Town Column : Edgartown
As I was driving home with Amelia this afternoon, we were trying to decide how to spend our time. Riley was on a play date at Charlie and Lukas Fenske's house so Amelia and I faced a couple of hours of "girl time." We decided that we would come home, have a cookie and hot chocolate and then she would watch a movie while I wrote my column. Upon hearing that I would be writing, she said "be sure to put me in it." Amelia has no problem with self-esteem, that's for certain. I hope she is as sure of herself when she is 16!
On Feb. 8, 9 and 10, Vineyard Youth Tennis will be holding its first Adult Round Robin Extravaganza! There will be a cocktail party, fabulous silent auction, and professional tennis exhibition with Michael Halisky on Friday evening and the men's and women's doubles matches will be held on Saturday and Sunday. All levels of players are welcome to participate. The cost is $50 for the weekend per player. Please enroll at Vineyard Youth Tennis, 508-693-7762, or download your entry form at vineyardyouthtennis.org. All monies raised will benefit a scholarship program set up to send deserving youth of the Island to tennis academies in Florida.
The Friends of the Edgartown Library are having a membership drive. The non-profit group is seeking people who care about the library and would like to participate in programs and activities that will support the Edgartown library. Spring meetings will be held at the library on April 13 and May 15. The main agenda item for the April 13 meeting is to recommend a slate of officers, with elections to follow at the May 15 meeting. Questions can be directed to Marvene O'Rourke at 508-627-7902 and Dorris Housman at 508-627-3913. If you would like to participate or receive future notices of activities, please call Marvene or Dorris, or sign up at library.
Edgartown lost one of the great ones last week with the passing of Bob Morgan. He was such a nice man, who I've known for as long as I can remember. Some of my fondest memories growing up include the Morgans, Wallers, and Sawyers and our times at Muskoday Farm riding horses, doing barn work, ice skating the year the fields flooded and froze, sleigh rides in the snow in winter. The memories seem endless. I can so clearly remember the day that Bob and Allouise gave Amy her new pony, Pinky, that it seems like it was yesterday. It was such an exciting day for the whole family.
As I got older, I came to appreciate Bob more for who he was as a person rather than as my friends' dad. He served his country, worked in government at the state level, served our town in numerous capacities, befriended many, and sang to others. It was always a pleasure to run into him on his outings downtown over the last few years and have a chat with him, hear a story or enjoy a song. I am delighted that one of my last memories of him is from last fall, when my cousin Jen Corwin Van Gelder and I were sitting on the porch of the Morgan cottage and Bob came and sat with us. We were chatting and watching the kids play in the yard, enjoying a beautiful day and Bob shared a song with us, as he often did. It was clear that singing brought him great pleasure and it did the same for us on that beautiful fall morning. It was a lovely way to pass the time and it is the memory that I will carry with me from now on.
Bob's service was a tribute to a man who had been part of Martha's Vineyard all his life. I'd be hard-pressed to come up with someone who wasn't there to honor him. Although I still picture them as the kids we were back then, Amy, Rob, and Jen have become such great adults in their own right and shared such sweet and funny memories of their dad during the service. The Rev. Schule asked for a standing ovation to honor a man who had given so much, which I think was a wonderful idea. Can you think of a better way to send someone off on their next adventure after they pass on? Leonardo da Vinci could have been speaking of Bob when he said "When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." Goodbye, Mr. Morgan, and thank you. You will be missed.
That's about all the news for this week. Be sure to share some tidbits with me for the next column. Have a great week.
