NANCY GARDELLA

508-693-3308

(iklean@yahoo.com)

Did you miss me last week? I was so overwhelmed with driving Nonna back to the Island for the summer as well as my two dogs and one cat, that I was too exhausted to file a column on time. We had partied so hard at Nonna’s farewell party on her porch in White Plains that we were a day behind schedule. Wishing her well for the summer were a variety of friends, neighbors, and relatives, among them Al and Lyuda Munoz, Rachel Schoolcraft, Olivia Singh, Mona Singh, Marge DePaso, Paulina and Luca, Jim, ChiChi, Jamie, and Delia Markey, and Cathy Burdick with her new baby, Zoe.

Nonna was amazed at the many changes on the Island when we returned. The fire station, of course, and Moxie’s open — she hadn’t seen that yet. Midnight Farm is where Bunch of Grapes once was, and this is what she thinks of the roundabout: not much. I actually can’t print what she said about it in a family newspaper.

The son also rises. That phrase goes through my head because of Papa Hemingway’s excellent book but more to the point with the spelling of “son” as I did, I am thinking of the Son Rise program. I believe I read last fall that a family in Chilmark was starting the Son Rise program for their child with autism. Perhaps I was wrong. My sister in law, one of the many other Nancy Gardellas, is very interested in this program for her son. She has asked me to ask if any of you are involved in it, know about it, and how is it going? Nancy traveled to western Massachusetts last year to spend a week learning about the program. It does rely on many volunteers to have it work properly. We would both be very interested in knowing how it is going on-Island. Please call or write.

I know Nonna and I will catch up with all of you at the benefit for Corly Maciel tomorrow at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs. The party runs from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Contact my esteemed colleague, June Manning, if you need any information. We’ll see you there.

Ed Colligan invites us all to help put up the flags at our Oak Grove cemetery on Thursday, July 4 at 7:30 a,m. Don’t forget to show up at 2 p.m. to help put them away. This is rewarding work, I have always met some of my best friends and patriots at the flags.

Tuesday nights at our post 257 American Legion Hall on Martin Road is where you will find lobster rolls, clam chowder, air conditioning, and everyone too hot or tired to cook. I’ll see you there. The Legion lobster rolls will also be available at the Tisbury Street Fair. Parking is such a problem for the fair that once again, free parking and shuttle buses will be available at the high school.

Our library invites pirate fans for story hour on Tuesday, July 2 at 10 a.m. for the newborn to age 2 group, and at 11 a.m. for children ages 3 to 5. Kathy Forrester will spin the yarns. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for Saturday, July 6 at the Ag Hall. The Martha’s Vineyard Library Association will kick off its summer reading program there. Admission is three dollars, add an extra buck if you want your face painted.

Bill and Jan Stokes are back in the ‘hood. Generous Jan has brought us some lovely offerings from her favorite store in Connecticut. Thank you, Jan!

You might have noticed volunteers collecting seaweed in Muddy Cove. The seaweed is the result of high nitrogen in the pond. Volunteers are removing the seaweed to prevent its decomposition in the system. If you would like to volunteer, call 508-395-6985.

Anniversary bouquets go out to Joe and Joan Didato on July 1. Doug and Leslie Hewson celebrate their anniversary on July 3. Fourth of July is reserved for Tim and Tootie Kieffer.

The birthday bandwagon is empty today. Tomorrow is a party for Flavia Stanley, John Doyle and Lynn Weber. July 1 is for Dick Clark, Mya Jewett Rendall, Cynthia Schilling, and her granddaughter, Jenev Schilling. July 2 shines on John Clark Wallace, Jean Dowling, Penelope Bonelli and John Scott. July 3 belongs to Larry Gomez and Hans Buder. And on July 4, with all the flags flying, Cora Medeiros, Julie Schilling, Derek Araujo, Steve McCarthy and Steve Nichols take the cake. Many happy returns.