Did you all enjoy this past weekend? Often it seems as if the weathermen are “crying wolf,” but this time they were quite accurate. Those snowflakes that slowly drifted down on Saturday morning soon increased in number and velocity so by early afternoon we actually were enveloped in a blizzard. My great grandson, Eagan Gibson’s, first birthday party went off as scheduled Saturday afternoon in spite of the storm. Some guests had to cancel due to the weather, but he enjoyed himself regardless. So we all made our way home cautiously through the quickly drifting snow and the weekend was spent listening to the wind and watching endless snow falling on Saturday and then on Sunday we were housebound.
Thanks to the Highway Department, roads were cleared quite quickly and Eversource also worked miracles in restoring power to households as soon as they could. Apparently Oak Bluffs had the greatest number of households that lost power on the Cape and Islands, but thankfully it was quickly restored. We send appreciation to all who worked diligently throughout the storm to keep us safe and also to public safety officials who, as always, we depended upon to take care of us.
The Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard is hosting the Neighborhood Convention on Tuesday, February 2, at 11 am. Betty Burton of the Vineyard Committee on Hunger will be the guest speaker. Betty will explain the differing missions of the Island Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, Serving Hands, and the Family to Family program and how these organizations relate to one another. All are invited and those attending are asked to bring a nonperishable item to donate to Island Families.
Here are the final details on the free Carnival event at our Oak Bluffs Library. It will be held on Saturday, January 30 from 11 am to 3 pm. There will be crafting for both children and adults, instrument and mask making, and at 12 noon the dancer, musician, and musicologist Cornel Coley will lead a children’s percussion workshop. There will be a Brazilian lunch served at 1 pm and Mr. Coley will lead an all-ages interactive performance at 2 pm, culminating in an audience drum jam. Both of his performances will show how African rhythms travel to the new world to influence Brazilian Carnaval street culture.
On February 13 in observance of Black History Month at our library, the League of Women Voters will examine the issue or the unencumbered right to vote. The program starts at 10 am, with refreshments at 10:30. The speaker will be Patricia Williams, who writes the monthly “diary of a Mad Law Professor” column for The Nation. Her wry, witty columns cover broad issues of social justice in the U.S., France, and Britain. Ms. Williams is a professor at Columbia University School of Law. For further info, contact Julia Burgess at 508-693-3338.
The Writers Group at the Library will meet on January 28 from 10 am to 12 noon. And Toddler Time for ages 1 to 3 with a parent present will be held on January 29 from 10:30 to 11:30 am.
MV Community Services Family Center invites you to a Birth to Three Workshop for Parents on Thursday, January 28 from 5:30 to 7 pm. Presenters will be Liz Burnham, Sally Listro, and Jane Joyce. For more info, contact Marney Toole at 508-693-7900.
There will be a Sensory Friendly Film showing of “Kungfu Panda 3” on Saturday, January 30, from 11 am to 12:30 pm at Edgartown Cinemas. MV Community Services Family Support Center is providing this program for children with special needs, their families and the community, giving them the opportunity to enjoy a fun movie experience in a safe and accepting environment. During this Sensory Friendly Film presentation, the lights are brought up and the sound is turned down and no one will complain if audience members decide to get up, talk, dance, or sing.
Over at the Oak Bluffs School the annual 7th grade ski trip meeting is coming up on Friday, January 29, from 9:30 to 10:30 am at the School. The trip takes place on Tuesday, February 2, through Thursday, February 4, at Gunstock. And the 8th grade is making plans for their Museum of Science Trip which takes place on Thursday, February 4.
Tim DeFelice has been a popular employee at Reliable for many, many years but now he is moving on to new employment at Edgartown Hardware. We will all miss his helpfulness, humor, and knowledge but wish him well in his new position.
We send birthday smiles to Michael Perry III on Jan. 29, Otis Rogers, Mike Giordano, Barbara Spain, and Jarek Peters on the 30th, Bethany deBettencourt and David Madeiras on the 31st, Noah Hoyt and Judy Searle on February 1, Emma Williamson on the 3rd and my grandson, Matt Rivers, on the 4th.
Enjoy your week. Peace.
