The Vine - Heart of the Vineyard

FREE VINEYARD GAZETTE MEDIA GROUP | HEART OF THE VINEYARD 2022

The Heart of the Vineyard GOOD NEIGHBORS How Island nonprofits are working together to serve the Island better

Lindsay Brown The FARM Institute

Julie Scott Slough Farm

Winter Sanity Insta-Island Gifts for a Cause Health Care Access

2022 Island Nonprofit Directory

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CONTENTS, HEART OF THE VINEYARD 2022

Features

Departments

14 Good Neighbors

4 Editor’s Note

Vineyard nonprofits harness the power of collaboration to bring Islanders help, hope and resources.

BY ELIZABETH BENNETT

18 2022 Island Nonprofit Directory SPONSORED BY THE MARTHA'S VINEYARD NONPROFIT COLLABORATIVE

5 On the Rock For a Good Cause 10 Q&A Access for All 26 The Oyster Connect the Dots 29 By the Numbers Good Will 31 Insta-Island @hookshots

Cover photo: Julie Scott, executive director of Slough Farm, with FARM Institute engagement site manager Lindsay Brown at Katama Farm.

Photo by Ray Ewing

From the Editor

THE VINE

Take Heart

EDITOR Susie Middleton

A

ll of us who work on the special nonprofit edition of The Vine have the same reaction every year: surprise and wonder followed by admiration and gratitude. It seems impossible that the number of nonprofit organizations on the Island keeps growing (see the entire list on page 18) and that so many Islanders give their time and support to make sure our small community is well cared for. Need health insurance? The Vineyard has a dedicated program (page 10) to help you get it.

This year we’re shining a light not only on individual organizations but also on partnerships (page 14) - how many nonprofits are collaborating to find ways to reach more people, provide better services and to work more efficiently.

We also thought it was time to dispel the myth that you’ve got to have deep pockets to support your favorite nonprofit. On page 6, find a grab bag of budget-friendly ways – from T-shirts and posters to golf tournaments and fun runs – to help an Island organization.

Yes, it’ll be a few months before you can play golf or run a road race. In the meantime, check in with The Oyster, a new department in The Vine by Alex Bullen Coutts, dedicated to preserving your sanity – or at least providing a welcome diversion.

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- Susie Middleton

ART DIRECTOR Jared Maciel ASSOCIATE EDITOR Nicole Mercier CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Bennett, Alex Bullen Coutts, Chris Burrell, Ray Ewing, Paula Lyons PUBLISHER Jane Seagrave BUSINESS MANAGER Sarah Gifford DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING Skip Finley | sales@mvgazette.com SALES TEAM Frederica Carpenter, Amy Kurth, Garrett Burt, Carrie Blair, Alessandra Hagerty AD PRODUCTION Jane McTeigue, Jared Maciel, McKinley Sanders Copyright 2022 by the Vineyard Gazette Media Group. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

To subscribe to the Vineyard Gazette, visit vineyardgazettestore.com Vineyard Gazette Media Group P.O. Box 66, 34 So. Summer Street, Edgartown, MA 02539 thevine@mvgazette.com | 508-627-4311

ON THE ROCK

FOR A GOOD CAUSE Supporting your favorite Island nonprofit doesn’t have to involve big bucks. There are plenty of budget-friendly (and just plain fun) ways to get in on the giving. Check out the ones we’ve gathered here, and if you don’t see something from your favorite organization give them a shout. (Find a complete list of nonprofits and contact information on page 18).

BECOME A MEMBER

BUY A POSTER!

Join the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club, the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, the Vineyard Conservation Society, the NAACP of Martha’s Vineyard, the Community Greenhouse of Martha’s Vineyard, the Chappy Community Center or one of many more nonprofits that offer memberships. Joining brings plenty of perks (reduced entry fees, discounted event fees, affordable plants!), as well as hidden benefits you might not even realize: a membership in the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club helps maintain the almost 200-year-old Old Mill in West Tisbury.

The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society has past Fair posters for sale on its website, as well as an Allen Whiting Limited Edition Print, both for only $21.95.

BUY A BOOK! Proceeds from the newly published Covid Monologues MV benefit the Vineyard Committee on Hunger. Edited by Moira Convey Silva and Jennifer L. Knight, the essay collection features writings from 70 Islanders of all ages about funny, sad, weird, wonderful and crazy things they experienced during the pandemic. The book is $12.95 and is available at Bunch of Grapes, Edgartown Books, Alley’s General Store, Vineyard Pilates, Integrated Health and Stefanie Wolf Designs.

