JUNE D. MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks2004@yahoo.com)

Bruce Eckman and yours truly are presently serving on the Martha’s Vineyard Community Services board of directors — the first from Aquinnah to serve since Rick Lee represented our community. And definitely the first time two Aquinnah members have served at the same time. You are cordially invited to a pre-Posssible Dreams Auction party on Wednesday, August 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Aquinnah town hall.

Up-Island residents are invited to attend, and please bring your house guests. You will not only have fun but will leave the party feeling great and knowing much more about why we are all supporters of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services. There are 6,000 Islanders served by Community Service, and it is truly an Island treasure. RSVP to Bruce at be@creative-insights.com or me at lthslnks2004@yahoo.com. The VTA bus stops directly in front of town hall if you prefer to take the bus to the gathering. The Possible Dreams auction will be held on Monday, August 6 in Ocean Park.

Today at the Aquinnah Cultural Center, Mother Bear Anita Peters Little of Mashpee will demonstrate deerskin clothing and regalia making from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Saturday, July 21, there will be Vanderhoop homestead tours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tom Dresser will present his latest book, The Wampanoag, on July 25 at 6 p.m. The seventh annual Native Artisans Festival and exhibit will be held on Saturday, July 28, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information, please call 508-645-7900.

Enjoy the Feast of Queen Isabella this weekend at the Holy Ghost Society at the Portuguese-American Club on Vineyard avenue in Oak Bluffs. There will be traditional food, music and games—a fun time for the whole family. The parade will be held on Sunday from the Steamship Authority at 11:30 a.m. to the P.A. Cub.

Jane Coakley reminds us that the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society will perform on Monday, July 23 for one night only. Enjoy the Imani Winds Quintet at 8 p.m. at the Old Whaling Church. Tickets are $35, or $30 for those with an Island Club card. There is also an open rehearsal at 11 a.m., which is free.

Duncan Caldwell will be the guest speaker at the Aquinnah Public Library on Tuesday, July 24, from 5 to 6:15 p.m. Duncan will speak on “The Saharan Origins of Ancient Egyptian Royal Symbols.” Mr. Caldwell has been on the vanguard of important archaeological conversation efforts in Europe and Africa. He was voted by the Marine and Paleobiological Research Institute of Vineyard Haven to be its second fellow. The Caldwell family has a long history up-Island and resides in Paris off-season.

Philip Weinstein will present the life and work of Jonathan Franzen on Thursday, July 26, at 5 p.m. at the Aquinnah town hall for the Aquinnah Public Library. Philip is a part-time resident of Aquinnah and Alexander Griswold Cummins Professor of English at Swarthmore College. His talk, Franzen In Time, explores the remarkable trajectory of a still-developing writer, Jonathan Franzen.

Richard Skidmore of the Aquinnah housing committee is looking for input from individuals/families who may be interested in affordable housing in the next three years or so. As the committee looks forward to developing housing opportunities, we are examining apartment rental or home ownership—or a mix of both. If you are interested and would qualify within the income guidelines to enter a housing lottery, please e-mail Carolyn Feltz, assistant to the Aquinnah housing committee at AQHCPC@comcast.net.

John Wightman’s Island Images collection will remain on display through today at the Bank of Martha’s Vineyard at Beetlebung Corner. If you miss the show, many of the images are available at the Howwosswee Trading Post.

Thank you to Betty Joslow for providing the summer programs for Aquinnah residents to participate in. Thank you to Charlie Shipway who has returned to teach sailing to our youth. Thank you to Michael Wooley who is once again teaching swimming. Thank you to Hannah Malkin for her generous use of her swimming pool for the lessons. Michael is assisted this year by Tara Nitardy and David Espindle.

Congratulations to Dr. Peter J. Laursen and Dr. Stuart A. Kendall on their 35th year of medical practice on the Vineyard. It seems like only yesterday that they both arrived to work in the emergency room that warm summer day in July 1977. Many memories over the years.

Zaire Aguiar-Bolling is staying with his grandfather Matthew Vanderhoop for two weeks and assisting at the Aquinnah Shop.

Natalie Francis would like to remind us of the Aquinnah landfill hours for the next two months: Sunday, 10 to 4, Thursday, 8 to 2 and Saturday, 9 to 1.

Welcome to Madeline Elizabeth Garvin, who was born on July 6 at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Madeline is the daughter of Cera, granddaughter of Steve and Trudy Garvin, and great grand-daughter of Edwin Vanderhoop, Gloria Fisk, and Lillian Garvin.

Robert MacDiarmid Jr. and his wife, Kelly, and their children, Trey and Bray, returned to their home in West Virginia after spending a week with his father, Robert Sr. and Beverly Wright.

Kyle Sennott, his wife Anastasia and their children, Evan and Antonia, returned to their home in Gaithersburg, Md. over the weekend after spending two weeks at their family home on Dogfish Bar. Kyle reports that his grandparents Wally, who is 103, and Addie, at 102, are the eldest residents collectively at Pickersgill in Towson, Md. Wally and Addie are both in relatively good health as he continues to drive and golf and they are both very active in their retirement community. We miss them in Aquinnah.

Kevin Sheehan returned to Aspen, Colorado on Monday after spending the past two weeks with his in-laws, Lenny and Mallory Butler. Kevin will return at the end of the month, when his wife, Jeffie, and their daughter, Maeve, reluctantly leave the Butler nest and return to Aspen.

Victoria Wright and Will Wagner and two-year-old Mato arrived on Saturday from their home in Princeton to visit with Bob MacDiarmid and Beverly Wright.

Sorry I did not submit my column one week ago, due to extenuating circumstances. Thus, I will catch up with all the celebrations.

Happy 55th anniversary wishes to Bob and Connie Iadicicco, who celebrate on July 20. Happy anniversary wishes to John and Jan Wightman as they celebrate on July 27.

Belated happy birthday wishes to Tobias Vanderhoop, Sonny Silvia, Misha Vandal and John Occouch Vanderhoop on July 15. Evangeline Sanfilippo partied on the 16th. Dr. Gerald Steinberg celebrated on July 17. Jed Smith and Connie Athearn Taylor celebrated on July 18.

Happy birthday wishes this week to Laurie Perry-Henry on July 20, who shares the day with Susan Lana Shea and Raymond Dineen. Kendra Buresch will party on July 22 and shares the day with her six-year-old daughter, Oona Buresch Carroll. Aquinnah police officer Steve Mathias will also party on July 22. Sheila Arno Jason parties on July 23. Lisa Pachico and Captain Hugh Taylor share the day on July 24. Berta Welch, Samuel Scott and Corey Vanderhoop will all party on July 25. Joan Lelacheur, Marshall Lee, Amalie Vandal, Sarah Alice Swift-Mendez and Otis Jeffers Jr. all celebrate on July 26.