Town Column : Edgartown
By Caroline Beetz Fenske
Published: June 25, 2009
Island children are getting out of school this week, but for those of us taking online courses this summer, it's just the beginning and full of challenge. Gail Craig is taking a graduate course to further her credentials as a teacher at the Edgartown School. I am taking an online course in editing to improve my credentials as a freelance economic writer (as you can probably imagine, a lot of my business is off-Island). Based on my experience as a college professor and as a student of online courses, I would highly recommend online learning, particularly for those of us living on the Island year-round without easy access to a college or university.
I have great news to report. Samantha Cassidy has just completed her two years of chemotherapy treatment for B-Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. Her mother, Debbie Grant, told me that the doctors say Samantha's prognosis is excellent and they expect a full recovery. Samantha missed a lot of the normal routine as a child over the past two years with so many trips to the hospital, and she looks forward to a summer without so many interruptions. Samantha revealed her true passion this past winter when she remarked, "When I get through the treatment, I am going to spend every day next summer in theater camp."
"Our family is incredibly grateful for the ways in which we have been supported by our community," her mother added. "There are no words to describe how grateful we are for the love and support we have been given."
Jay Sigler asked me to announce that there will be an oyster and clam raw bar at the Anchors overlooking the Edgartown harbor following the Fourth of July parade (6 to 8 pm). The benefit event is sponsored by the Friends of the Edgartown Council on Aging, and the Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group.
Pia Gundersen participated in a walk for Scleroderma a week ago last Sunday. Her mother died of this terribly debilitating disease last year. It is Pia's hope that events like these will increase awareness of Scleroderma and help raise money to find a cure.
I am pleased to provide you with excerpts from Nicole Bourgault's "Garden News Flash." Nicole is a sixth grader at the Edgartown School and an avid writer and gardener.
"The garden has done well with all the rain that has fallen these last few weeks," she writes. "Thank you to all those who regularly weed the raised beds! The plants look healthy and well cared for. It is fun to look out my classroom window and see all the plant growth... One of my many surprises was the 'pizza garden,' which seemed to pop up overnight. I recognize healthy bunches of basil, tomato plants, purple beans, chives, leeks, parsley, horseradish, and colorful pansies."
The third-grade students at the Edgartown School went on a Duck Tour in Boston last Friday, and they really enjoyed it. As a parent chaperone, I was responsible for Shannon Levesque, Kiana Casey, Alex Vasiliadis, and my son, Charlie. We had fun and laughed a lot. Our tour guide for the afternoon was full of historical information about the city, but at the same time managed to keep it light and amusing. It was also Meghan Sawyer's ninth birthday, and her classmates and teachers sang the Happy Birthday song as she steered the Duck Boat down the Charles River.
