The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times
The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times
The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times

Community Shorts

Posted October 19, 2006

Build your own scarecrow

The Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School is looking for contestants for the seventh annual Scarecrow Building Contest. Each contestant will be assigned an Island business that will display their scarecrow.

The contest runs from Tuesday, Oct. 24, through Thursday, Nov. 2. Prizes will be awarded at the scarecrow celebration. Pick up a builder's packet at the school in West Tisbury; Summer Shades in Edgartown; and the Mansion House in Vineyard Haven.

For more information, call 508-400-5423.

Thai cooking classes

Culinary professional Praparat Sturlin of Thailand will host two Thai cooking classes in Vineyard Haven on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 28 and 29, from 6 to 9 pm. The classes will combine local seasonal Island ingredients with Thai cooking techniques. Each class will prepare an assortment of appetizers, soup, salad, sauces, curry, and dessert. Ms. Praparat founded the Thai Gourmet House Cooking School in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1989, and has been teaching hands-on classes for 17 years.

The cost is $80 tuition plus a $15 materials fee per person, for each evening's class. Seating is limited. For more information or to enroll, call Sumner Silverman at 508-693-7481.

Horse
File photo by Julian K. Robinson

Horse whisperer

Back by popular demand, equine teacher Dee Janelle is hosting a weekend of workshops and private lessons beginning on Friday, Oct. 27 to Monday, Oct. 30. The workshop will be held on Saturday from 9 to 12 pm, and is $50. Private lessons are available Friday, Sunday, and Monday from 9 to 5 pm, and on Saturday from 1 to 5 pm. All events are at Misty Meadows Horse Farm in West Tisbury.

Dee Janelle is the founder of S.I.M.P.L.E. (systematic, ideal, measured, persevered, love, excellence) Equine Teaching, and has worked with many instructors including Buck Brannaman, who was featured in the movie "The Horse Whisperer." She has been training difficult horses for 38 years, and is currently based in Sarasota, Fla.

Space is limited. To sign up for the workshop, call Sue Kipperman at 508-939-9423. To sign up for a lesson, call Maryanne Jerome at 508-627-8510.

Improving math

The Nathan Mayhew Seminars is offering an informal discussion course for mathematics teachers of all levels, elementary through high school. This series of informal discussions will demonstrate ways of documenting student learning progress in the most informative way. The initial discussion will be held on Monday, Oct. 23, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm, with the potential of additional sessions in the future.

The Nathan Mayhew Seminars is located on Greenwood Ave. opposite the Vineyard Haven Library. For more information, call Lincoln Hanson at 508-693-9141.

At the OBPL

The Oak Bluffs Public Library (OBPL) is holding a new contest. Visit the Children's circulation desk and guess the amount of acorns that are in the basket, and the person who guesses closest to the correct amount wins a book and a little toy kitten. The contest will run until Thursday, Oct. 26.

In other OBPL news, the children at Story Time decided on "Spotty" for the name of the new children's room giraffe.

Seed sale

As the weather turns colder and the season changes, the birds begin to visit backyard feeders more frequently, and the Polly Hill Arboretum (PHA) would like to help you stock up on birdseed. Thanks to generous support from Liz Thompson at SBS, the Arboretum offers a variety of seed. Orders must be placed by Nov. 3, and picked up on Nov. 17 at the PHA visitor's center. Order forms are available at Felix Neck, SBS, and on the PHA web site: www.pollyhillarboretum.org. You can also place your order directly with the Arboretum at 508-693-9426. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the PHA.

Feed a family

Keeping up their great tradition, the Vineyard Committee on Hunger and Serve New England are working together to serve Island families in need of a hearty Thanksgiving meal. They are looking for sponsors to contribute the cost of one families' meal, $25. The meal includes everything from a turkey and stuffing, to apples and canned pumpkin. The cost has gone up from last year to balance out transportation costs and provide larger turkeys. To donate, give a check made out to the Vineyard Committee on Hunger (VCOH) to any VCOH member, or send it to the VCOH, P.O. Box 1874, Vineyard Haven, MA., 02568.