Martha's Vineyard Boys & Girls Club. In September, play in the annual Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard Golf Classic or the Vineyard Charity Golf Classic, which benefits Martha’s Vineyard Community Services. And a tournament to benefit MV Youth Hockey is held at Edgartown Golf Club every June.

GO FOR A RUN Road races for charity are an Island tradition. The annual Camp Jabberwocky 5K takes place in August. The annual Martha's Vineyard Memorial 5K Road Race benefits Hospice of Martha's Vineyard. In July, Murdick's Run the Chop Challenge (cancelled this year due to Covid precautions) benefits the Martha's Vineyard Boys & Girls Club, and in June, the Pink and Green 5K benefits Martha's Vineyard Cancer Support Group.

BUY A BRICK! Several Island nonprofits offer a way to donate by memorializing a friend or loved one with an engraved brick installed permanently in a public area. Prices range from $100 to $1,000. The Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association offers a brick inscription program; the bricks are destined for the newly restored Montgomery Square. The Carnegie has a brick program that benefits Vineyard Preservation Trust. Your brick will be on display right outside of the Carnegie. And the Animal Shelter of Martha's Vineyard will engrave a brick in honor of a special pet or person to line the walkway outside the shelter.

TAKE A TOUR GET A GIFT CERTIFICATE Featherstone Center for the Arts, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society, Polly Hill Arboretum and many more Island nonprofits can sell you a gift certificate for a class or a gift membership.

BUY A T-SHIRT!

PLAY GOLF

Our Island nonprofits have the coolest T-shirts. Get a “Blue Lobster” hoodie from MVY radio for $35 or a deep-sea-blue tee from Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust for $20. Martha’s Vineyard Skate Park has some cool T-shirts too.

During the season, golf tournaments that benefit Island nonprofits abound.

If you’re a golfer, signing up for one of these is a no-brainer. There’s the annual Children’s Benefit Tournament at Farm Neck Golf Club in May that benefits the

To benefit the MV African American Heritage Trail, take a guided (outdoor) tour of some or all of the sites for $40 or $60. (Dunmere Cottage is on the trail.)

Tours of Edgartown from the Carnegie benefit Vineyard Preservation Trust.

PARTY! Go big-ticket with the Possible Dreams Auction to benefit Martha’s Vineyard Community Services or hit the streets (of Oak Bluffs) for the annual Ladyfest music festival that benefits CONNECT to End Violence (an MVCS program).

Just find a party for a cause – they’re all over the Island in-season.

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Ray Ewing

Q&A / VINEYARD VOICES

Access for All

to make the Vineyard your home?

setts! It was a way to get lower income folks access to care.

Sarah Kuh has a passion for public health. And she’ll help you get that insurance coverage you need.

A. Well, I have family roots here, so I came to be with family. I grew up in Concord, Mass., but I was a summer kid here.

My parents weren’t born here but they met here in the ’30s.

Q. So what are some of the most pressing issues you handle?

BY PAULA LYONS Driven to make health care more accessible for all, Sarah Kuh has led Vineyard Health Care Access Program to be the program it is today, helping between 2,500 and 3,000 Islanders annually to get health care coverage. After starting her public health career in Boston and working for many years in California, Sarah moved to the Vineyard 26 years ago, answering the call of family ties and memories of Island summers.

NAME: Sarah Kuh, MPH PROFESSION: Director, Vineyard Health Care Access Program, Vineyard Smiles, Dukes County Social Services ROUTE TO MV: Concord, Mass., to Boston, Mass., to Sonoma, Calif., to Martha's Vineyard.

WASHED ASHORE: 26 years ago FAVORITE ISLAND SPOT: Menemsha FAVORITE ISLAND TRADITION: Sunsets in Aquinnah at Gay Head Light LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, Spanish, Portuguese Page 10 · THE VINE

Q. Were you always in public health, even before moving here?

Q. So help us understand the Vineyard Health Care Access Program.

A. Yes! I started in college at BU [Boston University], working at community health centers in the Boston area. I was an interpreter – in Portuguese and Spanish – with public health nurses, visiting patients in their homes for pre-and peri-natal care. Then I went to California, lived in Sonoma, and got a master's degree in public health. I stayed there and worked in community health programs for about 20 years.

A. It was created in 1999 by the Dukes County Health Council to address what they had identified as a high rate of non– insurance for Island residents.

