Town Column : Aquinnah
By Molly Purves
Published: May 14, 2009
I went up to the Lighthouse on Mother's Day and it was extraordinarily beautiful. It's only May and I'm feeling the pull of the business of summer already, so it was great to stop and look at my surroundings. The grass is lush and green, the ocean roaring and the cliffs are steady and strong. It had been a while since I had been up there and just taken in the scenery; and it's fabulous scenery. Not that you don't know that, but I forget to look all the time.
The Strategic Planning Public Forum did not happen last week at the Aquinnah Public Library. We did have a lovely community dinner hosted by the friends of the library but there was a scheduling snafu with the consultant coming from off-Island, so the meeting part has been rescheduled to Monday, May 18, from 5:30 to 8 pm at the library. Please do come and share your thoughts about the future of the library. A light refreshment will be served.
The community garden is off and running. There was a meeting on the 12th with people who were interested in participating. If you didn't make the meeting but would still like to be a part of the project, email Jim Newman at jimkatnew@comcast.net.
There are many worthy causes and places to volunteer this weekend. Tonight is the Martha's Vineyard Cancer Support Group's Annual Gala event from 6 to 9 pm at Mediterranean. The animal shelter (formerly run by the MSPCA) would like to be open by tomorrow, the 15th, but they are in need of volunteers to make it happen. Just show up and be willing and able and you will be put to work. The Wampanoag Environmental Health Expo is this Saturday at the Harbor View Hotel from 9 am to 4 pm. And on Sunday, the Alzheimer's Miles of Memories Walk/Paddle starts at 12 noon at the Little Bridge on State Beach, Oak Bluffs. You have the option of walking or kayaking. Or sitting on your butt and mailing in a check.
The Aquinnah Shop is open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week and the stores and other food stands at the Cliffs will be open more regularly now that the weather is better.
The Menemsha Café is under new ownership. Josh Aronie just opened the other week and is planning on being open seven days a week from now until the fall.
Mallory and Lenny Butler's daughter Nina will be home from Wellesley College this week. She will be working at the Beach Plum Inn for the summer.
The Chilmark Store should be open by next week, though Carl did not want to be pinned down by giving a specific date. I can't wait to drive only 10 minutes to buy milk and The New York Times. Now starts the tide of summer people coming and coming, and this year it feels like we really need it. The economy has been so wacky that it will be really nice to have a boost from the tourists. At least that's how I feel right now. Just wait till August, that's a whole other story, but right now I'm going to go look at the scenery.
