Town Column : Oak Bluffs

By Megan Alley
Published: June 23, 2011

Now is the time for us to take a deep breath and relax from the hectic activity of the past two months. Perhaps it is also time to say thank you to everyone who made life easier for us and also helped improve the character and appearance of our town every year and during 2007.

Thank you to all the Police, Fire, EMS, Highway and Park Department crews who kept us safe and beautiful this past year. Thanks also to all the delivery services and post office workers who brought us the packages we needed when we needed them especially for their extra effort at this busiest time of year. To all the helping agencies, schools and churches that always remember those in need and town leaders who work to make our town the success it is. Thank you to everyone who works so hard to keep the peace, both the military and negotiators. May everyone be home safely soon. We are so fortunate to have so many willing to sacrifice so that we are able to live the lives we do.

And farewell to those people who left us this past year but who we will always remember. To name a few: Alice Coutinho, Clifford Rose, Larry Enos, Orlie Alwardt, Bill Nicholson, Rose Anthony, Ruth Hughes, and Julie Hurley Rollins.

Birthday smiles to Jen Jenkinson who celebrated Jan. 1, and Michelle Bettencourt who partied the next day, Nicole deBettencourt, Nola Mavro and Chris Alley tomorrow, Kate Feiffer and Jules BenDavid on Jan. 5, and Michael Araujo on Jan. 6.

2007 went by so quickly it is hard to remember how far we traveled through these past months. But like someone taking a walk who looks back on the path they have taken, we are amazed at the distance we have traveled. 2008 looms ahead like a hidden path winding its way through the future, and we have no idea what we will find along the way. My wish for everyone is that the path brings more pleasant surprises than disappointments and we enjoy the journey.

Peace