Published: June 23, 2011
A great friend
To the Editor:
As most on the Vineyard now have learned, this past Sunday we lost a prominent member of our community, Herb Putnam. I write today to share with the readers of this paper a brief note about my 20-year friendship with Herb. I am certain that Vineyarders all over have many great stories to share about Herb and, as difficult it is to write at this time, I am truly happy to share the following. Candidly, it also is a means to express my grief for this terrible loss.
Herb and I were introduced in 1989 by a mutual acquaintance, and Herb soon after expressed interest in joining Island Frozen Products, a business my father and I purchased just a year earlier. Within weeks of our introduction, we became business partners in a venture with great promise and yet an equal amount of risk.
I was immediately struck by Herb's deep roots in the Vineyard community. I moved here in 1988, just two days after graduating from college, and a year later knew just a handful of people. Conversely, Herb seemed to be friends with or at least know just about everyone in the community. He was the ideal balance to my father, who brought his deep business roots, and to me, who brought youth and drive. Twenty years later, IFP stands as a testament to the foundation that the formation of our partnership provided the business and the many great employees we had the honor to work with (and also call friends.)
Herb and I did not see eye to eye on every aspect of our business - such a notion is a virtual impossibility in the world of business. Yet, there was always mutual respect, trust, and friendship at the core of our relationship. Even at the moment of most distress, when Herb decided to sell his interest in IFP, we met the many challenges of a difficult sale process and immediately picked up with our friendship.
Not long after becoming business partners, Liz and I purchased the house two doors down from Herb. Now neighbors, we enjoyed helping each other with landscaping projects, spent many Sundays cutting trees in the State Forest, and passing time playing ping-pong in my basement. Undoubtedly, one of my most special memories of Herb is the bond he formed with our beloved lab, Snoopy. Snoopy came to IFP every day, and no matter how busy our crazy business was, Herb always took the time to entertain him. Whether he was teaching Snoops to balance his toy lobster on his nose, or helping him learn to stand on his hind legs, Herb helped bring out the best in an amazingly important part of my family.
I can vividly remember the day 15 or so years ago when Snoopy looked out the window and saw Herb walking by on the road- in the blink of an eye Snoopy dove right through the screen and ran out to the road to meet up with his old friend, and mine. Smiles all around.
Busy lives prevented us from seeing each other as frequently as we would have liked in recent years, however, with reasonable and important frequency one of us would pick up the phone and call the other, or we'd meet for a few holes of golf. And, we'd just talk, about him, me, our families, or a multitude of other topics, whatever we felt like. That's what friends are for.
We last spoke a few weeks ago, and although I would have done anything to help him, I could hear in his voice that he did not want to talk about himself. Instead, after apologizing for canceling a recent dinner date with Liz and Marsha, as if he needed to, he spent the next 45 minutes talking about me and what was happening in my life. He wanted me to know how grateful he was for our personal and professional relationship, and how proud he was for what I'd done with my life. I tried as hard as I could to block out the notion that Herb was saying goodbye, but in retrospect, I know that's exactly what he was doing.
How do I put in words what he took the time to do? For now I'll just say: class act, great friend.
Fate decided not to allow Herb to remain a physical part of our community, and we now try to move on with our lives. However, the countless members of our community who have been touched by Herb, many far more profoundly than I, can be confident that his presence and impact will remain forever. For that we can be grateful at this terrible time.
Rest in peace, Herb. We'll miss you.
John A. Roberts 3rd
Oak Bluffs
Dedication and genius
To the Editor:
The board of trustees of The Yard Inc. mourns the passing of its founder, choreographer Patricia N. Nanon on Friday, Feb. 29. Patricia's vision led to the creation of The Yard in 1972, to foster modern dance choreography. Her dedication and genius allowed many of the dance world's choreographic stars to create and dance new works and gave hundreds of choreographers and dancers the opportunity to grow and advance in their chosen fields. Her gift to The Yard Inc. in 2007 of property in Chilmark, including the theatre and the resident houses that so many of you know, will allow The Yard Inc. to continue her mission. We salute her vision, her passion for choreography and excellence, and her wish to encourage, educate and promote the work of so many others. We pledge ourselves to her remarkable legacy and ask you to join us in honoring her. We will miss her.
