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TEN VINEYARD GAZETTE, MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MASS. FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2Oll
OAK BLUFFS
BETTYE FOSTER BAKER
508-696-9983
(bdrbaker@comcast.net)
It occurred to me, seated in Season's
Restaurant this past week, that I had a
window on the world, looking out on
Circuit avenue in the same sense as
the former Twin Towers restaurant in
i with the same name, but on
a smaller scale, which overlooked the
most exciting and extraordinary city in
the world and remains in the national
memory as a great tragedy. I saw a place
where people from many countries, cit-
ies and towns across America come to
be themselves, who speak different lan-
guages, who literally rub elbows on our
crowded Circuit avenue with those from
very different cultures from themselves,
to be part of some improbably scheme
of conscious contentment if only for a
few days or weeks;in a place where our
President Obama, and President Grant,
who came in 1870, and President Clin-
ton, who came in the 1990's felt at home.
It is comfortable here and perhaps that
is the reason they came.
As I looked out the window at bik-
ers and walkers and folks driving fancy
convertibles, I couldn't help but wonder
if our President and his girls might be
able to jump on bikes and ride down a
lonesome road; if they might go clam-
ming up-Island on Menemsha Pond,
attend the fireworks in Oak Bluffs; or
if they might visit Cottagers' Comer
on Pequot avenue in Oak Bluffs, the
clubhouse of the oldest African Ameri-
can philanthropic organization on the
Island (54 years), or Union Chapel as
did President Clinton. We would wel-
come a visit.
The stream of people passed the
window on foot, bike and car, from
many cultures dressed in the simple to
the outrageous, old and young wearing
free and easy hair styles and braids,
their eyes searching, faces filled with
anticipation, some holding hands. Many
decisions were being made where to
eat, to buy that special souvenir or gift,
whether to go to the beach-- it was all
in their facial expressions, a look we
know all too well when there is much
to do and so little time to do it in.
Kathy Taylor, associate vice president
for Road Scholar, an educational travel
group, hosted a reception on Tuesday
at the Historic Shearer Cottage in Oak
Bluffs in honor of L. Douglas Wilder,
former Governor of the Commonwealth
of Virginia from 1990 to 1994 and the first
African American to be elected governor
in the United States Mr.W'dder discussed
his book Claiming the Dream: The Po-
litical Journey of L. Douglas Wilder. Mr.
Wilder has had a distinguished career in
public crvice for 40 years. At present,
Mr. Wilder is a professor at Virginia
Commonwealth University's L. Douglas
Wilder School of Government and Public
Affairs.
"You can fly," is the signature signing
statement of one of America's premier
artists, Faith Ringgold. She writes this
assurance every time she signs one
of her adult or children's books, and
in every quilt she creates there are
people flying. As the children pushed
their purchased books toward her for
signing Tar Beach, Getting to Know
the World's Greatest Artists, Cassie's
Word Quilt, and If Buses Could Talk
faceboa
Lorraine
Iv
OCEAN PARK, SCENE OF TONIGHT'S FIREWORKS, WAS FLOODED AFTER MONDAY'S RAINFALL.
at L'iglegance Gallery in Oak Bluffs
this past Saturday, their eyes were filled
with a certain pleasure recognizing that
this was someone whose imagination
was wild as their own. It was a fascinat-
ing thing for me to see.
In her 1980 autobiography she wrote,
"We flew over the bridge." What does
that mean? Flying as a metaphor for
believing in oneself, a winged message
that there is a flight to success and one
can take it, is testimony to a lifetime of
dedication to her craft and the people
whom she depicts in cities and towns, in
happiness and historical misery, never
denied, but overcome by transcending,
by setting ones sights above the radar
of discrimination and discouragement.
This is her message of art and in her
words, "To be shared."
