This past Saturday there was a march for Black Lives Matter from Five Corners in Vineyard Haven to Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs. Although it was hot as blazes, it was a wonderful experience, made even better by the support the marchers received from the community and the police along the way. People honked in support as they drove by, and a police officer in Vineyard Haven stopped traffic to let the march pass by. Not that support and kindness are a luxury here on Martha’s Vineyard, but as I walked, I reflected on what a seeming luxury it is when you look at other marches or protests around America. I was never afraid of being attacked or having anything thrown at me during the march, or of being arrested; you only have to follow the news a little to know that the same is not true in other parts of our country.
Thursday at the library: Story Time is at 3:30 pm, and the Summer Speaker Series continues with Nancy Caldwell. She will speak on “Paris Wampum: George Sand and the Quahog Necklace.” The talk is at 5 pm at the Old Town Hall, and refreshments will be served. Story Time is also held on Saturdays at 10:30 am. Kids can come in between 11 am and 3 pm to make a Cup Cake Fish. This Tuesday the Kids’ Summer Club is at 3 pm, and Music on the Deck will be at 5 pm. The Aquinnah Cultural Council is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. This Saturday at the Circle is the 10th annual Native American Artisans’ Festival, from 11 am to 4 pm. There will be many handcrafted items for sale by different New England tribes. There will also be dancing and traditional foods. If you have any questions about the festival or the exhibits at the ACC, call 508-645-7900 or email aquinnahcc@gmail.com.
Summer is a good time to wear your wampum jewelry, and if you don’t have any, you can get some at Joan LeLacheur’s Open Studio. It’s this Saturday, July 23, from 10 am to 5 pm at 42 Old South Road in Aquinnah. Call Joanie for more information at 508-645-9954.
We have some great camps up-Island if you are looking for something for your kids to do. Sassafras, right here in Aquinnah, is an outdoor nature camp that teaches kids about observing and living in harmony with nature. They spend all day outside, and I speak from experience when I say that your kids will come home dirty, exhausted, and elated. Go to sassafrasmvy.org for details. If you have a child that is more artsy, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival has one week left of its filmmaking camp, and that week focuses on Live Action Short Films. The camp is from 12:30 to 4:30 pm, and you can register at tmvff.org. The Yard has a camp for kids each week of the summer, from 9:30 am to 12 pm. Each weeklong program will challenge the children through fun, active dance classes, building skill and technique, nurturing the child’s choreographic voice and individual artistic expression through composition studies. The children will develop their own choreography and create original work. The camp is open to all levels and abilities of dance. Go to dancetheyard.org for all the information.
Happy birthday to two great ladies of Aquinnah, Berta Welch and Joan LeLacheur. Berta celebrates on July 25, and Joanie the day after. I hope they both have a wonderful time.