Aquinnah: Busy week coming up

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Good news! You can now bring your food waste to the Aquinnah dump. Island Grown Initiative has set up a receptacle for everyone to bring all food waste to the dump. We have been gathering our food waste for about a year and taking it to the receptacle in Chilmark, so this is welcome news.

For mid-February in Aquinnah, there is a lot going on this week. Next week, of course, the Island will empty out as people travel far and wide for school vacation week, but until then, enjoy all the activity.

The Aquinnah library will be collaborating with the M.V. Vegan Society this Saturday, Feb. 22, to host a healthy food giveaway. Come between the hours of 1 and 3 pm and fill a bag with fresh fruits and veggies. Next week being school vacation week, there will be a kids’ movie night on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 5 pm; pizza will be served.

The Aquinnah Democratic Caucus for the Massachusetts State Democratic Convention is on Friday, Feb. 21, at 4 pm at the Town Hall. The contested race is between incumbent Senator Ed Markey and Congressman Joe Kennedy lll. Election of delegates, the March 3 primary, and voter registration will all be on the agenda. Refreshments will be served, and everyone is welcome. Call Megan Ottens-Sargent at 508-645-2776 for more information.

Speaking of the presidential primary, which, it bears repeating, is happening in Massachusetts on March 3, early voting in Aquinnah will begin on Monday, Feb. 24, and run through Friday, Feb. 28 from noon to 4 pm. Anyone who needs an absentee ballot should email or call Gabbi Camilleri, our town clerk, at townclerk@aquinnah-ma.gov or 508-645-2304.

The Gay Head Community Baptist Church will hold its annual meeting this Sunday, Feb. 23 at 3 pm at the church. There will be a reception (with refreshments) to follow at the Totem Pole Inn. Topics to be discussed include ministry, outreach, families, the future of the parsonage, and bell and steeple repair. All interested members who have concerns regarding the church are invited to attend. If you have wanted to get involved with the church, this is the perfect opportunity to do so.

The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society will host a “Venison Cooking Workshop” this Saturday, from 11 am to 2 pm. Then, from 5:30 to 10 pm, “The Meat Ball” will be held at the Ag Hall. The ball is hosted by the Ag Society in collaboration with the Larder and Cronig’s Market. The food will be prepared by Jefferson Munroe, and there will be live music by the Space Invaders. Tickets will be available at the door — first come, first served, until the food is gone. $20 for adults, $10 for children, and kids under 5 eat free. Call 508-693-9549 or visit marthasvineyardagriculturalsociety.org for details on these events.

 At Pathways this Friday will be “Images & Sound: Avian Improv & 2 Weeks in Tibet.” Valerie Sonnenthal’s soundscape to images of the architecture of Tibet is first up, followed by David Stanwood’s meditative piano improv with Lanny McDowell’s bird photographs. The show starts at 7 pm. Pathway’s Gathering Space will be closed from Feb. 22 to March 2, due to the school vacation week. It will reopen Tuesday, March 4, for Poets and Writers Night at 6:30 pm.

This Saturday is the deadline to register for the Friends of Family Planning Lip Sync Contest. Performers can register by emailing fofpmvi@gmail.com and paying a $30 fee. The contest will be at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs on March 7 from 7 to 10 pm. If you need a little incentive to perform, first place gets $500. Thank you to Family Planning for bringing lip-syncing back to the Island, it’s been a long time since the old lip-sync battle at the AC.

The second annual foster parent recruitment event will be held next Saturday, Feb. 29 from 11 am to 2 pm at the home of local foster parent Elexis Wildanger, 3 Poplar Lane in Oak Bluffs. Please call or text Elexis at 508-326-1155 for directions, to RSVP, or for more information. This will be an informative and casual get-together to learn about the desperate need for foster parents on M.V. Applications will be available, and DCF will be providing a foster parent training on the Vineyard. 

Happy birthday to Chelsea Kelley, who while she no longer lives in Aquinnah, is from Aquinnah, and she celebrates on Saturday.