Town Column : Oak Bluffs
By Megan Alley
Published: March 11, 2010
Hooray for the sun that brings out a few green things peeping out from the winter's barren ground and also smiles to more people's faces. Even the birds are happier as I hear their springtime songs early in the morning when I bring in the paper and even earlier, around 4 am, when my almost 15-year-old Lab Sophie has now decided that that is a good time to wake me up and go out. The birds' singing is the only part of that deal that gets me up and out at that hour.
Do you remember what happened on March 15, 1980? This is that 20th anniversary of that event.
The next finance committee public hearing on the town budget will be held at the town library on Saturday, March 13, at 10 am.
At the annual Scripps Spelling Bee at the Oak Bluffs School on Friday, February 19, 14 students from grades four to eight competed under the oversight of Spelling Bee director Jeannie Holenko. It took seven rounds of pretty difficult words before seventh grader Charlotte Potter successfully spelled the word photosynthesis, and emerged as the winner. Charlotte moves on to the Island championship which will be held on March 18 at 9:30 am at the High Schools Performing Arts Center (PAC). The public is welcome to attend - in fact, Charlotte's class will be there to cheer her on.
It's Chat and Chowder dinner time for 7th & 8th grade parents sponsored by the Youth Task Force on Thursday, March 25, from 6 to 7:30 pm. The annual games night will be on March 12. March 17 is a Professional Day for staff, and dismissal will be at noon.
On Saturday March 13, The Oak Bluffs Public Library will present the children's book club at 12 noon, featuring "Savvy," the Newbery Honor Book by Ingrid Law. At 2:30, the teen book club will meet to discuss the book, "Going Bovine" by Libba Bray, the 2010 Printz Award winner.
This year the MV Hospital Annual Health Fair will be held on Saturday, March 13, from 8 am to 12 noon. Long-time former Oak Bluffs resident Henry Corey died last week. He was a respected attorney and a familiar figure running along Beach Road well into his seventies. We send condolences to his family.
Oak Bluffs resident Samantha Potter has won the coveted Scholarship Award at Vineyard Youth Tennis. Ranked in the top 30 in New England in the 12 and under division, Samantha will receive an all-expenses-paid week of training at the Nick Bollettierri Tennis Academy in Florida.
We continue to keep John Gibson and his family in our prayers as he remains a patient in the hospital in Florida after being in a serious motorcycle accident. His mother Bobby-Ann Gibson, who was hospitalized briefly in Florida, has returned to the Island .
The Martha's Vineyard Women's Network (MVWN) is pleased to announce their first Small Business Grant with an application deadline of April 2. One $2,500 grant will be awarded to a local small business person based on Martha's Vineyard looking to improve, grow or start a new business. Application and instructions can be found at . MVWN network's breakfast meeting on March 23 from 7 to 9 am, will feature well-known blogger Chris Brogan's talk, Finding Gold on the Internet, and much more. Win an MP3 Player, courtesy of the Library Friends of Oak Bluffs.
The Third Annual Celebrity Waiters Pasta Dinner will be held at the Federated Church Parish Hall on March 20 from 5 to 7:30 pm. Come and support your favorite impostor to benefit Haiti Peace Quilt Project.
For David Graupner, who spent summers here from 1957 to 1975, his favorite day of the summer was always Illumination Night. He has retired to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where he hopes to bring the same bright spirit of community with The Inaugural Eureka Springs Grand Illumination. Visit to see what is planned for the first Illumination night in Eureka Springs.
A Body, Soul and Spirit Fair will take place at the VFW on Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm. There will be free workshops and also opportunities to participate in various readings, and purchase some interesting items.
On March 15, 1980 , the ferry Islander raced into the Oak Bluffs dock after striking rocks and was saved from sinking by many people, including the fire departments from all over the Island.
We send birthday smiles to Willie deBettencourt and Pauline Gregory on March 13, Will Farrissey on the 14th followed by Jib Ellis and Bill Stafursky on the 15th, and Edith Rouseau, Kelsey DeBettencourt and Joe Moujabber on March 18.
Enjoy your week.
Peace.
