If you want to lift your heart, feed your love of community, and find your courage, there are a couple of big events happening this Saturday, March 28. You can begin the day by standing at Five Corners with your fellow Vineyarders in support of our beautiful country, and demand that there be No Kings in America. This No Kings Day promises to be the largest demonstration in our nation’s history, and is part of a massive rising of Americans who are willing to nonviolently stand for empathy, for the rule of law, separation of powers, and for our Constitution. Be ready to tell your grandchildren that you stood up for what is right. Now is the time. This is not a moment for timidity. All you have to do is to be present. The gathering starts at 1:30 pm.
Then, go home and prepare some food to share, because starting at 5:30 pm, at the Aquinnah Town Hall, there will be the first annual Aquinnah Library Community Dinner. Join in for a potluck-style evening of food, live music, and community conversation geared for the whole family. There will be live music by Rose Guerin, Buck Shank, and Lydia Fischer. I’m looking forward to this break from late winter/early spring isolation and gray skies. Our town knows how to give a party, and this should be a great one.
As long as I’m singing our praises, we can be proud of the fact that Aquinnah is now the first town on-Island to officially designate itself a Fourth Amendment Workplace Community. This puts us officially on record for supporting efforts to inform and educate our town about its rights and responsibilities under the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment states, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” It should not be necessary for us to officially state our respect for the Constitution and the rule of law, but it has become so. I’m proud and grateful to Jeffrey Madison and our select board for leading the way.
Laura Jordan-Decker, Kate Taylor, and Barbara Wallen are working hard to bring together the third Aquinnah Variety Show, which will take place on Saturday, May 9. They are still looking for people to fill out the program. Strut your stuff, be it a circus or comedy act, music performance, dance, juggling, or rope tricks. If you aren’t sure about it, Kate and Laura are ready to help you refine and produce a great bit. If you’re game, contact them right away at laurajordandecker@gmail.com.
On Tuesday, March 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, the Vineyard Conservation Society is hosting an evening of conversation at the M.V. Film Center about PFAS, a dangerous group of chemicals that has been found in some Vineyard water. The evening will include information about what is known about PFAS levels here, what Vineyard towns and state agencies are doing about it, and what individual residents can do to protect themselves. Go if you can, or contact them at 508-693-9588 for further information.
Happiest birthday wishes this week go to Nanauwe Vanderhoop on March 23, Zyair Aiguier-Bolling on March 26, Jannette Vanderhoop on March 29, and to Heidi Vanderhoop on March 30.