Oak Bluffs Column

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Sorry there was no column last week, but my communications provider did not communicate well at all. From Saturday until last Thursday my Internet was down. I think that more than two hours of my life was spent on hold to customer service, I kid you not, attempting to reach a live person to get some help. I listened to hours of a recorded voice telling me how important my call was while my phone was on speaker and at one time, I unloaded my dishwasher, folded laundry and think I would have had time to plan my funeral, which was fast approaching as I was becoming extremely frustrated, before someone finally answered only to let me know it would be five more days before help would arrive. Finally, thanks to Louise at the local office, the wait for a service tech time was shortened, and Louise called me to keep me up to date. The tech solved the problem in a short time. Now that is customer service from an Islander.

Judy and Raymond Sylvia have committed themselves to Ride to Defeat ALS on September 9. This is a 70-mile bike ride, and they are riding for a good friend of theirs who has this disease. This is a cause close to my heart, as my mother died in 1984, at the age of 72, from this dreaded disease. If you would like to make a donation, visit the site www.ridetodefeatALS.org and select “Massachusetts” click on donate, search for their names or “We are team poorly.” Best of luck to you both and thank you for doing this.

Featherstone presents the 2nd Annual Artists Studio Tour on Saturday, September 8, and Sunday, September 9, from 10 to 4 pm. Tickets are $50 which allows guests to visit 16 artists who will open their studios and showcase their artwork. A closing celebration reception will take place on Sunday, September 9, from 4:30 to 7 pm at Featherstone.

Adult and Community Education of MV (ACE MV) will be partnering with SCORE, part of the nation’s premier mentoring organization for small businesses run by volunteer business professionals of Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod. For more information and to register now, go to acemv.org or call 774-310-1131, email lynn@acemv.org.

Fall 2012 Art Classes Begin at Featherstone. There will be classes in Ceramics, Drawing, mixed Media, Painting, Photography and Tapestry and they take place on September 12, 19, 26 and October 3, and 10 from 10 am until noon. The fee is $30 per class at the studio.

The Mansion House is happy to give their Health Club members extra prizes in support of the VH Public Library 5K run/walk on September 16. All health club members in the race will get two extra club weeks. First place Health club winners have the opportunity to win a year membership; second-place wins a three-month membership, and third-place runners a month membership. New and existing members can register for the race at Mansion House, or download the registration from the website, mvmansionhouse.com. Questions or volunteers, please contact Brenda Wallis, who is both the library race director and health club fitness director at brandacwallis@gmail.com or healthclub@mvmansionhouse.com The race starts at 10 am, on September 16.

Ros Todd emailed me to contact De Nyse Wortman (his spelling not mine) as he has a De Nyse W.T. Pinkerton painting “Boy With Alpine Hat” and thought his cousin would like to be informed of that or contact him.

Saturday, September 8, at Edgartown Golf Club, the Girls and Boys Club Golf Tournament takes place. There is a tax-deductible entry fee of $80 per player, which includes continental breakfast, greens and cart fees, refreshments, commemorative gift, on course contests and prizes, lunch, and trophies for the top three teams.

We send birthday smiles, belatedly to Pam Melrose on August 30, Nancy Giordano, Sean Flynn and Leslie Phillips on the August 30; Tony Ferreira on September 1, followed by Ed Ben David Sr., Evelyn Christopher and Valarie O’Donnell the next day, and Robert Pacheco, our favorite butch at Reliable Market on September 3, Smiles to Skylar Christopher Hall today, Susan Phillips tomorrow, Ryan Araujo on the September 10, Emily deBettencourt on September 12, and my favorite middle daughter, Mary Alley, on September 13. We remember Linda BenDavid on September 11.

Hope you enjoyed Labor Day weekend — it was my favorite kind of weather. So as we look forward to a somewhat less hectic fall, please be aware that students return to school today and will be very busy catching up with all friends and perhaps being somewhat careless in their walking or bike riding.

Enjoy your week.