Oak Bluffs: Necessity is the mother of invention

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If April showers bring May flowers then our Island should be covered in blooms. Daffodils, crocus, and the always-faithful forsythia continue to smile at least, but I am anxious to fill the window boxes with flowers to replace the long-gone winter evergreens and holly, I must admit, I only recently tossed out.

It is said necessity is the mother of invention and how true that is during these different times. We have to figure out so many new ways to try to keep up what was once our normal way of life. No schools or daycares are open, making it necessary for parents to stay away from work to care for them, but then not many businesses are open anyway. With the help of teachers calling homes and giving on-line lessons and much more, school is underway in different ways.

To help make shopping safer for seniors and others at high risk for infection from the coronavirus, our own Reliable Market has specific shopping time for this group only, from 9 to 10 am, Cronig’s Market in Vineyard Haven from 7 to 8 am, and Stop & Shop in Vineyard Haven and Edgartown, from 6 to 7:30 am.

The Permanent Endowment for Martha’s Vineyard, which has already assisted many Island organizations needing financial assistance these past weeks through its Emergency Response Fund, received welcomed news on Monday. They received a gift of $100,000 to its Emergency Response Fund from the Barr Foundation to bolster its support of Island nonprofits in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. The Barr Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in New England.

So many people are doing whatever they can to help as many people as they are able.

I celebrated my 84th birthday yesterday. I am past that age when I wouldn’t like to admit it, but now it feels as if I have won a marathon. I am so fortunate to live here among family and friends I love. I have three children, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren with another one expected in October, and the partners and spouses of many of them who are my family. I am blessed.

So here are a few facts from the Oak Bluffs Town report of 1935, the year I was born.

The Board of Selectmen included Antone P. Medeiros who later changed his name to Alley and was my husband’s grandfather, the per pupil cost of education was $99.66, Shellfish department budget was $8,999.50, highway superintendent’s salary was $1,600, Police Department budget $5,200 and Fire Department’s was $11,832.77. If you look at those department budgets today, you would see so many changes over so many years.

Deepest sympathy to the friends and family of Grace Holman on the loss of this kind, caring woman. She was always smiling and kind whenever we met. Grace leaves behind a large extended family who will miss her presence.

We send birthday smiles for the month of April to the following Woodside Village residents: On April 1, Carl Greer; April 4, Ralph Silva; April 16, Mary Nichols; April 16, Jenny Seward; April 20, Diana Souza; April 29, Charles Mckay, and on April 30, Litchmore Hall.

Smiles to Devin Araujo and Ray Moreis Jr. on April 10, Michael Rebello on the12th Sarah Rivers on the 13th.

Enjoy your week. Peace.