This past Friday, March 13, the Save the Gay Head Light Organization hosted a book launch at Pathways in Chilmark to celebrate the release of the book “I Will Save You!” Poems & Drawings by the Students of Martha’s Vineyard to Save the Gay Head Lighthouse. All of the artwork and poems in the book were created by students from different schools around the Island as a show of support for the threatened Lighthouse. Richard Skidmore, keeper of the Gay Head Light, and poet Fan Ogilvie hosted the event and co-edited the book.
The event started with the Chilmark School children who contributed poems and drawings.
Lured off the playground of their nearby school with promises of popcorn and cookies, the children filled the tables of Chilmark Tavern with their parents. Mr. Skidmore introduced Meg Bodnar of Save the Gay Head Light, and she gave a very warm thank-you to everyone who helped with the book. All the children who had worked to publish the book were called on stage and presented with a copy, starting with Jake Glasgow, whose picture made the cover. Next the students from the Charter School and the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School arrived, and it was their turn to be celebrated and presented with a copy of the book that they helped bring into being. The evening ended with the great pile of books diminished and the popcorn gone.
Books will be available for purchase at Island bookstores for $20; proceeds benefit the Save the Gay Head Lighthouse project. Books can be purchased from Bunch of Grapes Bookstore, Alley’s, and online at savethegayheadlight.org.
