Calendar Shorts
Salsa, no chips
Argentina native Sergio Racigh teaches a two-part salsa lesson on Sunday, Feb. 8 and 15, sponsored by the Martha's Vineyard Ballroom Dancers. A beginner's lesson is at 6 pm, followed by a general lesson at 7 pm. Dance to deejay music until 9 pm. Admission is $3; both singles and couples are welcome. For more information, call 508-693-8910.
"Seussical the Musical Jr."
This weekend, the Edgartown school presents "Seussical the Musical Jr.," a musical combining Dr. Seuss characters. Performances are Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6 and 7 at 7:30 pm, and on Sunday at 2 pm. $8; $6 for children; $25 for family. Saturday only, enjoy a dinner theater evening beginning at 6:15 pm ($15; $10). For reservations, call 508-627-3316 ext. 410.
Say cheese
With the contributions from the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society and The Sowing Circle, milk donated by Mermaid and North Tabor farms, and Jan Buhrman's organizing, Vermont cheese consultant Peter Dixon came to Martha's Vineyard to conduct seven cheese making workshopsbetween January 24 and 29. The class is the first of a series planned by Ms. Buhrman's company, Resurrecting Roots, to provide educational culinary and farm experiences. Over 30 students gathered in Ms. Buhrman's kitchen to learn about temperature, timing, acidity, different cheese cultures, care of the rind, and aging. The class made an assortment of many different cheeses. Call 508-645-5000 for details about upcoming events.
Photos by Susan Safford
Chilling tales
Master storyteller Susan Klein captivated a gathering at Grace Episcopal Church in Vineyard Haven this past Friday, Jan. 30, with an evening of story telling titled, "A Winter's (Tall) Tale." Ms. Klein's animated delivery brought images to full life for her audience.
Photo by Ralph Stewart
Vineyard Smiles
Island school children displayed their ideas of perfect smiles last Thursday, Jan. 29, at the Vineyard Haven Steamship Authority terminal. The point of the program, Vineyard Smiles, is to raise awareness of the importance of youth dental hygiene. Vineyard Smiles is part of Vineyard Health Care Access Inc., an organization that works to improve the availability of affordable health care for Islanders.
Courts in need
The Oak Bluffs Park and Recreation Department is selling raffle tickets to raise money to re-build the Niantic Park basketball court. Home to a host of summer basketball leagues, the courts are used frequently and are in need of repair. There are 15 prizes, including several 100-gallon fuel prizes, and the drawing is February 14. Purchase tickets at Island Councils on Aging, Wave Lengths hair salon, daRosa's, and the Highway Barn in Oak Bluffs.
Language arts
New at the Oak Bluffs library is Mango Languages, an online language-learning program free of charge to library patrons. The library offers Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and ESL for Brazilian Portuguese speakers. For more information, visit oakbluffslibrary.org, or call 508-693-9433.
Thank you, Ms. Barnett
Elaine Barnett was the surprised honoree last Friday as the West Tisbury school community celebrated her 36-year teaching career. Current and past students, colleagues, parents, and friends gathered to wish her well. The chorus sang, her current students displayed a banner with all of their portraits, and read, each and every one, a tribute to their teacher.
Although Ms. Barnett is retiring from classroom teaching, she will remain a presence at the school as a mentor and consultant.
Photos by Susan Safford
Achivements
Thomas E. Clark was recently selected by the Institute of Museum and Library Services to attend a national forum in San Diego, Calif., entitled "It's Alive! Petals to Primates: Preservation Challenges of Living Collections." Mr. Clark is the collections and grounds manager of Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury.
Births
Chloe A. Dutton
Kristin Kew and John Dutton of West Tisbury announce the birth of their daughter, Chloe Amalia Dutton, on January 13 at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Chloe weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces.
Sophia C. Pancotti
Rachel and Joseph Pancotti II of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of their daughter, Sophia Courtney Pancotti, on January 27 at Martha's Vineyard Hospital. Sophia weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces.
Mateus Reis B. Perini
Claudiane Reis and Anderson Perini of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of their son, Mateus Reis B. Perini, on January 29 at Martha's Vineyard Hospital. Mateus weighed 7 pounds, 10.6 ounces.
Off North Road
The medical truant
I've been running away from my physical therapist this week. She's been provoking my nausea when she commands my gaze to stare at the far corner of the ceiling and adjoining walls. It's a test for dizziness, you know, she says, and the base for exercises to increase your balance and gait. Prevent falls so you won't break something. No matter that I'll lose more weight, feel like a hungry blow-fly just missing the mash of a swatter. Tomorrow I must see her to apologize for the missed appointment. She already knows I remember what I like, forget all else. By and by I may feel better, although I don't have much enthusiasm for it. Perhaps I'll settle for permanence in my current skin.
