I feel so fortunate to be a part of such an amazing community that came together, Wampanoag tribe members and others joining in to support Water Is Life at the benefit held last Saturday night. Organizers Melanie Sroka Chaunce and Carole Vandal had no idea how needed this healing time together would be. At least 400 Islanders came out to share food, music, and healing while raising nearly $10,000 for the Water Protectors. An ongoing collection of supplies for Standing Rock is being organized, as well as a plan for driving the supplies out west. For more information, please email juliapipiras@gmail.com.
I also want to send healing wishes to Betty Burton, who not only shared a story at the most recent Women’s Symposium, but has been such an active force for good for so many and for so long. She is being treated for a pulmonary embolism. Her family has asked us to please not write emails or call her, but get-well cards and letters may be sent to Betty Burton, P.O. Box 2641, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, and Facebook comments are welcome.
Chilmark would like to extend a warm welcome to Rizwan Malik, the new Chilmark assistant library director and head of children’s services. Malik worked at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, has a master’s in education from the University of Maryland, and could not be more excited about his new position. His wife, Allyson Malik, is the director of the Oak Bluffs library, and they have a 3-month-old baby. Rizwan plays ukulele, and enjoys Island life and getting to know a new community.
The Food Truck, stationed at the Home Port parking lot, is back Monday to Friday, and posting menus daily on Facebook. You can order ahead and pick up anytime between 10 am and 2 pm. Also they are available for private gigs. Call or text your order to 508-560-5883.
Head to Pathways Project Institute on Friday, Nov. 18, at 7 pm for Jemima James’ new CD release party for her double album, “At Longview Farm” and “When You Get Old,” from 7 to 9 pm. Check out the November review at NMD blog, nomoredivision.com.
Congratulations to Chilmark and Baltimore resident artist Carol Brown Goldberg on her large-scale mural installation at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center in Washington, D.C., on view in the Kreeger Lobby through Dec. 18, 2016.
On Saturday, Nov. 19, from noon to 4 pm, the Chilmark library will join over a thousand libraries around the world for the ninth annual celebration of gaming in libraries, and offer games for the whole family, from popular tabletop games to classic party games. The library will also provide various gaming resources, tutorials on how to play, gamer fuel (snacks), and for computer game lovers, a station set up for gamers to bring their laptops to play games like Minecraft. Avid boardgamer “Irish Mike” will be there testing a game he invented himself, so feel free to bring your own favorite tabletop game to play.
Enjoy The Trustees of Reservations’ last guided walk of 2016 in Chilmark at Menemsha Hills on Sunday, Nov. 20, from 1 to 3 pm. It is a moderate to strenuous hike to the second highest point on Martha’s Vineyard. Learn about the geology of the area and enjoy the fall colors and a view of the historic Chilmark Brickyard. The route will include walking on rocky beach and some moderately steep trails. Free, but donations accepted; for more info see bit.ly/menemshahillshike or call 339-927-8778.
It’s the annual Chilmark School Turkey Trot and making of Stone Soup, beginning at 11 am on Tuesday, Nov. 22, with a one-mile run that begins and ends at Beetlebung Corner, followed by listening to the Stone Soup story and sharing the soup created that day.
Chilmark Chocolates will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 22, and Wednesday, Nov. 23, but closed on Thanksgiving Day.
Have a good week.