business trip to New York city.
Ava and Naomi Plains, of Doylestown, Pa., arrived today to spend the weekend at their Middle Road estate. They plan to visit with old friends and attend to matters at their house.
Melissa Pitt reports that the Martha’s Vineyard Ecumenical Youth Group is kicking off the school year with a southern dinner and auction tomorrow night at the Federated Church in Edgartown. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. (no charge) followed by a live auction. There will also be a slide show presentation of the mission work done in Tennessee last June by the youth group. Everyone is invited to share a meal and learn about the work done by our youth.
Lynn Ditchfield reports that you can register now online for fall ACE MV classes, or come to in-person registration Sept. 22 at the Flatbread Pizza Night at the airport, which will include a raffle, fortune-telling, music and great pizza to benefit ACE MV programming. The fall courses begin Oct.11 — 43 classes and seminars are on offer. You can visit them at the Living Local Harvest Festival Oct. 1 or sign up at the regional high school Oct. 4 and 5 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Check out the descriptions online at acemv.org or in catalogs in all libraries and schools.
The Living Local Harvest Festival is on Oct. 1 at the Agricultural Hall on Panhandle Road from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.. There will be workshops, exhibits, pumpkin carving, cider pressing, a bike parade and a farmers’ market, plus more. At 6 p.m. the community potluck supper begins, with local musicians playing afterwards. George Hartman reports that the 23rd annual Antique Power Show will be happening at the same time in the new barn on the property. He is organizing it again this year and asks all exhibitors to plan to set up between 9 and 10 a.m. on Saturday or late Friday afternoon. He will be there on Friday after 4 p.m. to set up the grounds. Any help is welcome. If you have any questions, please call him at 508-693-6039. George, the master of steam engines, will have a display that will mostly include early automotive engines from the mid 1890’s thru 1903. He is planning to run his 1903 Locomobile car engine on live steam during the show plus display his 1902 refurbished Nash Rambler which is one of only four still in existence. George spends countless hours working on steam engines and may have something newly restored in time for the show.
Jennifer, over at the library, reports that on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 5 p.m. Howes House writers Ellie Bates, Jeanne Hewett, Ed Housman, Doris Housman, Sally Williams and others will give a reading in celebration of the first issue of Martha’s Vineyard Writer’s Journal.
On Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 5 p.m. Fan Ogilvie, town poet laureate, will join author Leslie Prosterman in a reading celebrating the release of Leslie’s new book. A brief Q and A and book signing will follow.
Katy Fuller, over at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, reports that this summer, the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) proudly announced that the museum was the recipient of an Award of Merit from the AASLH Leadership in History Awards for the Web site Laura Jernegan: Girl on a Whaleship (girlonawhaleship.org). This award, now in its 66th year, is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.
Ginger Duarte reports that if you have any old computers, printers, electrical appliances (small and large), stereos, eight-tracks or air conditioners taking up space in your basement or garage, this information is for you: an Electronic Disposal Day is set for Saturday, Oct. 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services on the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, across from the regional high school. Round up all your old toasters/toaster ovens, hair dryers, refrigerators, tape recorders, whatever. This will help you clean up and benefit Martha’s Vineyard Community Services at the same time.
Old friend Kits Blair passed away recently. Among her many tasks in life was working for Dukes County at the extension service. Our condolences to her family.
Happy birthday to: Charlie Kernick, Greg Pachico and Scott Britney today; Celine Segel, Jason Kurth and David Hart tomorrow; Sandra Bernat, Mary Dacey and Laura Marshard on Sunday; Eleanor Stanwood, Sara Alwardt and Marcy Holmes on Monday; Marilyn Hollinshead, Tony Rezendes Jr., Allan McDowell, Amanda Dickinson and Susan Silk on Tuesday; Robert Wittig, Judy and Larry Schubert and Angela Scarborough on Wednesday; and to Carole Kimberly, Ted Lowe, Levi Lambson, Mike Mazza and Nancy Strecker on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Emily Hall.
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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