Dine Out, Sleep In

Ready to escape before summer arrives? Winnetu, the South Beach resort in the Katama is offering a rare escape for winter-weary Islanders throughout the month of May. Islanders who eat at Lure restaurant on any Wednesday or Thursday may stay the night in a one-bedroom suite at Winnetu for free. A minimum of two entrees must be ordered. Children under 12 eat for free. Each suite accommodates two adults and three children.

What better way to celebrate Earth Day than by rolling up your sleeves and helping Felix Neck get ready for spring? Saturday, April 25 is Mass Audubon’s Statewide Volunteer Day, and Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary needs volunteers of all ages to help from 9 a.m. to noon. After working up an appetite, volunteers will be treated to a barbecue lunch.

The Vineyard Conservation Society’s Earth Day Beach Clean-Up saw volunteers taking to beaches around the Island last Saturday, April 18. Among the many organizations to dedicate their afternoon to the effort was the Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters Association. The association put their work in on the familiar strand of South Beach, hauling refuse of all shapes, sizes and material out of the sands and away to a proper disposal.

It’s possible to put two and two together and come out with a number not exactly four. Ann Coleman Allen of West Tisbury bears the last name of one of our original settler families, and she teaches courses on Vineyard history. One could reckon, therefore, that her interest in the subject stems from the irresistible pull of family genealogy.

Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer is a sweet and delicious way to raise “dough” to battle breast cancer. More than 100 restaurants and bakeries, including Mediterranean Restaurant and Sweet Life Cafe in Oak Bluffs, will bake unique desserts the week leading up to Mother’s Day, May 4 to 10. One hundred percent of sales from the special dessert benefit breast cancer research and care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Anne Mayhew of Sandpiper Rentals Inc. has successfully completed the Realtor e-Pro course to become one of a select few real estate professionals to earn the prestigious certification offered through the National Association of Realtors.

The course is designed to provide real estate professionals with the technology tools needed to assist consumers in the rental, purchase or sale of a home.

More than 70 per cent of consumers begin their real estate research on the Internet.

Savings Bank Grants

This month the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank Charitable Fund joined the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank to award $13,000 in grants to eight local nonprofit organizations and community groups. The grants will help fund programs in the arts, education, health care, veterans affairs and youth.

Blood Drive Tuesday

The next Martha’s Vineyard Community Blood Drive will be Tuesday, April 28, at the Portuguese American Club on Vineyard avenue in Oak Bluffs from noon to 5:30 p.m.

Valid identification is required. Free pizza and a chance to win Red Sox tickets are available to all donors. To make an appointment, call 1-800-448-3543.

Gas

Prices for regular unleaded gas as of Apr. 22:

Edgartown

Airport Mobil $2.699

Depot Corner $2.699

Edgartown Mobil $2.759

Oak Bluffs

deBettencourt’s $2.719

Jim’s $2.679

Vineyard Haven

Citgo $2.679

Tisbury Shell $2.699

West Tisbury

Up-Island Automotive $2.609

Menemsha

Menemsha Texaco $2.599

Tisbury voters face a relatively straightforward task at their annual town election on Tuesday, with no particularly controversial ballot questions, and few election contests.

Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at the American Legion Hall.

What would have been the major contest of the election — that of selectman — was decided some six weeks ago.

Tisbury attorney Geoghan Coogan had planned to run against the incumbent, Denys Wortman, but when Mr. Wortman heard of it, he promptly decided not to re-contest the seat.