Town Column : Chilmark
True to all predictions, the presidential election drew record numbers of voters all over the country. It's somehow reassuring that there is such a diverse electorate, many of them young and Internet savvy as we head into what promises to be a new and challenging time in American history.
For those not so adept with the Internet, the Martha's Vineyard Women's Network is offering a workshop in websites, E-commerce, social media, blogs and Web 2.0 this Saturday, Nov. 15. It will take place at the Island Co-Housing common house in West Tisbury from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. It all sounds like stuff we should know and, at the rate we're going digital, probably need to know. To register or to receive more information, please call Julie Roads at 413-281-6013.
The Yard has announced it has received a generous grant from the Jerome Robbins Foundation, a dance funding organization in New York City. Mr. Robbins will be remembered as the choreographer of both the stage and film versions of West Side Story, as well as more than 60 ballets.
The Yard has made great leaps forward since the early days when a handful of aspiring dancers and choreographers studied with Patricia Nanon at her house on Flanders Lane. Today, it is, of course, a nationally recognized cultural icon and a beloved fixture in our community.
The church soup supper committee has announced that this Tuesday's supper was the last one until after the holidays. They will start up again in January.
Janette Vanderhoop is showing illustrations from her new children's book, "I know Why the Fiddler Crab Burrows," as yet unpublished, at the library this month. Ms. Vanderhoop is the author of an earlier, published, book "Cranberry Day - A Wampanoag Harvest Celebration."
The children's program coordinator at the library, Irene Tewksbury, urges everyone in town to come to the library and write on a paper leaf what they are thankful for and then hang the leaf on the Tree of Thanks in the children's room. This is an activity for adults as well as children.
Last week's rainy winds denuded most of the trees overnight, and Saturday night's weather, complete with light and sound, took care of the rest of them. We're now in an odd stage of Indian summer temperatures but with the bare limbs of trees reaching up in the best mid-winter tradition.
It was something of a shock to drive into Vineyard Haven the first days of November and see Christmas trees for sale. I know merchants tend to rush the season earlier every year. But wouldn't a tree that's been in the house for nearly two months get tired of being out of its natural element and shed all its needles?
We still have Thanksgiving to think about and then all those shopping days until Christmas. The television news tells us that Wal-Mart and B.J.'s are leading the pack in sales this year. Small wonder.
Thomas Bena is outdoing us all in season-rushing and says it will be March before you know it and he is already gearing up for the ninth annual film festival from March 13 to 15. Be sure to put that down on your 2009 calendars.
