Chilmark: Extra light

0
Be sure to stop by the Chilmark library and enjoy the annual Chilmark School art exhibit. I guarantee you'll leave with a smile on your face. —Valerie Sonnenthal

What a beautiful week, until the blizzard. I was happy to learn Lydia Fischer has ordered seeds, and will be taking over Beetlebung Farm this season. It was a happening weekend celebrating International Women’s Day with a program at Pathways, where many women shared stories of activism, their own or even their mother’s, besides wonderful performances. Then a dance-packed weekend, where Yard staff performed at a special Pathways event at the Chilmark Community Center, and on Saturday night Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish rocked the CCC to benefit the Chilmark School Outing Program and the PTO. Turning the clocks ahead is not so easy, but doesn’t that extra light at the end of the day make spring feel even closer than blossoming snowbells, listening for pinkletinks, spotting witch hazel in bloom, and seeing construction jobs nearing completion?

The Chilmark Community Church Tuesday Pizza Nights start at 6 pm. Enjoy free food, conversation and community. All are welcome, free. 9 Menemsha Crossroads, Chilmark.

Come to Pathways Arts on Mondays and join Rebecca Gilbert for knitting from 1 to 3 pm, and from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, learn T’ai Chi Ch’uan and Chi Kung with Yang Chang Fu, suitable for all ages and family groups. Programs will continue through April. You can stop by every day but Wednesdays and Sundays and find a warm environment to work in; Wi-Fi and computer available. Learn more at pathwaysmv.org.

West Tisbury writer Amelia Smith leads a self-publishing workshop at the Chilmark library, Wednesdays at 5pm. There may be a spot or two left for the remaining sessions. The March 14 class covers packaging, pricing, and genre placement, along with a discussion of genre and formats (ebook, print, and audio books). The March 21 class focuses on the basics of book distribution, locally and online, along with some business and bookkeeping basics. RSVP at 508-645-3360 or email chil_mail@clamsnet.org. Stories and Song continue on Tuesday and Saturdays at 10:30 am.

The M.V. Film Festival kicks off on Thursday, March 15, with a screening of “Chappaquiddick” in Edgartown at 7 pm. Screenings and events run from Friday, March 15, to Sunday, March 17, and are being held at the CCC, the Chilmark School, and Pathways Gathering Space at the Chilmark Tavern. See tmvff.org for more info, learn about volunteering, or purchase tickets, or go in person to the box office.

Thanks to M.V. Fisherman’s Preservation Trust, you can sign up for the Fishing Partnership’s Drill Conductor Safety Training on Thursday, March 22, and Friday, March 23, at the Coast Guard Boathouse, Menemsha. This course meets the Drill Conductor certification requirements of 46 CFR 28.270. To qualify, you must have attended our Safety and Survival Training course within the past year. Upon completion of the Drill Conductor course, you will be prepared and certified to conduct emergency drills: Man Overboard, Fire, Damage Control, and Abandon Ship. (Commercial fishing vessels operating beyond three nautical miles out are required to conduct these drills on a monthly basis.) The one-day training involves an Emergency Procedures classroom session in the morning, and an On-Board Drills session (aboard a local vessel) in the afternoon. Please contact Morgan Eldredge at 508-237-9402 or Shannon Eldredge at 508-958-6580 to sign up, or you can register below. Learn more and register at bit.ly/fishpartnership.

The M.V. Cancer Support Group’s Daffodil Time is here; bunches are $10, and are available at the M.V. Hospital from 8 am to 3:30 pm on Friday, March 16, and from 9 am to 4:30 pm on Saturday, March 17, at the Edgartown Stop & Shop, Reliable Market in Oak Bluffs, and Cronig’s in Vineyard Haven. Cancer is the leading cause of death on the Island. All monies collected help patients and their families with medical expenses, transportation costs, lodging, and food when they have to travel off-Island for treatment.

Cathy Walthers is hosting a Sunday, March 18, Brunch and Talk on Plastic Free, Zero Waste in Your Kitchen with Nina Hitchen of Plastic Free on MV, from 11 am to 1:30 pm, at her West Tisbury Kitchen, $25. See bit.ly/catherinewalthersclasses for info and tickets.

Have a great week.