Oak Bluffs

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Well, like the saying goes after an election, the people have spoken. They didn’t speak it loudly, but firmly. Now everyone must work together to help make the town function better. No complaining unless you are willing to come up with some hard work or good ideas.

Perhaps the flowers that now are blooming in so many places around the Island don’t just signify the start of a new spring season but of new beginnings everywhere.

School is on vacation this week and we have many visiting families here to celebrate Passover, Easter, or just spring, so be aware of walkers, drivers, bikers, and pedestrians everywhere.

Island United Methodist Churches will be open for individual or guided prayer on Good Friday, April 22, (The Stone Church) 12 noon to 6 pm, Trinity Worship Center (MV Campground, Oak Bluffs) 6 pm to 12 midnight, Chilmark Community Church, open all day.

On Easter Sunday, April 24, the schedule starts with the beach sunrise service across from Ocean Park at 5:30 am; 6:15 am, annual Easter Morning breakfast at Trinity Parish House; and 9:30 am, Community Easter-Egg Hunt at Trinity Parish House. Easter Sunday Worship Service will be held at Trinity Worship Center, Oak Bluffs at 10 am.

Who is the best dancer in your family? Battle it out with Just Dance 2 and Michael Jackson: The Experience for Wii. All ages. Family Wii Time at the Oak Bluffs Library will take place on Thursday, April 21, from 3 to 5 pm.

Our son, Dion, and daughter-in-law Deborah have been visiting from South Carolina this week along with their children, Ben and Paige. We have all kept busy with cook-outs and family get-togethers as the children enjoy “hanging out” with their Island cousins and relatives. They have been wonderful playmates for my yellow lab Molly and love her to pieces, as she does them.

The MV Center for Living urges Vineyarders to participate in Sharkey’s Cantina’s “Dine to Donate” on Tuesday, April 26. Sharkey’s owner, JB Blau, has provided Vineyarders with a painless way to make a charitable donation and enjoy a fun night out while doing so. The Center for Living will receive 15 percent of the food sales from both Sharky’s Cantinas, located on Circuit Ave. in Oak Bluffs and Upper Main St. in Edgartown. Each and every Tuesday a different nonprofit organization is helped through this generous community effort by Sharkey’s.

John Gillis and his wife, Sandy, arrived here after a cross-country trip to reconnect with Tisbury High School classmates, including Paul Conroy and Father Tom Lopes. John was the brother of my close friend and classmate Jacquie, who died a few years ago. On Tuesday, I gathered a few of Jacquie’s friends and classmates together for a small get-together at the house where we shared a meal and spoke of fond memories we had of high school at Tisbury during the Fifties, and John filled us in on Jacquie’s large family. Surprisingly he said he didn’t think there were that many changes on the Island. Guests included Sarah and Mike Shepard, Bill Carroll, Allan Davey, and of course the Gillises.

The Oak Bluffs School Spring Book Fair will run right after Spring Vacation, April 25 to May 6, from 8 am to 4 pm in our library.

Our annual kindergarten orientation will take place on Wednesday, April 27, in the Oak Bluffs School Library from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.

For our 8th grade project, help the environment and help us raise funds for our school technology department. Bring us your old electronics: cell phones, cameras, MP3 players/iPods, GPSs and gaming consoles. There will be a box in the office and Ms. Dorr’s room (8th and 7th grade science teacher). The electronics will get recycled or reused, and Oak Bluffs School will get any money raised. Bring in the electronics with any chargers or accessories in a plastic bag.

We send April birthday smiles to those who reside at Aidlyberg and Woodside Village, including Merle Beaulieu, Carl Greer, Anita Cimino, Ralph Silva, Clark Maffit, Mary Nichols, Dorothy Worden, Lorraine O’Callaghan, Margaret Leather, and Charles Mckay.

We send birthday smiles to Gloria Steere on April 23, Peter Martell and 3-year-old Isla Cunniffe on the 24th, Donna Pacheco and Andy Farrissey on the 25th, and 16-year-old Patrick Garrett on the 26th.

Enjoy your week.

Peace.