Aquinnah: Continue to Support the Gayhead Lighthouse

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'"I Will Save You! Poems & Drawings by the Students of Martha’s Vineyard to Save the Gay Head Lighthouse" is available at local bookstores. — Photo courtesy of Richard Skidmo

The lighthouse has been moved. It’s done, people. We did it. Of course there is some more money needed, so if you can donate and bring the project to its final close that would be helpful; you can go to savethegayheadlight.org to donate. A very big thank you to the Save the Gay Head Lighthouse committee: Beverly Wright, Meg Bodnar, Mitzi Pratt, Len Butler, Duncan Caldwell, Paula Eisenberg, Stefanie Hecht, Larry Hohlt, Marshall Lee, Betsey Mayhew, David Nathans, Kathy Newman, Jim Pickman, Robin Robinson, Martha Vanderhoop, and Berta Welch. Also a big thank you to lighthouse keeper Richard Skidmore and the Aquinnah CPC chair, Derrill Bazzy. It happened so fast I can’t believe it’s actually done. I hope you got up to the Cliffs to see it being moved, or that you followed the live feed of it. It was remarkable what was done. I went with my son’s class, and got to see the very first shift forward. If you want to get a good sense of the project, you can check out Liz Witham and Ken Wentworth’s time-lapse on YouTube of the move. It’s from a forthcoming documentary they are working on. Just search GayheadLighthouseDocumentary.com.

On Saturday evening there was a special potluck dinner at the Old Town Hall to thank the people who were responsible for moving the lighthouse. It was a jolly time. Isaac Taylor sang a beautiful song about the lighthouse called “Red Queen.” Champagne was popped and poured for Jerry Matyiko from Expert House Movers and all the other men who worked to move the lighthouse. The tables were set with lilacs from Mitzi Pratt’s garden, and there was even a cake with a lighthouse on it. It was such a sweet, happy gathering. I was told that Jerry (who has moved many lighthouses) has said that of all the lighthouses he’s moved, in no place has he enjoyed the people more than in Aquinnah.

Dreamcatcher will be open for the summer season beginning tomorrow, Friday, June 5, at 11:30 am. Dona and Gordon are looking forward to serving food and seeing both new and old friends and customers opening weekend. Come on up and say, “Hi!”

Joan LeLacheur will hold an open studio this Saturday and next Saturday, June 13. She will be selling her wampum jewelry, and her daughter Aquinnah Witham will be selling her gorgeous imported silk jackets. The open studios are from 10 am-5 pm. You can call Joanie at

508-645-9954 or email her at joanlela57@gmail.com for more information.

There is much happening at the Aquinnah library. Remember that Story Hours are Thursdays at 3 pm and Saturdays at 10:30 am every week; all ages are welcome. There is a Growing Readers afterschool club on Thursdays from 4 to 5 pm. All are welcome to come in and read, color (they have lots of great new books), do homework, play games, or relax. This Saturday at 11 am you can make a Monster Popsicle Snuggie so you can keep your hands clean and warm while enjoying popsicles all summer long. Next Saturday, June 13, at 11am, you can make a fun window cling, using simple household ingredients. Also next Saturday, from 1 to 3 pm, there will be an open house to celebrate Betty Joslow’s retirement as library trustee. Come and thank Betty for her many years of service to the library, and you can also welcome Noni Smith to the trustees, who is filling her place.

On Tuesday, June 9, the League of Women Voters will sponsor a State of Our Schools forum at the Chilmark Community Center from 7 to 9 pm, for interested persons from Chilmark and Aquinnah. This will be the fifth in a series of meetings with the other four schools on the Vineyard. The program for the evening event will have School Superintendent Dr. James Weiss speaking for up to 45 minutes, and the outline of his words allows for smaller discussion groups to follow to further talk about the future of education on the Vineyard — with particular focus on financial trends and preserving town(s) culture.

The West Tisbury School fifth grade class, which includes Aquinnah kids Peyton Jeffers and Max Suman, is holding a Cow Chip Bingo fundraiser for their Shenandoah trip. If you’re not familiar with it, this is how it works: A cow will be turned loose at Flat Point Farm on Saturday, June 27, at 10 am. The fenced-in field will be marked off in 100 numbered squares. The cow determines the winner by making its first “deposit” on one of the squares. Each square is sold for $50, with the winner taking home $1,000. Participants do not need to be present to win. Contact Liz Oliver at 508-939-0616 to purchase a square.

Arlen Roth was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame this past Sunday at the B.B. King Blues Club in New York City. He got to play a rollicking set, and his daughter Lexie joined him onstage and sang the song “Night Life.”

Congratulations Arlen! Happy birthday to Leah Bassett, who celebrates today; George Baird (Friday); and Sarah Saltonstall, who celebrates on June 8. Happy birthday, one and all.