Town Column : Edgartown
By Caroline Beetz Fenske
Published: May 28, 2009
As days grow longer and first birds begin their songs well before 5 am, a long slumber seems as unlikely right now as an evening frost. The opportunity to catch up on rest is more likely to present itself on rainy days that alternate with beautiful warm and sunny ones in a most unpredictable pattern this time of year.
With all the good that springtime brings, we need to be mindful of the different driving styles that we are confronted with as we enter the high season. While drivers on the Island are more or less in sync in the winter, we now have people coming from many different places and not as familiar with the roads.
When driving, we also need to be careful of the large numbers of pedestrians and bike riders on our streets. The fork in Katama has a relatively new crosswalk in the middle of a busy intersection. I live in that area, along with a lot of other families with children, and worry that someone may get hurt. Slowing down will do a lot to keep everyone safe.
At the Cub Scouts pack meeting this past week, the scouts practiced for the upcoming Chuckwagon Derby to be held at Camp Greenough in Yarmouthport this weekend. It has been a highly successful year for Cub Scouts on the Island, thanks to volunteers like Cub Master Kevin Oliver, who owns and runs the Menemsha Market with his wife, Elizabeth. Den Leaders, Andrew Bradshaw, Todd Cleland, Warren Gaines, and JT Kershaw also played an invaluable role. At the pack meeting, the group welcomed eight-year-old Sean Hegarty from Edgartown, who just joined Cub Scouts this past week. A meeting for those interested in learning more about the scouting program on the Island will be held on June 23 from 6:30 to 8 pm at the Oak Bluffs Fire Station.
Corrine Hatt will be at the Edgartown Post Office on June 2 and 3 to collect donations for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life taking place at the track at the regional high school on June 5. Many of you may know Corrine from her days working behind the desk at the post office. It will be a nice chance to say hello to her and support a worthy cause.
The Edgartown School is holding visitation days on June 1 and 2 for those children entering kindergarten in September. Please contact the school to make arrangements if you haven't already done so. It is wonderful that Maria Mackenty will back teaching kindergarten again in the fall after taking a one-year leave.
You can help the new Animal Shelter of Martha's Vineyard win prize money by voting it your favorite animal shelter. You'll need to go to animalrescuesite.com, click on the purple box labeled "click here," then click on "vote now." Then scroll down and type in Edgartown - from there you'll be instructed how to confirm your vote. You can vote every day up until July 29. The grand prize for the winning animal shelter is $20,000.
It was a pleasure to see Doris Ward the other day in Stop & Shop. She is so friendly and always has something funny to tell me. Being a writer herself, I appreciate her kind words about my column.
Congratulations to avid fisherman Ed Niejadlik, who caught his first bluefish of the season on Chappy over Memorial Day weekend.
Make every day special.
