Chrissy Kinsman owns Pie Chicks, the Island pie-making business she began in 2013.
Ms. Kinsman said her workload is busier than it usually is this time of year. Ordinarily, she would be focusing on summer planning but instead she is in the kitchen. For her, it is about keeping her business going during this time as well as finding ways to give back to the community.
Sarah Crittenden owns Ghost Island Farm in West Tisbury with Rusty Gordon, her partner in life and work.
“We’ve been together since dirt was invented,” she said.
Ghost Island Farm is coming up on its ninth year. The farm stand is a small operation but packed with produce year-round. It is open to everyone but also utilizes a member system where customers pay a lump sum up front and receive a discount. The up-front money is essential for the farmers to plan and plant crops.
Belle Dinning is an emergency medical technician for the Oak Bluffs fire department. She also works part-time as an EMT in Tisbury and part-time at the hospital.
Ms. Dinning said that when emergency medical crews go out on calls, for the safety of the team they treat it as if everyone has Covid-19 until proven otherwise. EMTs are dressed in full protective gear, and if anyone is experiencing respiratory symptoms, they dress in a full hazmat suit with “goggles, glasses, masks, the whole deal.”
Nina Ferry is the reference librarian and the head of adult technology services at the Oak Bluffs Public Library.
“The first two weeks were a scramble as to how we were going to contact patrons and stay connected,” Ms. Ferry said, referring to the shut-down order.
Part of that scramble was transferring a large number of their materials and services into a digital medium. Individuals can still obtain library cards if they’re interested in any of the library’s newly purchased digital services which include e-books, e-audiobooks, videos and music.
Andy Herr performs with the Pickpocket Bluegrass Band, Jellybone Rivers and the Maniacs of the Heart, The Space Invaders and the Pinkletinks. He’s also a sound engineer, a guitar teacher, and for the past three years has been hosting open mic nights at Island Music in Vineyard Haven.
“A month ago, we were planning a three-year celebration party,” he said.
Dawn Blackwood is a cashier at Our Market in Oak Bluffs.
One of the biggest adjustments for essential businesses like Our Market has been limiting the number of customers they allow in the store at once.
Ms. Blackwood said some customers still try to enter the store in groups.
“We’re open from eight to six and we can only let four people in at a time,” she said. “Some of the customers would normally come in three or four times over the day and we can’t do that either. We can only let them in once per day.”
Lisa Dawley is the manager of the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard.
She and Gordon Healy usually work together at the shelter, taking caring of the animals and trying to find them permanent homes. But now they alter their schedules so only one person is in the office at a time.
“It’s really quiet here,” Ms. Dawley said. “Usually we have children’s groups come in and special needs groups visiting. Now the animals only get to look at my face and Gordon’s all day long.”
“They are extra cuddly,” she added. “I think they know something is going on.”
Branimira (Bianca) Milkova is a cashier at Cronig’s.
Ms. Milkova is from Bulgaria and has worked at Cronig’s for about 10 years. Usually, she is a fixture at the up-Island store in West Tisbury but when that store shut down last month to consolidate the business during the pandemic she started working at the Vineyard Haven store.
“It’s different there,” she said. “At up-Island it feels like a family with my regular customers.”
