Fishermen from Martha’s Vineyard, Bar Harbor, Jonesport and Swan’s Island gathered last month for the inaugural meeting of members of the Northeast Coastal Communities Sector.

Over a 6 a.m. breakfast in Stonington, Me., the group elected a governing board and made plans for the opening of this year’s groundfishing season. This historic event heralds the possibility of landing sizeable amounts of groundfish in eastern Maine for the first time in almost 20 years.

Dean’s List

The following students were named to the University of Massachusetts Boston dean’s list for the fall 2009 semester: Caitlin Crossland of Edgartown, Sophia Grimm of Oak Bluffs and Alicia Maciel of Vineyard Haven.

The Massachusetts Archives holds a number of records that can be used for genealogical and family history research. Whether you are just starting your family tree, or have been researching for many years, the archives is a great place to get information about your ancestors.

Jessica Forend of Oak Bluffs is a member of the Johnson & Wales University dressage team, which has qualified for the International Dressage Association national championship to be held in Laurinburg, N.C. this weekend.

The university finished as reserve champion team for the year in the Northeast A Region, and also had five students qualify for individual competition — including Ms. Forend.

The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation is offering grant funds for eligible organizations located in Dukes County to purchase specialized equipment and/or assistive technology for use by children, youth and young adults up to age 26 with developmental disabilities.

The deadline for the letter of application is June 30. For more information, please visit online thetowerfoundation.org.

Calling All Stations

For many years, the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club has sent two members to the mainland, to participate in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts’ exhibition, Art in Bloom. This annual April event is a collaboration between garden clubs from throughout New England and professional designers collaborating to produce vibrant floral displays, each one interpreting a different piece of art from the museum’s collection.

While the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland may have drawn the world’s attention away from their troubles, the people of Haiti continue to struggle in the effort to rebuild their shattered nation. This has not escaped the Edgartown School’s parent/teacher organization, who are holding a clothing drive through the end of April to directly benefit the Sacre Coeur Hospital, and the Children of the Promise orphanage, located in Milot, Haiti.

Matthew Goldfarb, outgoing executive director of the Farm Institute in Katama, has left the organization earlier than originally planned. Mr. Goldfarb has been offered an opportunity to work for the Small Farms Program at Cornell University, continuing his work and studies in small farm viability. During the search for a new executive director, Bill Connolly, Institute board member and longtime Katama neighbor, will act as interim director.

The sound of 101 trained voices lifted to meet the acoustical splendors of the Whaling Church is one of those pleasures that come along only twice each year — during the Christmas holidays and over a weekend each spring. Last Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, hundreds of Vineyarders took advantage of this offering.