Last week Charley and I got to attend an astonishingly wonderful evening at West Tisbury School. We went to see our granddaughter in the school production of “Into The Woods Jr.” We had attended theater productions at the high school, and the charming but understandably clunky theater productions with little kids at Chilmark School, but this was our first at West Tis, and, boy, were we surprised and delighted by the quality. We were fed a delicious meal of lasagna and salad in the cafeteria, which had been transformed into a dinner café by the school PTO.
And then the performance began, knocking us off our feet with the glittering costumes and set, but mostly with the astonishing professionalism of the performers, all from grades 6, 7, and 8. The singing and dancing were absolutely magical. Director Barbara Binder, the teachers, and the entire production crew are to be thanked for giving our kids the chance to shine. Among the 27 members of the cast were Aquinnah’s own Charlotte Bologna and Tillie Taylor as the narrators, Nanawusuwee Vanderhoop as Cinderella’s stepmother, and Isaac Vanderhoop as Rapunzel’s Prince, each of whom absolutely sparkled. Congratulations to all.
On March 7, Mary Sage Napolitan presented a chance for the community to review the draft design of the food forest being created behind Town Hall. It was good to see that this project is moving forward so well. Included are plants indigenous to this end of the Island, and wandering paths for people to walk and sample the bounty the plants produce. Visitors to the presentation were invited to ask questions and offer feedback on the final design. This land is part of the traditional territory of the Wampanoag people, and it was good to see staff and board members of the Aquinnah Cultural Center keeping a watchful eye on the design, following the traditional Wampanoag role as stewards of the land.
Every morning for the past several years, no matter the weather, I have gone outside to fill our bird feeder. I am sad to say that this practice has had to stop. In response to the avian flu virus, the Dukes County Emergency Management Association has asked us all to stop doing this, as it creates congregation places for the wild birds, putting them in danger of spreading the illness. I wish that I could explain it to the chickadees.
At the Aquinnah library this week, Saturday, March 15, has two events: The Teen Book Group meets at 11 am to discuss “The Summer I Turned Pretty” by Jenny Han, and from 1 to 3 pm, there will be a St. Patrick’s Day Drop-In Craft. Then on Tuesday, March 18, from 4 to 6 pm, there will be a Kids’ Movie Night, complete with popcorn and refreshments, sponsored by the Aquinnah Friends of the Library. This is all free, and all are welcome.
I used to live way out in the countryside on a winding road, with houses separated by long distances. It was a good walk from our house up our driveway to the mailbox, where we picked up bills, letters, packages, and official notices. This service was provided faithfully every day but Sunday, provided by our government Postal Service. It was a major part of how the world communicated. Sending these things out cost money, but stayed affordable. We all depended on it. In many respects, we still do, although private corporations and computers provide big pieces of this now. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) receives no direct taxpayer funds, but is expected to generate sufficient operating revenue.
I come from the world of nonprofits, where it is known that providing a mission’s services depends on its workers, and that expecting these services to generate sufficient operating revenue is not what their mission is about. To expect the employees of the Postal Service to lose their hard-earned benefits in order to meet the USPS deficit is a misunderstanding of what it takes to meet the mission. The mission is providing the essential service of communication to all of us, as established in 1792. At the risk of provoking a snicker, I’d suggest that those in power should look to underwriting this essential and culturally beloved service with taxpayer support, as it always should have been. If you wish to comment, the USPS is operated by an 11-person board of governors, including nine appointed by the president and approved by the Senate.
Birthdays to celebrate this week include a stellar list of beloved folks: Nick Bologna on the 15th, Rodeo Langer on the 16th, and Amera Ignacio on the 19th. Happiest new year to each of you! May this year bring you health and happiness, and the granting of so many wishes.
If you have any Aquinnah Town Column suggestions, email Kathie Olson, aquinnahcolumn@gmail.com.
