While all large in-person events have been cancelled on the Island, many arts organizations are doing amazing work online. The Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse is showing “The Niceties” with Amy Breneman and Tsilala Brock streaming through April 4. The Yard is hosting virtual work as well, along with the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival (more on that later). So, if you have watched all of Netflix and are tired of murder shows, the arts on M.V. have got you covered.
The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival will be hosting an “At Home” virtual festival this weekend, from March 25 to 28. There is a great lineup of films including “Conscience Point” a film about the Shinnecock tribe in the Hamptons and the conflict with the golf course that is on one of the tribe’s burial site; “Hooked,” a documentary about one family’s fight against their son’s addiction, and “The Outside Story,” a narrative feature with the always-excellent Brian Tyree Hill. The movie that I’m really looking forward to is “Playing with Sharks,” a documentary about Valerie Taylor. Who is she, you might ask? Well, she has been studying sharks up close since way before “Shark Week” was a thing. One of the things that she is most well known for is getting the shark footage of actual great white sharks for “Jaws.” Tickets to the festival are pay what you can, for information on the festival go to tmvff.org.
Today, March 25, is the last day to submit nomination papers to the board of registrars for certification. They must be submitted by 5 pm. Nomination papers are available for the following positions: select board (I hear we have a few people in the running), planning board, board of education, Land Bank Commission, constable, library trustee, and school committee. The last day to file nomination papers with the town clerk is April 8, by 5 pm. The last day to register to vote for the annual town meeting and annual town election is Wednesday, April 21. The annual town meeting will be held Tuesday, May 11, at 7:30 pm, and the annual town election will be held on Thursday, May 13, from 12 to 8 pm.
Sign up today for Aquinnah emergency shelter volunteer training. Please join the Aquinnah Community Emergency Response Team and the American Red Cross if you are good in an emergency and would like to volunteer in our town shelters when there is one. All training will be offered via Zoom. Training dates and times are: Saturday, March 27, from 10 am to 12 pm, for shelter fundamentals training; Saturday, March 27, from 1 to 3 pm, for feeding fundamentals training; Tuesday, March 30, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm for shelter fundamentals training (for those unable to make the Saturday morning time).
It is suggested that if you want to be most useful that you attend both shelter and feeding fundamentals training. In Aquinnah, our sheltering locations are at the Community Center at the Tribe for overnight sheltering, with the Aquinnah Town Hall serving as a warming/cooling station for daytime sheltering. The training will cover responsibilities in both shelter locations. Here is the link to sign up: bit.ly/3rf6hs6. For more information, please contact Gabriella Camilleri at 508-645-2304 or townclerk@aquinnah-ma.gov.
Happy Birthday to dear June Manning, who makes the world a better place and is one of the memory keepers of our town. June will celebrate on Friday. Sheri Pagano and Jeffie Butler will celebrate on Saturday, and Heidi Vanderhoop will celebrate on Tuesday.
If you have any Aquinnah Town Column suggestions, email Molly Purves, mlpurves@yahoo.com.