Q. How did you come to speak Portuguese and Spanish?

A. I studied and learned Spanish in Mexico after high school; having that foundation, I then studied Portuguese in college and traveled in Brazil after college.

Q. What made you decide

They realized that people who needed insurance didn’t know how to go about getting it. They applied for pilot funding to set up a program to work with uninsured adults and families on the Vineyard. After that year we became the Vineyard Health Care Access Program.

Q. How did the work begin?

A. Initially, we were increasing access to MassHealth [Massachusetts health care for low-income individuals and families] through outreach and education. We also developed a reduced-fee plan, which was discounted primary care before there was health care reform in Massachu-

A. If somebody is healthy and uninsured, it’s a completely different thing versus an individual who is uninsured and finds himself on a helicopter traveling up to Mass General with acute illness or acute symptoms. Those are the most pressing cases.

Q. How do the various issues resolve?

A. That is what our office does. Our whole focus is on enrolling people into Massachusetts insurance plans and so we’re certified to work with the Massachusetts insurance system. Five of us are navigators trained specifically to work with that system.

It’s not 100 percent of the time that we’re able to get people on insurance if they need it; but if they’re eligible, we will certainly get it done. We’re also involved in dental access programs [Vineyard Smiles] and prescription access programs.

Q. Do you deal with a

Q&A / VINEYARD VOICES lot of young people just coming off their parents’ health insurance?

A. Sure! Some young people are on their parents’ insurance until they turn 26. And then we help them figure out what kind of plan they can get on their own. And sometimes they come in when they’re younger than 26, because their parents don’t necessarily have a plan that covers children or that keeps them on until 26. So yes, we help all ages.

Q. Do you actually get a lot of young people? We often hear that they feel invincible.

A. Yes, we do. I think Covid is a game changer in that even young people know they may be vulnerable and need health care. So we have a good number of young people we are helping at any point in time.

Q. How else has Covid impacted your work?

A. When it first hit, like everybody else we had to close our offices and go remote.

It was a bit of a learning curve. However, after we set up our remote systems, we

actually were able to do everything we used to do and perhaps even do it more efficiently. We’re doing everything by phone and video conference.

Q. How would you describe your success rate?

A. We get insurance coverage for 2,500 to 3,000 people a year. There are circumstances which are really unfortunate, where people just can’t afford insurance.

Some people who have higher incomes and don’t qualify for subsidies from MassHealth are in a real bind because we have a very high cost of living here.

When you tell these people that their insurance is going to cost $800 or $1,000 a month, that’s impossible for them! It’s a very sad situation. We could use universal health insurance but that is not what we have.

Q. Yet you say, we are lucky to have your program. Why? A. This type of program – where you have people dedicated to helping others apply for insurance and most importantly, to maintain that insurance – is not common. Government systems can be difficult to navigate. They’re

bureaucratic, people don’t understand them and the whole process can be confusing. So the Vineyard is fortunate to have a dedicated program to walk people through all these different activities. On the mainland, these type of services are primarily provided through hospitals and community health centers. There are just a handful of community-based programs. The Island is indeed fortunate!

Q. You work hard. What do you do for fun?

A. I have a super fun little dog and we go out for walks all the time. Walking and exploring the trails on the Island is a joy. And

of course I spend a lot of time with my family – my son and my husband and my 95-year-old mother, my brother and lots of cousins. We spend quite a bit of time with our extended family and that’s really nice.

Q. You’re happy you returned to Massachusetts and the Island?

A. Yes! This is an amazing place for doing this kind of work. Massachusetts is a very progressive state. We have shown often that we are ahead of the curve on access to healthcare.

Paula Lyons is a former television consumer journalist living in Vineyard Haven.

WHAT IS VINEYARD HEALTH CARE ACCESS? Vineyard Health Care Access, located at 114 New York Ave. in Oak Bluffs, helps Islanders navigate the complex world of health insurance — specifically, coverage through government programs, including Medicare, MassHealth (includes Medicaid), Connector Care and Qualified Health Plans.

It’s a community-based service, free of charge for Islanders of all ages, thanks to funding from

Dukes County, the six Island towns and donors. Experienced professionals provide confidential help with applications, information and troubleshooting. To make an appointment, visit vineyardhealthcareaccess.org or call 508-696-0020. Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking staff are available to help. Appointments are currently conducted via phone and videoconferencing.

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Good Neighbors Vineyard nonprofits harness the power of collaboration to bring Islanders help, hope and resources.