This past week I met some powerful
women who also fly in metaphor. Their
luncheon host, Linda Early Chastang,
a powerhouse in her own right as con-
gressional liaison to Homeland Security,
entertained a delightful mix of guests
and delicious fare. Her guests included
Judge Michelle Capers Hollar-Gregory,
of West Orange, N.J., and her daughter in
law, HemilynVicente Hollar-Gregory, of
Jersey City, N.J.; Camille Riggs Mosley
and her sister in law, Brenda Mosley,
of Washington, D.C.; Lynn McKinley
Grant, of Washington, D.C.; Stephanie
Gibson Branton, of Little Rock, Ark.,
her sister, attorney Dorothy Gibson
Capers, of Chicago, IlL, and her mother,
Carolyn Gibson, of Olympia Falls, Ill.;
attorney Janet Baker Walker, of Wash-
ington, D.C., Janet Hailes, of Washing-
ton, D.C., Sharon Giles Alexander, of
Roseland, N.J., Malva Reid, of Wash-
ington, D.C., Nancy Boxill, of Atlanta,
Ga., and attorney Judith Browne Dianis,
Washington, D.C. Judith is executive
director of the Advancement Project,
a national civil rights organization that
has made tremendous strides in the
voter education and protection arena.
Lynn McKinley-Grant, a dermatolo-
gist is author of essential dermatology
in pigmented skin. Attorney Dorothy
Gibson Capers and her husband are
the producers of the Martha's Vineyard
Comedy Festival. Nancy served as a Ful-
ton County commissioner for almost 20
years. Stephanie, Chastang's longtime
friend, is the daughter in law of noted
civil rights attorney and former dean
of the Howard University law school,
Wiley A. Branton.
These women somehow got the mes-
sage early that they could fly, if not
from Ms. Ringgold, than from their
mothers or fathers, their aunts, uncles
or grandparents. But on this afternoon,
these women had cut their propul-
sion systems and were gliding into an
afternoon of great conversation and
Vineyard hospitality for which the High
Season is noted on a perfect summer
afternoon with just the right amount
of sun, wind and delicious food and
drink. The host's intent was to make
the afternoon one of warmth, welcom-
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ing, informal, comfortable and fun. She
succeeded admirably.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's.
son, Martin Luther King 3rd, ambas-
sador Andrew Young, Vernon Jordan,
former Virginia Governor L. Douglas
Wilder, a stellar group of supporters of
the National Center for Civil and Hu-
man Rights, based in Atlanta, Ga., were
all on the Island at the Sailing Camp to
lend their support to the newly-created
qational Center for Civil and Human
Rights; based in Atlanta. Center direc-
tor Doug Shipman shared the vision of
this exciting project and its progress in
the creation of an organization which
will focus entirely on telling the story
of civil and human rights issues and
instructing and inspiring the nation's
youth to address them. The celebrated
playwright and two-time Tony Award
winner George C. Wolfe, creative di-
rector of the center, was on hand to
describe why and how the project will
engage young people in telling the civil
rights and human rights stories in defi-
ance of boundaries. A 90,000-square
foot facility adjacent to the New World
of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquar-
ium in downtown Atlanta will be built
to house special exhibits, speakers and
gatherings consistent with the vision.
Each summer we look forward to one
of the most outstanding golf tourna-
ments on the Island, the 13th Annual
Ken Williams Memorial Scholarship
Golf Tournament. It will be held on
Sunday, August 21, at 8 a.m. at Mink
Meadows Golf Club in Vineyard Ha-
ven. Golfers can register in advance by
visiting kenwilliamsgolf.eventbrite.com,
e-mailing the organization at kwms-
fund@aol.com, or by stopping by the
pro shop at Mink Meadows. Profes-
sor Charles Ogletree of the Harvard
Law School will be the celebrity golfer.
Lisette Williams, fund president, is ex-
cited that several key relatives will be in
attendance: Michael Hunter, her uncle,
and her 96-year-old grandmother, Mrs.
Marion (Mamou) Hunter, a long-term
Polar Bear, who will be traveling to the
Island from New Orleans, La. to provide
family support at the tournament.
On Tuesday, August 23, from 4 to 6
p.m, the Martha's Vineyard Branch of
the Association for the Study of African
American Life and History (ASALAH)
will host their 2nd annual Vineyard
Men Who Cook fundraiser at the high
school. Donation is $25 per person.
Advance tickets may be purchased at
Cousen Rose Gallery, C'6st LaVie and
L'llegance in Oak Bluffs. President Bob
Hayden suggests you take a break from
the kitchen and come out to sample
specialty dishes and desserts prepared
by male chefs from all over the country.
Contact Roger Morris at 508-693-3181
for additional information
Don't miss the story and guided
painting workshop with Bettie Eu-
banks at the Oak Bluffs Library on
Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Preregistration is required and children
must be able to be on their own.
