Halloween in Aquinnah was a quiet affair. There was no parties this year but there was the traditional drive-by trick or treating. Many of the older kids opted for the bustle of Vineyard Haven. But some families stayed put and trick or treated in town or did a combination of Menemsha and Aquinnah. Jamie and Woody Vanderhoop took their three boys around town; they were dressed as a dinosaur, Thomas the train and an airplane. Laina Benoit and her friend, Clara Athearn won a prize at the Chilmark Community Center party for their two-headed alien costume. While they did trick or treat together, they removed the part of the costume that bound them together as they decided it would be too difficult to walk through Menemsha as one entity. Noah Manning was a very convincing police officer (not sure where he gets that from). He insisted on bringing Rhett, the family dog to play the part of “police dog.” Of course Rhett spent most of the night with Noah’s mom, Theresa, something which she predicted was going to happen. Menemsha turned colder as the night went on and it was a relief to visit some houses in Aquinnah that were cozy with fires going. Everyone got to bed around 10 pm in our house after the required candy sort on the kitchen table. The next morning it was hard to get moving right away but the promise of Halloween candy in your lunch box can be quite motivating. The cool weather continued into the morning with the first frost of the season on the ground.
Tuesday, Nov. 8 is Election Day. Go vote, if you haven’t already. Do it. No excuses. Democracy only works if people show up. If you don’t vote, you are barred from complaining about whoever is serving in office for the next four years.
The Sargent Gallery is open by appointment Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 pm. To schedule an appointment, call Megan Ottens-Sargent at 508-645-2776.
The Aquinnah Library will host Story Time on Thursday, Nov. 3, at 3:30 pm and Saturday, Nov. 5, at 10:30 am. The Kid’s Craft will be on Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm. The After-School Club meets on Tuesday at 4 pm.
Sassafras, the wonderful outdoor and nature camp on Church Street, is running its Saturday fall program for kids from 10 am to 4 pm. This Saturday there will be an overnight as well; if your child has not signed up for the whole series, he or she can still do the overnight as a standalone. Contact Saskia Vanderhoop at 508-645-2008 or email her at saskiav@mac.com. There will be a “Village Fire” at Sassafras on Sunday, Nov. 13 at noon as well; email Saskia for more information.
The sister church to the Gay Head Baptist Church, the First Baptist Church in Vineyard Haven, will hold its annual pre-Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 5 to 6:30 pm. Come and enjoy a complete turkey dinner. The dinner will be held at the First Baptist Parish House on William Street in Vineyard Haven. Tickets are $17 per person; you can eat in or get takeout. Reservations are suggested, as there will be limited tickets at the door. Call 508-693-1539 to make a reservation.
This is going to be a great event for a very good cause: There will be a fundraiser and potluck in solidarity for the Standing Rock Tribe Water Protectors on Saturday, Nov. 12 from 6 to 10 pm. There will be music from Kate Taylor and Jemima James, the Earth Tribe Singers, Willy Mason, Alex Karalekas, Valerie Sonnenthal, Black Brook Singers, and Phil DaRosa and friends! Come and dance and help raise money to protect native land and water.
The memorial service for Kristin Maloney was very beautiful. It started at her graveside on Abel’s Hill, where Kate Taylor and Johnny Hoy sang, poems were read, and prayers were offered. It moved on to the Chilmark Community Center, where it seemed like most of up-Island gathered to honor her. There were many kids running outside, which Kristin’s husband, John Maloney wanted. He wanted all the kids who knew Kristin to come and celebrate her life. There was a slideshow that made clear how important Kristin’s friends and family were to her. And there were speeches given, including a very raw and lovely one from Kristin and John’s son Owen. It was a heartbreaking event; she was so young, and was such a part of the lives of our children. The Chilmark library seems very quiet right now, and probably will for a while.
Happy birthday to Liz Witham, who celebrates on Nov. 5, and to Frank Perez, who celebrates on Nov. 8.