Heard on Main Street: “Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” —Anne Lamott
Our town needs you. The Tisbury planning board is looking for residents to serve on the board that addresses zoning and long-range planning issues now challenging our town. Send a letter to the planning board at P.O. Box 602, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 or email pharris@tisburymas.gov before noon on Wednesday, August 16. More at 508-696-4270. They need a member of the planning board and an associate member. It is in your best interest to take part in your government.
Don’t miss Saturday at Sengie. It’s a Felix Neck program this Saturday from 9 to 10:30 am in Oak Bluffs. It explores a different aspect of Sengekontacket Pond each week, from the birds above to the creatures below the water’s surface, with hands-on activities for all ages. Free. Meet at the Little Bridge on Beach Road, on the pond side. For more, call 508-627-4850.
Will you help welcome a wounded warrior to enjoy a week of R and R on our beautiful Island? The local DAR chapter offers a vacation with housing and gifts to a wounded warrior each year. This year they welcome Chief Jackie Key and her daughter to Martha’s Vineyard from Sept. 5 to 12. Will you help? A welcome gift is a gift certificate for a meal or for an activity on Island. You can call or email me, Kay Mayhew, with my column contact info above. Help make this vacation a good one.
The Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival appears on Saturday, August 5, at the Harbor View Hotel, and Sunday, August. 6, at the Chilmark Community Center. At 10 am on Saturday, four professors of African American history discuss black female resistance. And at 2:05, there is a cutting-edge discussion on “Defending Women’s Rights.” On Sunday, a Meet the Press discussion of political journalists is at 8:30 am at the Chilmark Community Center. At 11:45, Caroline Kennedy introduces the author of “Pachinko,” about a Korean family forced to immigrate to Japan. There are just so many tantalizing programs. Also on Sunday, NPR host Scott Simon discusses his new book about his lifelong love affair with the Chicago Cubs. A complete schedule is at mvbookfestival.com.
Welcome the Rev. David G. Berube, the new minister of the Federated Church on Sunday, August 6. There is a brief service at 8 am with communion, and a full service at 9:30 with music.
“Pushing the Limits” is a nationwide program funded through the National Science Foundation, and next week features discussion on Erik Larson’s “Thunderstruck” at 3 pm on Monday, August 7, in our Vineyard Haven library.
On Monday evening, August 7, at 7 is a second performance of the historical pageant “For All the Saints,” written by E. St. John Villard. The history of faith on the Island through the words of Vineyarders will be at the Federated Church Meetinghouse in Edgartown. It’s fun and it’s free. A free-will offering will benefit an Island charity. For more, call 508-627-4421.
Enjoy peaches, peaches, and more peaches a week from Saturday, August 12, from noon to 4 pm at the First Congregational Church in West Tisbury. There will be peach shortcake and smoothies, even blueberry peach cobbler and homemade peach pies. Mint tea will be served, with music on the lawn and a gift basket raffle for kids, even a chance to win a peach tree donated by Jardin Mahoney. And more: a table of gently used costume jewelry to purchase as well. All this happens indoors if it rains.
Next Thursday, August 10, at 7 pm, journalist Peter Brannen will speak about “The Ends of the World.” He is an awardwinning science journalist whose work has appeared in major newspapers. Peter was formerly a reporter for the other Island paper. This event is made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
Mark your calendar. There are some important and dramatically different films being offered in mid-August at our local theaters. Consider “Passage at St. Augustine” at 4 pm on Tuesday, August 15, at the Strand (detailing the 15-month campaign that led to the outlaw of Jim Crow segregation). Learn about the forced incarceration of more than 120,000 Japanese-Americans in “And Then They Came for Us” at the Capawock on Wednesday, August 16, at 6 pm. “Tell Them We Are Rising” at the Strand on Thursday, August 17, at 7 pm is about the impact of historically black colleges and universities on American history.
Big bunches of birthday balloon wishes go out to Nancy Gardella, Sharon Coogan, and Tom Colligan today. Happy birthday to Mary Goss, Michelle Gingras, Jesse James Little, and Dr. Peter Laursen on Sunday. John Coogan parties on Monday.
Heard on Main Street: If you haven’t grown up by age 50, you don’t have to.