The Rev. Dr. Amos C. Brown, senior
pastor of Third Baptist Church of San
Francisco, Calif. will speak at Union Cha-
pel this Sunday. The service is preceded
by organ preludes by Garrett Brown at
9:40 a.m. Union Chapel is located at the
foot of Kennebec and Circuit avenues in
Oak Bluffs. It is nondenominational and
welcomes all to participate.
Also on Sunday at the Tabernacle,
Rev. Tim Safford, of Christ Church,
Philadelphia, Pa. will be the guest
preacher. All are welcome.
The Very Rev. John P. (Jep) Streit will
be celebrant Sunday, at 9 a.m., at Trinity
Episcopal Church. Reverend Streit is
Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in Boston
where he is well-known for his outreach
and inclusiveness among Boston's di-
verse ethnic and religious communities.
Trinity Episcopal Church is located
across from the Steamship Authority
in Oak Bluffs. Summer services are at
9 a.m. and all are welcome.
It's almost football season and the
junior high cheerleading program is
open for sign-ups! The program pro-
motes leadership, team building, com-
munity service, and dance, school spirit,
conditioning and cheering of course!
The program is open to girls or boys
in grades 6 to 8. If you would like
more information or want to sign up
your daughter or son, please call Sue
Costello at 508-627-9568 or e-mail her
at Costellofamilymv@comcast.net.
Renaissance House has two openings
for their writer residence program for
the weeks of Sept. 4 and 18. Anyone in-
terested should e-mail Abby McGrath
at Mcgrathabby@aol.com.
The Howard University Alumni As-
sociation, in conjunction with the How-
ard University Law Alumni Associa-
tion will host a weekend of networking
and professional development from
August 24 to 28. On Wednesday morn-
ing, August 24 at 7 a.m. join them for a
meet and greet with the Polar Bears at
the Inkwell. From 7 to 10 p.m., the Wine
and Cheese Art Show will take place
at 2 Narrangansett avenue, sponsored
by the Bouchet Jackson firm and the
law offices of Margot Bouchet. The
event will feature the photography of
Howard Alum Eddie Fontno and Harry
Seymour. On August 25, at 8 a.m. there
will be a golf tournament at Farm Neck
Golf Club and a tennis tournament at
9:30 a.m. at the Island Tennis Club.
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,EAST CHOP
RICK HERRICK
508-693-8065
(herricklr@verizon.net)
Let me begin by catching you up on
a few weddings. Phillip Hunsaker and
Emily Cohan were married on July 23
at Herring Creek Farm in Edgartown.
The weather magically cleared at this
beautiful setting which allowed for a
ceremony and reception that partici-
pants and guests will not soon forget.
Phillip currently works as the property
manager at the Felix Neck Wildlife
Sanctuary while Emily works at Off-
shore Ale and is a photographer and
lead singer for various Island bands.
The couple resides in West Tisbury.
Ben Willmott and Kristen Emery
were married in Canandaigua, N.Y.
on July 30. Ben works for Wilkins
Management which handles Branford
Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. and other
well known jazz performers. This fall
Liz Willmott will marry Andrew Sto-
rey in Seattle, Wash. Liz recently left
:he Obama administration where she
worked as a program director for the
Department of Housing and Urban
Development. She currently runs a
consulting company on climate change
in Seattle. Barbara and Tom Willmott
honored their two children at a Beach
Club party on August 13.
For those of you who enjoy stories
with happy endings, please continue.
Last week some lockers were vandal-
ized at the East Chop Beach Club
during the night. Among several items
stolen were three valuable surf boards
owned by Eli Hammett, Max Potter
and Ian Harris. The following evening
Larry and Marty Wilder along with
son Ethan walked into Oak Bluffs. As
they ambled along the sidewalk by the
harbor, Ethan spied the three boards.
While Larry went home for the family
car, Ethan stood guard by the boards.
The next morning a proud Ethan de-
livered the boards to his three friends.
Finally, last Saturday the beach club
and tennis clubs held their annual Au-
gust meetings. In many ways, the meet-
ings were routine. The finances of both
clubs are healthy, and the facilities are
in good shape thanks to ongoing main-
tenance programs.
