Oak Bluffs: Beautiful Monday

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Now Monday at last; the birds awaken me in the morning just as the sun is rising, with their singing back and forth as if they are teasing me to relax and listen to their music or arise and get the day started. A quick glance at the clock tells me it is barely 5 am, so I make the easy decision to remain where I am. However, as I rock in that cloudy area of mere drowsiness instead of sleep, soon the sounds of a few cars and trucks starting to drive by the house in increasing numbers discourage more lazing about, and the cat uttering his pitiful meow outside each of the bedroom windows makes the decision for me to start my day, and what a beautiful day this Monday is. Sunny, a bit on the cool side, but no humidity. On a scale of 1 to 10, definitely a 20.

Condolences to family and friends of Bill Correllus. Always friendly and loved by his large family and friends, he will always be remembered by his response of “Have a nice weekend” to customers when they were leaving his store, Tony’s Market. So very sorry.

The Vineyard Playhouse will be holding the New England premiere of “Dusty And the Big Bad World,” with the opening night Thursday, July 6, and running through July 29. Flexi tickets are on sale to June 30. Based on a 2005 scandal in the world of children’s television known as “Bustergate,” the play is a darkly funny, no-holds-barred yet evenhanded look at PBS, government censorship, gay marriage, and what it takes to ultimately step up and fight for what you believe in.

Here is a great way to start off the children’s summer reading program. On Wednesday, July 5, from 1 to 2 pm at Niantic Park, if you haven’t already signed up for the program, you will be able to do so, and as a great incentive, you can enjoy a free bowl of ice cream.

The Summer Lunch Program starts on Tuesday, July 11, at the Oak Bluffs library. Call the library for up-to date info.

On Thursday, July 6, at 6 pm, join local author Martha Kelly as she reads from her New York Times best-selling book “Lilac Girls,” a novel based on the lives of three real-life people whose destinies converged in or around Ravensbrück, Hitler’s concentration camp for women. This was one of the best books I have read recently, and tells the story of life during World War II in Germany, Poland, and France.

Saturday, July 8, at 2 pm, the library is celebrating “Interdependence Day” — come celebrate the interdependence of everyone and everything in the Island community. Play lawn games, eat ice cream, get to know someone new. Lawn games will be put out at 2 every Saturday for the rest of the summer, so this is also breaking those in.

On Monday, July 3, 2017, there will be the fourth annual reading of the Frederick Douglass speech, “The Meaning of the Fourth of July to the Negro.” The program will start at 12 pm and end around 1:30 pm, in the Meetinghouse of the Federated Church, at 45 South Summer St., Edgartown. This is a free community event, cosponsored by the Friends of the Edgartown Library and the Federated Church.

The speech was originally given on July 5, 1852, to the Rochester Anti-Slavery and

Sewing Society. Five years later, in December 1857, Mr. Douglass gave his speech “The Unity of Man” to an audience at the First Congregational Church (now known as the Federated Church), and at the Edgartown Town Hall. It’s very powerfully written, and the presenters include island residents from many different backgrounds. For more information, call 508-627-4421.

The Island Wide Youth Collaborative invites parents and caregivers of transgender young people to a monthly support group. This monthly drop-in group is designed to provide an open opportunity for parents and caregivers of trans and genderqueer young people to ask questions, get information, and build a supportive community. The next meeting is this Saturday, July 1, from 11 am to 12 noon at the Island Wide Youth Collaborative.

MVCS is closed for the Fourth of July. A new series of “My Life, My Health” will be starting up on July 6 from 10 am to 12:30 pm in Oak Bluffs, and will run through August 10. The Martha’s Vineyard Partnership for Health has funding from Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands under the Older Americans Act to offer this free six-session series. Call or email to find out the dates and location of the next series. The summer location is physically accessible and air-conditioned. Preregistration is required. Call 508-627-5797, ext. 114, or email infoMVPH@ihimv.org to register or for more information.

Tuesday we will be celebrating our nation’s birthday. Fly your flag, and say thank you to all who make our freedom possible.

We send birthday smiles to Maddy Alley on July 1, Rahmale Hopkins and Deborah deBett-Ratcliff on July 3, Joe Alosso on the Fourth, James Cage on July 5, and Barbara Fehl and Pam Gibson on July 6.

Enjoy your week. Peace.

Islanders: looking for fun in your own backyard? Check out vineyardvisitor.com