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Tuesday, June 18, 2013

By Hermine Hull
Published: April 23, 2009

Town elections are over. Congratulations to Mike Colaneri on his reelection to the Board of Assessors, Tara Whiting, our new Town Clerk, and to new library trustees, Hal Garneau and Melissa Hackney. Everyone will miss Prudy Whiting at town hall, and we wish her the best in her retirement. Thanks to Leslie Baker and Elaine Pace for their two terms on the library board.

Skipper remains our selectman. Jim Powell and Nicole Cabot (Parks and Rec) are newly elected. Other offices are filled by incumbents. Congratulations to you all.

Rosalie Powell returned home just in time to vote for Jim for Planning Board. She has been in Florida visiting friends in Anna Maria Island and Palm Harbor. Now home, she is planning to reconvene her Thursday morning rug hooking classes.

Cynthia Walsh and Phyllis Meras are West Tisbury's representatives to the committee organizing our new animal shelter. They are asking for donations to: County of Dukes County, P.O, Box 190, Edgartown, MA 02539. Please write "Animal Shelter" on the memo line. Donations are tax-deductible.

Cynthia Riggs has been enjoying the company of her son-in-law and grandson this past week. Doug and Duncan Green came from Ohio for Duncan's tryout with the South Shore Kings, an Eastern Junior Hockey League team. A National Merit Scholar, he plans to take some time off before starting college.

Sarah Mayhew is home after spending the past several months in her former home state of California. Jack and Betsey Mayhew have also been in California, visiting their daughter, Lucy, in San Francisco.

Two Sundays ago, Tony Rezendes Sr. was invited by his daughters, Vicki and Cheryl, to try the new brunch at The Square Rigger, Tony Jr. and Doreen's restaurant in Edgartown. It was a ruse to get him there, unsuspecting, to honor his 90th birthday. Tony Jr., grandson Dana, and great-nephew Dwight Kaeka cooked 40 eggs benedict breakfasts. The senior Mr. Rezendes was suitably surprised and impressed, however Sunday brunch at the Rigger remains an illusion for the rest of us.

While manning check-in at the polls last Thursday I saw several people coming and going into the truck bay at the Public Safety Building. They are the latest class of new EMT's, 18 of them. All will take the state test on May 16.

Betsy Macdonald, always prepared for any contingency as an EMT, is also always prepared to indulge in one of her favorite pastimes, bird-watching. She carries binoculars in her vehicle at all times. Last week, driving past the Mill Pond, she noticed four young osprey. Pulling over, Betsy settled in to watch for about 15 minutes as the youngsters pulled their wings back and dove in after fish. Although none of them came up with a fish, watching them frolic was entertainment enough until the osprey flew off and Betsy drove away.

By Thursday when the paper comes out we will know how brother/sister marathoners, Skipper and Missy Manter, did in Monday's Boston Marathon. I wonder if anyone saw them on television.

A graveside memorial service for Brian Ruddick will be held Saturday, April 25, at 2 pm at the West Tisbury Cemetery. Brian worked at the West Tisbury and Chilmark libraries for many years. He left to be with his family in Cleveland before he died. His daughter, Justine, will be here for the service, staying at the Slocum House with Hannah Beecher. Brian's ashes will be buried here on the Island he loved. It will be comforting to honor his memory among his many friends who knew and respected the quiet gentleman with a great love of literature. It will be good to have him back.

There will be a community poetry reading at our library this Sunday, April 26, at 5 pm. Bring a favorite poem to read or just come to listen.

April 27 is a special day for two West Tisbury families. Michael and Karen Colaneri will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary with a romantic dinner, just the two of them. Nicole Cabot will be celebrating her birthday with her family and, I am assuming, a birthday cake made by her daughter, Violet. May you both enjoy your special days and many more.

Friday, May 1, is Italian Night at the Grange Hall, a fundraiser for the fifth grade's trip aboard the Shenandoah. Between 6 and 8:30 pm, diners will be treated to vegetarian or meat lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, and Caesar salad prepared by caterer Karen Dutton. Desserts will be provided by fifth-grade parents. Karen Overtoom is planning coconut cake with pineapple filling and Susan Chapman is making cannoli. I'm sure other desserts will be just as fabulous. Tickets are $15 each, $10 for kids, or a family price of $40, available at school or at the door.

Give yourself a gift and drive up-Island to see the daffodils. They are at their peak, fields full or a single clump beside a stonewall. All are a welcome sight.