Sarah Jane Hughes
President
On Behalf of The Yard Board of Trustees
To the Editor:
To the teachers, staff, parents and students of the Oak Bluffs School, I would like to offer an apology. I offer no excuses and would like to say I am sorry for the hurt and disappointment I have caused my family and everyone involved with the school and the community.
I wish I could turn back time and not have made this horrible decision that has affected so many.
I have been in the Island work force since the age of 13 and have always prided myself on my reliability and honesty and can't imagine what I was thinking. I loved my job and looked forward to going to work every day and spending the day with your children, many of whom are my grandchildren and family. There are so many parents who used to be students at the school, and I know how much you trusted me. I'm sorry I betrayed your trust.
To the office staff, I would like them to know I regret the extra work I created for them and how difficult things must have been.
I would like to thank all the teachers, staff and friends for all the support you have offered me in the way of cards, letters, phone messages and flowers, and to my family that has shown unconditional love and support, especially to my daughter Jessica, who has never left my side through all of this and shouldered a lot of my burden.
I accept the punishment that was given and hope to be able to hold my head high sometime again in the future. In closing, I remain a good friend to you all.
Susan Peters
Oak Bluffs
Forgiveness
To the Editor:
Friday, March 7, 2008 was a day in our lives that won't soon be forgotten. An inspiring speech was given that day, by way of duet, delivered by Dr. James Weiss and Carlin Hart before the court. I partially missed pieces during their address, as the court officer commanded me to stand at my mother's side when her legs began to weaken and her body sway.
Evidently they touched on the topic of comparison between consequences suffered by children in the school system when they've done wrong and their desire for just punishment in my mother's case. I regret not having spoken up that day myself, during those fleeting moments that will stay with us forever. As my Mom stood there before the crowded courtroom, shaking, her lips quivering and her eyes welled with tears, other than the death of a loved one, I can't imagine anything worse. She looked so sad, so defeated, so scared, weak and helpless. I should have had a speech prepared that fateful day, illustrating how horribly painful my mother's life has become through all of this.
Don't misunderstand, what she did was wrong and should reap consequence. However, I should have explained that no additional punishment handed out that day could ever measure up to the punishment she's already given herself. I don't think her life will ever be the same again, and that breaks my heart, as it does many who love her and knew her before all of this.
Under the advisement of our legal council, it has only just become very recently that we are permitted to publicly address the community and its school system. Though my mother has been unable to face many people and has spent most of the last seven months in her home, I want everyone to know that her willingness to explain and most of all apologize has been a haunting desire that has filled much of her daily thought for what has seemed like an eternity.
Emotionally this has taken an indescribable toll on my mom. The shame, devastation, embarrassment, humiliation, fear, sadness and remorse she is feeling is unimaginable. With that being said, I feel that it is important that our Island community know that my father, Earl Peters, had absolutely no knowledge, of any kind, regarding this matter, not until questioning began last summer.
Many people deserve an explanation, especially the people who were close to her over the years. There is no good excuse for unjustly taking money. Unfortunately, her means, with the intention to replace it, with utmost sincerity, obviously didn't come soon enough. Bad things happen to good people, and my mom is a good person. Through all of this, I haven't thought for a moment that anyone who truly knows Sue Peters, in their hearts, believe that this was anything more than a horrible, horrible mistake. A mistake that was made through fogged judgment and shear desperation that stemmed from overwhelming personal circumstances. I also want people to know that it didn't have to go as far as it was taken. And for those of you who don't know, immediately following a brief interview, and prior to my mother speaking with anyone from the school on this matter, I, alone, met with Dr. Weiss and Carlin Hart. At that time, I offered an explanation pertaining to the very personal reasoning behind what was done, and I presented a bank check in the amount of what was taken in its entirety. Unfortunately, Dr. Weiss declined to accept our financial restitution at that time, and it wasn't until the pursuit of prosecution was well under way that he acknowledged our money.
My mom, being a graduate of the Oak Bluffs School herself, began her involvement as a parent in 1979, when I started kindergarten. She then became employed by the school in 1983 and has been there ever since. This has certainly been an abrupt, devastating, and heartbreaking end to a job she loved and appreciated so much. After all the years of service, devotion, dedication, hard work and yes, honesty she so proudly provided.
I will continue to pray that the opinions of those who know her will not be changed by her actions. And I would like to wholeheartedly thank all those, especially the abundant members of her "Oak Bluffs School Family" who have sent cards and flowers, written letters (including recent "character reference" letters and letters of support to be read by the judge), and left kind messages on the machine. The outpouring of care, support and concern is so greatly appreciated and will never be forgotten.
Susan Peters's only desire is forgiveness and to once again feel as though she can walk down the streets of our little world, without shame or fear of being judged. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your love and support - you just don't know how much it's meant to her.
Jessica Peters
Oak Bluffs
Rent it
To the Editor:
This is in response to Susanna Sturgis's letter.
Instead of trying to beat the system, why not join the system.
What would your little camp rent for in August? $10,000 per week? Maybe only $5,000 per week? Well, one week rental would pay the taxes for the year. And having a modest income as you suggest, extra money might not be a bad thing. Just think if you rented it for all of July and August. Your share might equal $20,000. It is nice to have that choice. Many owners without waterfront property don't have that opportunity.
The other possibility would be to decrease the value of your property by donating further development rights to the Land Bank. Then, you might not be able to cash in on its value and sell it for the same millions, but your taxes would be lower.
It ain't perfect, but it is better than tilting at windmills.
The truth is that having something worth millions of dollars ain't terrible. Food for thought.
But there is more - virtually half of the West Tisbury land has conservation restrictions on it (47 percent) and thus contributes little to pay your taxes; they are getting a free ride. But then, you help by paying higher taxes.
Seems fair to someone. Seven Gates, for example, has some number of hundreds of acres that contribute very little to the tax base. Now there is something to complain about.
Peter Williams
West Tisbury
Putting lives in danger
To the Editor:
I'd like to respond to Kathryn Seaton's letter, defending her husband. Please correct me if I'm wrong, and I would appreciate The Times making sure I have the correct couple. On New Year's Day, Mrs. Seaton called in a report of a fire and domestic violence from her husband. She had said that he was in the house with the baby and would not come out. According to The Times, when the police arrived, there was no fire and the husband had fled the scene without the child. Apparently, Mrs. Seaton told the police that if she said there was a fire there would be a quicker response.
I was beside myself when I read this. All of the fire, EMTs and police on this Island drop everything when there is such a call, all calls but especially one that says there is a house fire with a child inside. What in the world was she thinking? Did she care if anyone of them would have gotten hurt trying to race to a false alarm? That is exactly what it was and for her to not have been punished for this is reprehensible. I was so upset about it, but did not feel it warranted a letter, until the paper came out where she defended the man who you put many lives in danger that day for nothing.
She also writes, "He should have never been growing marijuana, but was having such financial problems, the offer was too good to be true." Let me tell you, many of us run into financial problems, some even lose their homes, but we are not selling drugs.
She also writes, "He is not out there selling drugs and getting people addicted." The day they went to her home they found 70 marijuana plants and $868. I think 70 plants is a lot more than one person needs for his own consumption, and $868 is probably $800 more than most people have at all.
Besides, marijuana is highly addictive. So one is either a victim or not, but don't play it both ways and put anyone's life in danger for an experiment to see how fast responders will get to you. They also have a group known as Al-Anon for family members of the addicted person. Good luck to Mrs. Seaton.
Cathy Peters
Oak Bluffs
Only for the open-minded
To the Editor:
I'm greatly saddened, as well as disgusted, that your reporter chose to use Brandy Gibson's accident to keep the "resentment running through the island community" against Brazilians (see "Immigration enforcement is not for local police or courts", page 3, Martha's Vineyard Times, March 13).
The beginning of his argument is in very poor taste, not just because it was a horrible accident, but also because, as much as some may not like it, the Brazilian driver was not at fault.
This accident is a false argument when discussing the issue of immigration. Why would the reporter cruelly use it, the accident, which I again point out, was not the fault of the Brazilian, to even discuss immigration.
Such red herring words, with no basis, are how vigilantes are born, and just continue to fan the flames of hate against fellow human beings.
Whether we fellow human beings like this argument or not, unless you are native American, someone in all of our lineages was an immigrant. Throughout history, different cultures entering into new territories were all resented. They were Italians, Irish, and Greeks, and the list goes on, depending on what part of the country you live in. And guess what, in 50 years, it'll be a different culture being resented.
Point is, if you are trying to make a point, don't base it on false arguments, don't unfairly use bigotry to discuss a subject that should only be dealt with by those of open mind. It's dangerous for all those involved.
Angel Gouzoules
Tisbury
No Bill and Hill
To the Editor:
I see many "Hillary for Pres" signs. They make me wonder if these people watch the news, or pay attention to what is going on with the Democrats. For years we have heard of the "right wing conspiracy" whenever the Clintons feel threatened. At this point the Clintons are uncomfortable with election results in their own party. Obama is winning, so let's see, he must be a Muslim, must not be qualified, he is black, his wife does not like our country, etc, etc. Stop folks, these are desperate, power-hungry people, you do not want them in the White House.
Now the Florida and Michigan results have to be reworked. After all sides agreed to not include those states (because of DNC rule violations), Bill and Hill realize this does not fit into their agenda. Heck, they were only kidding when they agreed to this. Who can they blame? Aha, someone is trying to disenfranchise voters.
Bottom line: three candidates, all three are democrats, although, one of them has an R next to his name. One is black and young, a dynamic speaker, and one has been abandoned by Ted K, John Kerry and Dick Morris, lies about her experience (one term as senator is not 35 years), thinks that voters can be fooled by hanging around with actors and promising health care (eight years of failure in this area, is that part of her experience?). Think before selecting; it is important
Richard Ciceroni
Edgartown
Stick to your job
To the Editor:
I would take this opportunity to tell Rep. Eric Turkington to worry about the Cape and Islands and its myriad problems and stop wasting his time with what the state of Florida does with its taxes. Regarding the comment, concerning Tisbury and its discriminating policy of a 20 percent penalty if you don't live there, that "it is a modest cost shift to people who by definition can afford it" is the most ludicrous comment I have ever heard. Just stick with your job, Rep. Turkington, as you will soon enough be a resident of Florida!
Robert Weiss
Oak Bluffs and Hobe Sound, Florida
Keep it dry
To the Editor:
I am a grateful wash-ashore and have been a resident of Martha's Vineyard for 12 years and of Vineyard Haven for nine.
I live in town and love it here. I love the harbor, the history, William Street, Tashmoo. and the West Chop Woods. I especially love the character of this sweet, quiet, but very vibrant town. I believe that if alcohol is legally served here, the character and atmosphere of Vineyard Haven will begin to change, and it will continue to change over time.
Serving wine and beer with dinner will begin in a few places and expand to others; eventually there will be bars serving mixed drinks here, then liquor stores. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with any of that, but do we really want more than one Circuit Avenue on this small Island? Or another Edgartown? One of the great charms of the Vineyard is that each of its six towns is unique and wonderful in its own way.
We've seen resort areas all over the country and elsewhere become generic. Let's not let that happen to our beautiful Island, or to Vineyard Haven.
Please vote on April 15, and when you do, please help us vote to keep Vineyard Haven a dry town, as it has been since 1830.
Thank you.
Deborah Hart
Vineyard Haven
Don't go wet
To the Editor:
On April 15, the citizens of Tisbury will be asked to decide for the fifth time in 40 years whether or not to retain its distinctive heritage as a dry town. This is a distinction that the town has continued to affirm since it was first voted in its annual town meeting in 1830.
The village of Holmes Hole, as Vineyard Haven was then known, was noted for its hospitality and its nautical skill and heroism "from Nova Scotia to the Mississippi." (1782) All five of its inns continued to prosper during that time. The Mansion House, despite two devastating fires, remains to this day "a house of entertainment ... full of comfort, tidiness, and snugness," as described in Harper's Magazine in the 1870s.
Our town has continued to be celebrated for its simplicity, its integrity, its authenticity, but most important of all, for its independence. That means primarily not being dependent upon anything other than the strength and genuineness of our own character. Freedom from dependency of any sort was and still is today a vital attribute of our being a community.
Gratia Harrington was at the forefront of opposition to every attempt in the 20th century to change our historic dry town bylaw. Throughout her life of over 100 years, many remember her as most articulate and dedicated about the need to honor and preserve the character of our town.
It is to honor Gratia as well as our own distinctive heritage as a coastal town that we should affirm and sustain our character. Let us not diminish it by taking on a dependency on the sale of alcohol that can only diminish who we are.
Jim Norton
Vineyard Haven
No on beer and wine
To the Editor:
As a resident of Tisbury, I enjoy the quiet village life it offers. In fact, I moved here because it was much safer and quieter than the college town I grew up in. If we wanted a happening downtown, we could move to Cambridge. But we like our dry Tisbury.
As a police officer in Tisbury, I can assure you that serving beer and wine will lead to more police calls and more police officers. It's a common feeling in Tisbury that more officers are not wanted, taxes are high enough. Why would we want to change the character of our town for the benefit of a few restaurateurs, some of whom close in the winter and travel? The current practice of BYOB works, please vote with me on April 15 against question four and for a dry town. There will be no vote this year at town meeting.
Mark Santon
Tisbury
We like it the way it is
To the Editor:
It has been said that those of us who are not in favor of the sale of beer and wine in Vineyard Haven are afraid of change. But what is wrong with liking our town the way it is? That is why I joined the beer and wine committee in the first place more than a year ago. I wanted to educate myself to learn if perhaps the sale of beer and wine would help our town: lower taxes, something like that. Yet we concluded after interviews and surveys that there appeared to be no significant financial change either way, except the obvious benefit to the restaurants that got licenses.
What we are voting on the ballot is to give the selectmen the power to choose how, when, where beer and wine may be sold in our town. The first proposal a year back mentioned five year-round restaurants; now there is talk of up to 15. It will solely depend on who our selectmen are at the time what restrictions are put in place.
Personally, I prefer to keep us a BYOB town, one of the few in the state. A town that is comfortable for 13-15-year-olds to hang out after the movies. Yes, we may be quieter than OB or Edgartown, but we are still year-round.
I encourage you to learn more about the issue, make your own decision and vote. What happens in our town does matter. You matter. Please vote.
Gretchen Snyder
Vineyard Haven
Vote no in Tisbury
To the Editor:
On Thursday, March 6, I attended The Martha's Vineyard Film Festival's (MVFF) screening of "Pete Seeger: The Power of Song" at the Capawock Theater in Vineyard Haven. The movie was fantastic, but equally exciting was the experience of seeing Vineyard Haven come alive on a weeknight in early March. The movie was sold out, and there were people of all ages, kids with their parents, teens with their friends, young adults with their dates, and pairs of older couples.
People came alone, in couples, in families, and in groups. A crowd gathered on the sidewalk after the show and then wandered up/down the street to Che's Lounge where local musicians led them in song. All this happened without a drop of alcohol. This was proof that what is needed is a little creativity, not alcohol, to revitalize our town.
I spoke with Martha's Vineyard Film Festival's director Thomas Bena, who said he would love to run film screenings in V.H. on a regular basis year-round, and I'm sure there are other dry activities that could enliven the town.
Pete Seeger's tireless efforts for the causes he championed were inspiring. He successfully launched a movement (and his boat Clearwater) to clean up the Hudson River, although no one believed it was possible. Let's raise our voices and speak out to keep our town dry. It's possible to have a vibrant town without alcohol. Voters of Tisbury, go to the polls and vote no to ballot question four, on Tuesday, April 15.
Cindy Doyle
Vineyard Haven
On balance, yes to the wind farm
To the Editor:
This letter was also addressed to the U. S Minerals Management Service.
It's understandable that many of us (Cape & Islanders) have reservations about the proposed Nantucket Sound wind farm. Why? Because we've been stung by energy developers many times in the past and are afraid the same might happen with the wind farm.
Here's how I see it: For 50 years, we've been told that nuclear power is the answer to our energy problems, that it's inexpensive, clean, and safe. But now we know the truth; we know that it's expensive (when government subsidies are factored in), that dangerous radioactive waste is piling up at plant sites (making attractive targets for terrorists), and that thousands of people have been killed or sickened around Chernobyl and Three Mile Island.
Oil companies also deceive us (note that I use the present tense). They say that their wells, pipelines, and ships are strong and safe. But then a hurricane comes along, or a tanker captain drinks too much, and thousands of gallons of oil spill into the sea, killing millions of birds, fish, and other sea creatures.
Coal industries are no better. Their boards tell us that modern mining processes cause little environmental damage, and that by burning more coal, we can become more energy independent. But then the truth is revealed. We see flattened mountains, polluted streams, lakes, and oceans, dead wildlife, and smoke spewing from power plants, causing food contamination, lung disease, cancer, and birth defects.
And let's not overlook how they've deceived us about climate change. It was discovered around 30 years ago, but the oil and coal industries, much like the tobacco industries, told us that more studies were needed, and that there was nothing to worry about.
So, now that we know the truth about our coal, oil, gas, and nuclear power plants (and their untrustworthy owners), what are we going to do? Are we going to ignore the dangers of our existing power plants, and conduct business as usual? Are we going to continue strip mining, accumulating radioactive waste, spilling oil, polluting and despoiling the environment, killing wildlife, contaminating our food, and invading foreign countries for oil?
I hope not. I hope that we have the sensibility to change our ways. Cape Wind Associates has offered us a proposal that they claim will help turn things around. But can we trust them? After all, Cape Wind is a privately owned company and wants to make a profit, as do all the companies presently supplying us with energy, including NSTAR and Mirant Electric, the power plant owner that spilled 100,000 gallons of oil into the Cape Cod Canal in 2003.
Maybe they will be just as unconcerned and sloppy about preserving the environment as Mirant, ExxonMobil, and the operator of Three Mile Island. If we think so, then maybe we should ban privately owned, for-profit companies from building any and all new power plants. Maybe we should take it upon ourselves, town by town, or, with co-ops, to raise millions of dollars and then construct and operate our own large wind turbines?
I actually think that there is merit to this idea, and the town of Hull is showing us that it can be done. But I'm an engineer and member of several local government committees, and I see how long it takes to make changes. My guess is that it would take our town leaders and voters at least two decades to finance and construct 130 wind turbines - the number that Cape Wind is proposing.
Can we afford to wait 20 years? "No," say experts around the world. James Hansen of NASA claims that we need to immediately clean up our existing power plants, shut the dirtiest down, and construct new, non-polluting power plants (such as wind turbines). He believes that we have only a 10-year window of opportunity to implement those challenging changes. And if we wait too long and do too little, the climate will go into a runaway mode that humanity will likely not survive.
This frightening scenario is enough to convince me that we must not conduct business as usual - that we should follow the lead of dozens of states and countries who have already constructed large wind farms, and that we should accept the fact that there are some aspects of this project, such as its appearance, that will take some getting used to.
In summary, it seems to me that when all options for generating electricity are examined (along with their dangerous side effects), the Nantucket Sound wind farm is the most sensible and most promising option before us - one that will input a significant quantity of clean and renewable energy, possibly as early as 2010, and will help rescue us and our children from the brink of self-inflicted extinction.
Chris Fried
Tisbury
No reason to fear
To the Editor:
Regarding Susanna Nickerson's objections to the wind farm:
She feels that Nantucket Sound is not the right place for this project. Yet she also says that "the whole East Coast has been mapped out for future wind farms...," so she isn't against our wind farm - she's against all wind farms.
We have to recognize that in this era anything that endangers the environment is going to get struck down by some government agency. So everyone has been looking very carefully at this project. Yet every agency has signed off on it. Why? Because the fears of the naysayers have no basis in fact. The old windmills of California are a hazard to birds and bats, because they were first-generation windmills with short blades that rotate fast. The windmills planned for Horseshoe Shoal are new, efficient, low-rotation windmills. That's why they aren't going to bother the migrating birds here.
