Town Column : Tisbury
Tomorrow is your last chance: the delicious lobster rolls at Grace Church will not be served again until next summer.
You may need that lobster roll to give you the energy to watch the first presidential debate tomorrow night. Why does this seem like an anticlimax?
You can watch the national debates of presidential and vice presidential candidates at the Vineyard Haven Library. If you don't want to watch at home, you can join your friends and neighbors and discuss the debates with others. Each debate begins at 9 pm, the Program Room will open at 8:30. The other debates are next Thursday, Oct. 2, then Tuesday, Oct. 7, and Wednesday, Oct. 15.
By the way, you must register by Oct. 15 if you want to vote in the November election.
Mondays at 7 pm at the Library you can see "Eyes on the Prize." This seven-part documentary is the story of the civil rights movement told through news clips and interviews from the time. This series was on PBS more than 20 years ago but was not available on video until recently. You can see a study guide at the library or facinghistory.org/eyesontheprize.
Last week at the library, Rose Styron read from her works and told stories of her travels to a rapt audience. She began with a reminiscence of her friend, the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, and read one of his poems. When she started speaking you could have heard a pin drop. The poem spoke of a Sultan, of repressive power, and his ineffectual attempts to stifle art and poetry.
This led naturally into a story of her 1968 trip to the Soviet Union with her late husband William Styron, and how that began her involvement with the worldwide human rights movement and Amnesty International. Reading and storytelling for more than an hour, Rose gave a poetical history of her work and travels with Bill. Then she told about the year she spent on Martha's Vineyard after Bill's death. Some of her verses were light; some brought tears to your eyes. It was a bravura performance by a true humanitarian, poet, and Vineyarder.
Did you wonder what was happening with the Tisbury Mural Project? There are six designs submitted by Island artists now on display at the library during September. The winning selection will go into production over the winter. The mural will be put up next spring on the exterior wall of the Stop & Shop building. A team of art students at the regional high school will do the actual painting of the 10-inch by 48-inch mural.
Ali Berlow invites you to the Living Local Harvest Fest this weekend. Saturday the West Tisbury Farmers Market will join the Fest at the Ag Hall from 9 am to noon. There will also be sheep shearing, goat milking, tomato tasting and kids activities, including a hay maze. Learn about energy alternatives, local food production, Island fisheries and waste management, composting, making sauerkraut, and more. That evening enjoy the community potluck from 6 to 10 pm in the Ag Hall. Willy Mason and guests will entertain. Bring a dish featuring a local ingredient to serve six people and your own plate and utensils. See vineyardvoice.org for more.
Dump those old cell phones, keyboards, laptop computers, etc. at the electronics disposal day on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 9 am to 2 pm. Go to the campus of the Martha's Vineyard Community Services, across from the high school. There is a special price for a carload.
Happy anniversary tomorrow to Laurel and Kevin Olson. Celebrating on Oct. 1 are Sofya and Sandy Nadelstein.
Big bunches of birthday balloon wishes go out on Saturday to Ashleen Marie Dorsey and Eric B. Davison. Wish the best to Julie Immelt on Tuesday.
Heard on Main Street: One thing you can't recycle is wasted time. Now they tell me.
