The East Chop Association held its July meeting at the East Chop Beach Club last Saturday. Every time I attend, I am thankful for the ECA. Neighborhoods do not remain special without a great deal of care. Can you imagine East Chop without our parks? Crystal Lake is healthy and vibrant because of ECA work.

Back in the 60s, those of us teens and pre-teens lucky enough to have been able to stay in Oak Bluffs all summer learned quickly that what was important was to have something to do outside. If not, Mom was going to find something for you to do inside, like chores or reading a book or babysitting siblings who often changed from “Oooh, isn’t she/he cute?” to one of the devil’s disciples.

Calling all history buffs: Captain Martin Bayerle brings his book The Tsar’s Treasure to the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 1 with an author’s talk and a question and answer session. The book is the story of the lost luxury White Star Liner RMS Republic which sank in 1909 off Martha’s Vineyard after being hit by the SS Florida in a thick fog. Mr. Bayerle discovered the shipwreck in the early 1980s.

The dog days of summer are here and the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard has nary a dog to adopt. It must be doing its job very well as all the dogs have gone to homes. There are a few cats hanging out in the air conditioned cat room. T.C. is a lovely calico, female of course, as are all calico cats. She purrs when petted and seems to have a very good disposition. The big black male, Michael, has overcome his jitters and now emerges from his hiding place to greet visitors.

It’s a celebration of chickens and all they produce during the Coop de Ville tour on Sunday, August 4. The tour begins at 10:30 a.m. with brunch at the Grey Barn in Chilmark. Then everyone heads out to visit the five participating farms for a tour of their coops and a better understanding of local, sustainable agriculture. Leave your pets at home during the tour. Chickens and dogs rarely forge friendships.

Martha’s Vineyard Summer Soul is coming to the Island on Sunday, August 12. The event is the inspiration of Sharon-Francis Moore a seasonal resident of Vineyard Haven. After several friends were diagnosed with cancer, Ms. Moore decided to create a summer fundraiser to give back to four organizations instrumental in providing care for cancer patients. The organizations are Angel Flight Northeast, the Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support Group, Project Renewal and Look Good Feel Better.

The six artists currently involved in the newest exhibit at the Louisa Gould Gallery in Vineyard Haven are Jeff P’an, John Holladay, Fran Dropkin, Nick Paciorek, Joan Rusitzky and Ms. Gould.

Built on Stilts is the Vineyard’s homegrown dance festival and it takes root this summer from August 8 through the 11 and again from August 17 through the 20 at Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs. Choreographers from Martha’s Vineyard and visiting artists from off-Island join creative forces to bring the performances to life. The program is always free and changes each night. Each night begins with a drum circle starting at 7:30 p.m. The Dance program follows at 8 p.m.

Join National Public Radio host Tom Ashbrook and guest Nicholas Negroponte, founder of One Laptop Per Child and MIT Media Lab, for a discussion of the future of media at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown on Friday, July 26 at 5:30 p.m. The free event will explore how we will get our news in the future and other issues surrounding media trends.

In past years the Martha’sVineyard Book Festival was a one-day event taking place at the Chilmark Community Center. This year the organizers have added a second day at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown.