Town Column : Chilmark
By Jacqueline Sexton
Published: August 7, 2008
The big news in town is of course the selectmen's decision to buy the Home Port. If approved by the town, the purchase will open up all kinds of avenues for debate: Do we want the building, where numerous residents from several generations got their first jobs, torn down? Do we want a park? What do they mean by a park? It's enough to keep us arguing all winter long. The cormorants will probably be against the whole thing.
There is to be a farewell coffee party for church pianist and organist Maria Casey at the church this Sunday after worship. Everyone is urged to come and give Maria a rousing send-off to college. There will be a gift basket.
Waskosim's Rock Reservation is the venue for next week's walks, Thursday, August 14 at 9:30 am. Waskosim's Rock is on the North Road near Tea Lane by the Chilmark town line. Julie Coleman, originator and leader-in-chief of the groups of women she shepherds along Island trails, encourages newcomers. Groups are made up of four to eight women who generally walk at a steady pace, but they keep an eye on slower walkers and wait for them before turning right or left. No one has gotten lost yet. Mrs. Coleman says not to worry if it looks like rain but come anyway. (Rain has not been a problem most of the summer.) Long pants and white socks make it easier to check for ticks. Bring insect repellant and juice or water. A copy of Will Flender's "Walking Trails of Martha's Vineyard," which has maps and location details, will orient you. If you have questions, please call her at 508-645-2261.
Julie's husband, Bill Coleman, is back on the Island for reunions with relatives, Phil and Sylvia Hurst and their children Alek and Clay.
The lecturer tonight at the community center at 8 pm will be Ben Heineman, whose topic is integrity in the corporate world and how to achieve it. He points out that it's the responsibility of the corporate CEOs.
Chilmark may be ready to assume the mantle of literary distinction so often given to West Tisbury, which has been called "the Athens of Martha's Vineyard." We have poets, artists, and dancers galore. And we have The Yard, the dance residency troupe established a couple of decades ago by Patricia Nanon, which provides extravaganzas all summer long. Thomas Bena's Martha's Vineyard Independent Film Festival has opened up new horizons for filmgoers. all of which draws audiences from across the Island. But Chilmark likes to do its own thing and maybe doesn't want to be confused with Athens.
The Yard's latest endeavor is free family matinees for children and adults at 4 pm on consecutive Saturdays - August 9, 23, and 30, and Sept. 20.
And The Yard is offering daily classes in theater, music, and movement for children entering grades 1 to 5, from August 11 to 15. The cost is $275 with discounts and scholarships available. For more information, call 508-645-9662.
The library has two programs coming up, one lighthearted, the other thought-provoking. Dillon Bustin will tell some of his yarns on Wednesday, August 13, 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Mr. Bustin - singer, songwriter, storyteller, and folklorist - is well-known to Vineyard theater-goers for his lively productions. He studied at Indiana University and Brown University, and in 1991 he published the musical, "Tidebook: An Island Rhapsody about the history of Martha's Vineyard." Wednesday's event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Admission is free.
On Thursday, August 14, Michael Fauntroy, author of "Republicans and the Black Vote," will discuss his book, which surveys the uneven history of the relationship between the GOP and the black community. He is assistant professor of public policy at George Mason University. This event is also sponsored by the Friends. Everyone is welcome, and there is no admission charge.
A warning to aspiring poets entering middle school and high school: the deadline for submitting a poem for the Brickner Poetry Contest at the library is this Saturday, August 9, by 5:30 pm. For details, please call Kristin Maloney at the library at 508-645-3360.
Finally, the Federated Church in Edgartown has announced that Peter Boak's organ recital has been postponed.
Jules Worthington will open a show of new oil paintings at the Sovereign Bank tomorrow with an artist's reception from 5 to 7. The show will be up until August 15.
The church has also announced it is conducting a tour of five houses on S. Water Street in Edgartown on Wednesday, August 13, from 2 to 4:30 pm as part of a fundraising campaign. Tickets are $35 per person and available at the church on the day of the tour. The ticket price includes refreshments served at the Mayhew Parsonage on S. Water Street.
