Town Column : Oak Bluffs
By Megan Alley
Published: August 21, 2008
What a week this will be. Illumination will be held in the Campgrounds on Wednesday, the OBFCA Fireworks on Friday, and The Fair in West Tisbury all weekend are all options for your entertainment. If you thought things could not be any busier or crowded then they are already are, then you are in for an awakening. Don't forget to be generous in your donations to the Fireworks sponsors as each year the possibility of this wonderful end-of-summer event continuing gets dimmer due to increasing costs and decreasing donations.
Doug Ulwick will be playing host to his dad, Bill Ulwick, and their friend Peg McElwaine who hails from Weymouth, England. Bill Ulwick is one of five Massachusetts WWII veterans who were recently named "Chevaliers" (Knights) in the French Legion of Honor during a Bastille Day (July 14) ceremony at the Langham Hotel In Boston. Bill received this recognition because of his D-Day landing on the beach in Normandy. Their friend Peg was recently presented to the Queen at a Buckingham Palace tea party in recognition of her WWII service in the vehicle transport division.
The 2008 MSPCA Walk for animals will be Sunday, Sept 7. Registration is at 11 am and the walk will start at 12 noon. There will be refreshments, raffles, and canine good citizen testing. Registration is $25 and when you get sponsors to donate, the MSPCA will reap the rewards. For more info, call the shelter at 508-627-8662.
Another fabulous sale by the African Artists' Community Development Project will be held on Monday, August 25, from 12 noon to 7 pm at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury. As always, they are raising money for the Upeme Hope Children's Home near Lusaka and the Mama Bakhita Center for Disabled Children in Livingstone, Zambia, and other smaller groups in Africa. All the profits go to these causes, so take this opportunity to see the beautiful crafts and jewelry.
The Bibliophiles, Inc. will mark its 20th anniversary with a gift to the Oak Bluffs Public Library. This is the nation's longest standing continuously operating African American reading group. The presentation marks the beginning of the 20th anniversary celebration of this New Jersey-based, not-for-profit book club and honors four of its retired members, some of whom have strong ties to the Vineyard. The gift will be presented by the club's president, Deborah E. Collins, Esq. and co-founder Joyce Wilson Harley, Esq. on Thursday, August 21, at 3 pm. Light refreshments will be served.
The Summer Reading Program at the Oak Bluffs library has been a resounding success. One hundred and fifty-seven children signed up to participate and their combined reading hours totaled more than 1,600. On Tuesday, August 26, the library will be hosting their end-of-summer reading program with a rewards and awards party starting at 10:30 am in the gazebo at the library, weather permitting. In case of rain, they will meet in the Children's Programs Room. All summer readers and their parents are invited to attend. They will be giving away the remaining coupons and have a raffle for the remaining price incentives and there will be refreshments.
Herb Ward has donated his award-winning quilt, "Island Daylilies," to raise money for the Federated Church Choir trip in 2009. Look for him and his quilt at the Fair, or you can call him at 508-693-7683 for raffle tickets.
For some reason, which no one has figured out yet, the email address at the end of my column last week was that of Gail, the Edgartown correspondent. My email address is still the same one that heads my column.
We send birthday smiles to Tony Ratcliff on August 21, Ginnie Hall on August 23, followed by Christine Anthony the next day. Retired OBFD Chief Nelson Amaral and Ken Rusczyk share August 26, Grandson Chris Alley parties on August 28 and the Marchand Brothers, Matt and Andrew, also celebrate that day. Extra special birthday smiles and good wishes go to Alice Rose who will be 98 years young on August 29. This amazing woman may still be seen tending her beautiful front yard flower gardens on Wing Road.
Enjoy your week and send your news along to me.
Peace.
