Summer is coming to an end; doesn’t that just make you want to run a race even though you feel like you just did? You know it does. The fourth Annual Gay Head 10k will be held on Sunday, Oct. 2. The money raised goes to supporting the Lighthouse. Participation is limited to 500 runners, so sign up now at bit.ly/aquinnahrunsignup. I mean, I’m not going to run, but I will cheer you on that last brutal bit around the Cliffs. I swear I will.
Joan LeLacheur is hosting a Labor Day weekend Open Studio this Saturday, Sept. 3, from 10 am to 5 pm at 42 Old South Road in Aquinnah. Joanie makes beautiful wampum jewelry. For more information, call her at 508-645-9954.
The Aquinnah Cultural Center’s exhibit, “Our Story: 400 Years of Wampanoag History” will be up until the end of September. Don’t miss the opportunity to view this powerful exhibit on little-known 17th century history. “Captured 1614” returns for a second time to the ACC, with the new addition “The Messenger Runner.” The ACC is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. The ACC is located at the Vanderhoop Homestead at the Aquinnah Circle; call 508-645-7900 for more information.
The Pow Wow will be held at the Aquinnah Circle on Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 11. The grand entrance will be at noon on Saturday. There will be traditional Wampanoag music and dancing and, of course, food. Don’t miss this special celebration of Wampanoag life and culture.
The summer programming is winding down at the library. Story times will remain the same: Thursdays at 3:30 pm and Saturdays at 10:30 am. Craft time is 11 am to 3 pm on Saturday and this weekend they will be making Dream Catchers. The After School Club resumes this Tuesday, Sept. at 4 pm.
The Yard is offering dance classes and yoga classes all week long. Yoga is Monday through Friday at 7 am, Saturday at 8 am, and Sunday at 9 am. On Friday at the Oak Bluffs library, Naomi Goldberg Haas will teach a special all-ages modern dance class at 1 pm. She is also teaching modern dance at the Yard all week at 9 am. For more information on classes, including prices, go to dancetheyard.org or call 508-645-9662.
There is an important town forum coming up so, save the date: Sept. 19 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm in the Old Town Hall. There will be a community dinner and the first of three interactive facilitated workshops that will shape the housing and zoning policies Aquinnah will use to create housing options that are affordable for our families, elders, employees, and children.
The selectmen, planning boards and housing committees of all six towns are working to create housing production plans (HPPs) to help address the Island’s housing needs. Your input is needed over the course of the three public meetings to help Aquinnah decide whom we want to help with housing, how much housing we need, and where we want to build it. A completed HPP will help the town understand the best ways to meet its current and future housing needs while preserving town character and values. The second and third workshops are Nov. 14 and Dec. 12 at the same place and time.
More information is available on the town website or contact reviewboard@aquinnah-ma.gov.
Community dinner at 6:30, workshop starts promptly at 7. Please join this important conversation. Respond to reviewboard@aquinnah-ma.gov if you plan to come, so they know how much food and materials to provide.
Happy Birthday to Clyde Smith, who celebrates on Sept. 2 and to Paul Manning who celebrates Sept. 7. Congratulations to all the kids heading back to school on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Erick Moore is headed to first grade, and his brother, Lewis, will finish his last year of preschool. The Smith boys will be headed into kindergarten, third grade, and sixth grade respectively. Little Ivan Vanderhoop will be starting kindergarten (how did that happen?); also starting kindergarten is Isaac Vanderhoop. Tiffany Vanderhoop will be left at home with just baby Carl during the day, as Novella will be in preschool, Maysie in first grade, and Brian in second. Laina Benoit will be starting fifth grade as will Yossi Monahan and his brother Fynn will be starting eighth. Noah Manning and Olive and Violet MacPhail will all be starting fifth grade. Menasha Leport will be in eighth grade, and her brother Cole will be a sophomore. Ona Ignacio will have two boys in high school, with Skyler going to be a senior and Riley a freshman. Pearl Vercruysse will be back in high school here after a year in France last year. William Mayberry will be in seventh grade, and his sister, Ayesha, will be in sixth. Congratulations and have a great year, everyone, and sorry to the kids I missed.
