The Chappy Community Center annual community fair has changed from a mid-day event to a late afternoon/early evening celebration. This year the hours will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. That’s correct: five to seven in the p.m. on Saturday, July 15. When I first saw those hours on the CCC website I figured it must be a mistake. But it is a smart move on the part of the CCC board to vary the traditional time of the annual fair to keep it vital and make sure that everyone has a chance to participate. This event is open to the entire Chappy community and friends. There is something for everyone at the fair! Yummy food at the BBQ, lots of treats at the bake sale, fabulous summer reads at the book sale, kids’ games, and the famous dog show are just some of the activities offered. There are lots of fun volunteer opportunities too. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people. Volunteer jobs include grill master, assisting with kids’ games, the book sale, bake sale, cashier and many more ways to help, large and small. Please let Lynn know if you are interested in lending a hand for an hour or two. Phone 508-627-8222 or email chappycc@verizon.net.

That same Saturday morning from 7 to 8 a.m. I will be at the CCC loading my truck with household hazardous waste to take over to the collection at the transfer station in town. They accept oil paint, thinners, stains, old fuel, motor oil and household chemicals. All at no charge. No latex paint or batteries. Latex paint goes in the regular trash after being allowed to dry out and batteries are accepted every day that the transfer station is open. If you miss me at the CCC, the collection takes place at the transfer station on the West Tisbury Road near the Martha’s Vineyard Airport from 9 a.m. to noon. If you miss this collection altogether the next one is on September 9, but you will have to get your yucky stuff to that one on your own. The annual CCC book sale will begin Friday July 14 and will run for at least a week. Pick up some fantastic summer reads. The deadline for dropping off your entries for the 2018 calendar photo contest is Frida,y July 21. Vote for your favorites Monday, July 24 through Friday, August 4. Fourteen photos will be used for the calendar months and front and back covers.

There seems to be some confusion regarding UPS package delivery to the Chappy store. Just so you know, Gerry rents out the container for them to toss the packages into. That’s his only agreement with that company. They didn’t want to come all the way over here at all and deliver to every house, so Gerry offered them a weather-proof building where they could drop all of them off at once. He used to call to tell us that we had a package. He would sort them out so that we could find them easily. He did that out of the goodness of his heart and as a courtesy to all of us. Well, Gerry is only human and he got tired after decades of getting yelled at and blamed for errors and shortcomings on the part of good ole’ UPS. So, he stopped doing those things. He kept it up a whole lot longer than the rest of us would have. If you have a problem, call UPS.

Chappaquiddicker Edwina Rissland has solved your gift giving worries for the next holiday season with her new book Morning Shore – A Turn Of The Year On Chappaquiddick. She will host a book signing on Thursday, July 20 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the CCC. Morning Shore is a treasury of images of Chappaquiddick and excerpts from verses written specifically about the island by island poets as well as the words of other well-known rhymers. The photography is a delight even to someone who has seen all of it with my own eyes. Meet Edwina, get a signed copy of the book and hear Chappy poets read their verse. Plain and simple, it’s a really nice book and not just because of the photo and poem about the ferries. You will need to get at least two copies. One to keep for yourself. One to give to someone who has never been to Chappaquiddick and has found your description of paradise unbelievable.

Send Chappynews to peterchappyferry@gmail.com.