It was the last meeting for the two
club presidents. Bill O'Brien is retiring
after two years as president and several
years on the board. In speaking with
board members after the meeting, Bill
was praised for his steady, thoughtful
leadership of the club. I also learned
that he had a large impact on several
business-related matters such as re-
viewing contracts, insurance policies,
and the club's relationship with banks.
His hard work on these issues has both
saved the club money and professional-
ized its operations.
The story regarding Jim Davin at the
tennis club is much the same. Jim is also
retiring after two years as president
and several years on the board. Board
members praised him for his sense of
fun, his enthusiasm, and his hard work
over many years in improving the club's
facilities. We were fortunate in having
both men leading our clubs.
The other aspect about both meet-
ings that was routine were the many
thank yous. I was humbled as I learned
about the long hours so many of our
residents spend working to improve
our community. We all know who they
are. Please thank them for their efforts
when you run into them. East Chop is
a far better place for all the hard work
they do.
Union Chapel
The Rev. Dr. Amos Cleophilus
Brown Sr. will be preaching at the
Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs this Sun-
day, August 21. A native of Jackson,
Miss., Dr. Brown has been pastor of San
Francisco's Third Baptist Church since
1976. As a scholar, theologian, preacher
and social activist, he has maintained a
marriage of piety and political action in
his ministry.
Under his leadership, Third Baptist
Church has created an after-school
academic enrichment program (Back
on Track) in partnership with Temple
Emanuel Congregation, the Charles
A. Tindley Academy of Music; spon-
sored more African refugees than any
local congregation in the nation and
sponsored 80 children from Tanzania
to receive heart surgery in the United
States. He led the Bay Area in raising
$68,000 for the Somalian relief effort in
1984, led in founding the Black Ameri-
can Response to the African Crisis,
which raised $300,000 for the Ethiopian
famine crises, and led an airlift to Ethio-
fia under the auspices of the National
Baptist Convention.
REV. BROWN TO PREACH.
The Union Chapel is a nondenomi-
national church and is located at the
intersection of Circuit, Kennebec and
Narragansett avenues. The organ pre-
lude by Garrett Brown begins at 9:40
a.m. and the service begins at 10 a.m.
All are welcome!
• Closest ferry to New York,
New Jersey & Connecticut
• All Dockside Parking for only $10 per day
• Providence Airport Shuttle
(only 10 minutes away)
• Amtrak Shuttle (only 25 minutes away)
• First Class Amenities
• Advance Reservations highly recommended
Depart from Quonset Point, North Kingston, Rhode
Island and start your vacation or daytrip to Martha's
Vineyard hours earlier. Enjoy a quick 95-minute ride
down Narragansett Bay and through Vineyard Sound
right into Oak Bluffs, the heart of Martha's Vineyard.
(401) 295-4040
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Leighton Burriss
Leighton Burriss Was Navy
Man, Storyteller, Musician
Leighton Lamar Burriss of Oak
Bluffs died August 13.
He was born Nov. 3,1930 in Washing-
ton, D.C. Leighton was the son of Wil-
liam E Burriss and Henrietta L. Lutes.
Leighton was a veteran of the U. S.
Navy Seabees and a lifelong member of
the VFW. He was a retired paint contrac-
tor, an accomplished artist, and an avid
reader and storyteller. He enjoyed all
types of music and in earlier years he
played the guitar, banjo and harmonica
and raised and hunted with foxhounds.
Prior to moving to Martha's Vine-
yard, Leighton lived in Ferrum, Va.
He is survived by three children: Jac-
queline B. Meadows (Steve) of South
Boston, Va., William James Burriss of
Oak Bluffs, and Joanne McFarland of
Randallstown, Md.; four grandchildren,
Karen Epperly, Sean Epperly (and his
wife Magali), Kelly Clark (and her
husband Ricky) and Danielle Solomon;
five great-granddaughters; Kendall,tta-
ley, Julia, Leighton and LeL and a
great-great-grandson, Tristan.
Although he leaves many close and
lifelong friends, a private service will be
held in connection with the interment.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be
made to the Library Friends of Oak
Bluffs, EO. Box 1421, Oak Bluffs, MA
02557-1421 or Hospice of Martha's
Vineyard, EO. Box 2549, Oak Bluffs,
MA 02557.
Please visit ccgfuneralhome.com for
online guest book and information.
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