This is not a new, never been tested technology. If you attend any of the information sessions you get to see a film of the wind farms in the Baltic Sea, where people were afraid of fishing and navigation hazards, and now they all coexist, and everyone is happy. And harvesting electric power from the wind. Amazing.
Jim Osborn
Vineyard Haven
Upsetting change
To the Editor:
This letter was written to the Oak Bluffs board of health.
I recently filled out a survey for Martha's Vineyard Community Services in reference to their Visiting Nurses Service. I had to give them a triple A for excellent service as well as a triple A to the 11 questions which were asked. I added the following note:
"Sometimes it feels like words cannot express - that they have not yet been created. I very most probably would not be alive today if Emily Wetherall had not come into my life. She is a brilliant nurse. Detailed. Compassionate. Supportive. Vibrant. Comforting. Joyous. I could go on and on, I am sure. Emily goes beyond the full mile. She is loved and respected by everyone who has the privilege of knowing her.
Add that Emily became my advocate when I needed someone - when I was dying - that on her own time she made and brought me nutritious foods - that on her days off she has accompanied me to crucial health related appointments in a complicated health care system - and will once again be accompanying me to yet another appointment - that she has connected me to precisely the right people to help me with my challenges and that she has always been there for me when I have called her.
Why, oh why, would you, the board of health, give this contract to another agency? Why are you changing what is excellent? Why would you remove the continuity and the importance of continuity in our lives? Clearly and precisely. Why?
This is upsetting to me, and I am sure that it is going to be just as upsetting to many, many others.
Susan Johnson
Oak Bluffs
Your help solicited
To the Editor:
Having finally found Katmandu on the map, I'm now searching for Dogmandont. Any suggestions?
Anthony Guyther
Vineyard Haven
Feedback and beauty
To the Editor:
The Vineyard in the winter is a lovely thing - we are so pleased to have been able to make the uber quick schlep down/up for the holiday weekend - aside from the astronomical ferry prices for taking a car with us, the hospitality of the Island was suberb. So refreshing to get good food, good attitude, and such fabulous feedback from such an intelligent and honest audience.
Sunday afternoon, our small but growing theatre company picked the brains of our audience, allowing us to come away with stronger visions of where our writings ought to go and a renewed sense that, yes, Virginia, there is something worth writing for.
Thank you for your hospitality - looking forward to returning with rewrites possibly in May.
Elizabeth Dembrowsky and Sally Jane Kerschen-Sheppard
Queens, New York
Fan Bus thanks you
To the Editor:
I'd like to thank the following for helping me organize a Fan Bus for the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School hockey game on Wednesday, March 5.
My son, David Flanders, who called Sunday night with a phone number and message to contact Jimmy Flynn.
Jimmy Flynn, for getting a contact number for the bus company, passing out flyers to the students, finding a chaperone, and being positive that all seats would sell. He was the driving force that got me involved.
Colleen Sylvia, for giving information of what to be aware of. Very helpful. Leslie Hurd, for calling the school and getting permission to sell ticket during Martha's Vineyard Regional High School cafe hours.
Dawn Feinsmith, the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School secretary, for announcing ticket sales and having the school's outside board lettered with Fan Bus info. Her attitude is very positive and helpful.
John Stobel, Donna Nagel, for volunteering to take on the Chaperone role. Couldn't have had the bus without you.
Sharon Capen and Nicole Gazaille, for sitting at the high school to sell bus seats
Mac Dobel, for expressing her appreciation and gratitude for taking on this Fan Bus project.
And to the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School students, staff, and fans, Thank you for showing up in Bourne to show your team support. This bus was for you.
Barbara Flanders
Vineyard Haven
How about housing?
To the Editor:
The Garage Mahal on the North Bluff in Oak Bluffs is certainly an eyesore, but it should not be torn down. Rather, why not move it to a less prominent site and use it for affordable housing? This would be a win-win solution for the residents of North Bluff and Island families who need homes.
Christine Powers
Waltham
