Updated 8:53 am, July 28
Summer fun so many years ago, when I was growing up, was vastly different for kids than it is these days. The end of school meant slow days, the arrival of the “summer people” and having time for swimming at Owen Park or Bayside beaches, exploring the woods in search of adventures and blueberries. There were no video games, scheduled sports events, or cell phones. The sounding of the noon fire whistle and when the streetlights turned on at dusk meant head home now. And best of all, there were fewer cars, and many fewer people. Those “summer people,” as we called them, would arrive toward the end of June and would leave by Labor Day, when it seemed like a lid being slammed down on a trunk, not letting any more people come here until the following June.
I received a message Sunday from Pam Rogers about a wonderful Island adventure she and two friends experienced on the weekend of May 20 to 22. Meredith Goldthwait, Jeannie Neble, and Pam Rogers, all from Oak Bluffs, walked the perimeter of Martha’s Vineyard, excluding Chappy. They did the approximately 60 miles in three days, with 28 hours of walking. Staying true to the actual perimeter whenever possible, they saw many great sights along the way: 50 swans in Chilmark Pond, deer frolicking through the brush, a baby seal on the shore, a large gray seal way up on the beach, and a whale waving his tail at them off the south coast by Quansoo. They walked on and over many, many rocks and soft sand. They all are so glad that they did this, and feel a great sense of accomplishment, but are in no hurry to repeat the adventure. Along with this great experience, they raised over $3,500 for a nonprofit called AccesSportAmerica that Pam works for. It inspires higher function and fitness through high-challenge sports and training for children and adults living with disabilities. To learn more, go to goaccess.org.
Have you seen the rebuilt Niantic Park yet? It is a marvelous playground for children, and provides basketball courts, and there are plans to refurbish the tennis courts in the future. The latest news regarding this project is that it is the recipient of a grant in the amount of $5,000: $2,400 comes from the General Discretionary Fund and $2,000 from the Lillian Hellman Recreational Fund for the basketball program.
The annual Federated Church House Tour will be held Tuesday, August 9. The tour begins at 77 Edgartown Bay Road, Katama. The lecture will be at 1:30, and repeated at 1:50, and the tour runs from 2 to 4:30 pm. Tickets are $40.This is a benefit for the Federated Church of Martha’s Vineyard.
Check out the schedule for the first Oak Bluffs African American Literature and Culture Festival at oakbluffslibrary.org/aalcf/. The festival will take place at the Oak Bluffs library, with the opening reception on Thursday, August 4. This will be a joint opening reception for the festival and for the art show, which is titled “Ted Joans Collages: Dr. Rotapep’s Teducation in life, poetry, and totem animals.”
More happenings at our library include Wii U Afternoon on Friday, July 29, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm, when you can come and play Super Smash Bros. Please preregister for this kids-ages-8-plus event by calling 508-693-9433.
Families and friends of all ages compete as teams to complete challenges all around the library in The Amazing Race on Saturday, July 30, from 10 to 11:30 am
Flying Horses Walking Story Time on Tuesday, August 9, for kids of all ages will appeal to all. Participants will leave the library at 10 and 10:15 am and join in a story walk from the library to the Flying Horses. It will end with a ride on the carousel, and space is limited. To preregister, call 508-693-9433.
The Family Board Night on Tuesdays continues on August 9 at 6:pm in the Children’s Room. Come and play classic and new board games with your family.
We send birthday smiles to Travis Bernard, Rachel Barrett Perry, and Denise Alwardt on July 29, Heather White, Ashley Medeiros, and Luke dePriest on July 30, and Bernie Crossland on the 31st. Sophia Sampaio and Garrett Brown share August 1, Nancy Gardella celebrates on August 3, and Tricia Bergeron on August 4.
Enjoy your week. Peace.