BY ELIZABETH BENNETT • PHOTOS BY RAY EWING A glance at the nonprofit directory published in this edition of the Vine (page 18) may cause you to gasp. The list is impressive. You may wonder why and how so many organizations are working to provide services on a seemingly small Island. Do the organizations operate as one person’s passion project? With a skeleton crew of dedicated workers? Or a formal staff of professionals?

Friedman, executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Nonprofit Collaborative, noted in a recent interview with the Vine that many collaborations stem from casual interactions people have with each other during the winter months. A new program or partnership might grow out of a conversation that took place at a child’s Little League game or a chance encounter at a grocery store.

Many Island organizations find the solution is the power of collaboration.

For decades, nonprofits on the Vineyard have taken the idea of being a good neighbor to heart. Unlike partnerships formed to take advantage of grant funding opportunities or to stave off a fiscal crisis, local collaborations have more organic roots.

The most productive collaborations arise from shared interests and goals.

Nonprofits are working together to complement strengths, fill needs and build each other’s capacity. Jackie said that on the Island, “People are working together to reduce the silos. They’re engaged in problem solving and finding creative solutions. People have been asking, ‘How can we do this differently?'”

Most often, they arise out of the unique feeling of community. Jackie Page 14 · THE VINE

Jackie Friedman, executive director of the Martha's Vineyard Nonprofit Collaborative, said that on the Island, "People are working together to reduce the silos."

In a new collaboration, the Martha's Vineyard Museum and Island nonprofits will distribute free community passes to those who might not otherwise get a chance to visit the campus.

Take a Pass – A Community Pass Martha’s Vineyard Museum has created collaborations with other nonprofits as a solution to expanding community engagement and being more inclusive.

“Our museum is meant to be for all Islanders,” executive director Heather Seger explained.

“As we looked at who is coming to the museum and who isn’t here, we realized

we weren’t reaching all Islanders,” she said.

The result has been recent programs created with – not just about – The Cottagers, the Chappaquiddick Wampanoag Tribe, the Vineyard Gazette and many others.

The museum is launching an initiative to expand its services for low-income Islanders. A new Community Pass will eliminate paid admissions as a barrier to access for 1,200 year-round residents. A pilot program debuted in 2019 but the current reboot has a crucial difference: partnerships. Nonprofits outside the cultural sector will be distributing the passes – and they are essential to the museum’s ability to reach the Island’s under-served populations.

In identifying which Island organizations would make good partners, the museum sought those with similar values, including a desire to create a strong sense of community, pride of place, emphasizing family and enhancing life on the Island.

Executive director Heather Seger said, "Our museum is meant to be for all Islanders."

Island Grown Initiative, Martha’s Vineyard Community Services and the Martha's Vineyard Boys & Girls Club will each distribute 100 passes (four people per pass) during this first year. The program is funded, in part, by Martha’s Vineyard Bank and Cronig’s Market.

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Slough Farm executive director Julie Scott (left) and The Farm Institute's engagement site manager, Lindsay Brown (right) are partnering on educational programming.

Field of Dreams The fields of Katama might seem an unlikely nexus point. But that’s what is happening as two nonprofits – Trustees of Reservations’ FARM Institute and Slough Farm – as well as two farms – Morning Glory Farm and Grey Barn – work with the Town of Edgartown to manage the 180-acre town-owned property historically known

as Katama Farm. Morning Glory and Grey Barn hold the agricultural lease. The Trustees (which formerly held the entire lease) holds the education lease and offers programs created by the FARM Institute and neighboring Slough Farm. Collectively, the partners are addressing food equity and insecurity, community access and education.

And in the process, by sharing stewardship of Katama Farm, they are assuring that the

working farm will continue to offer community access to agriculture and the arts.

The fortuitous partnership came together in February 2021 amidst the town’s request for proposals from potential leaseholders for the site. All of the current partners were thinking about submitting individual applications. Lindsay Brown, the engagement site manager for the FARM Institute, recalls thinking, “Can’t

we just do this together?” Everyone had something to offer, the relationships all seemed beneficial, and they shared common goals. After a few phone calls and a meeting held outdoors because of Covid concerns, a handshake deal was made to submit as partners for each lease. “I think if we didn’t know each other very well, there wouldn’t have been a decision to do this together,” Lindsay reflected.

The former site of Katama Farm is owned by the Town of Edgartown and now managed by two lease holders. The FARM Institute, operated by the Trustees of Reservations, continues as the steward of educational programming, while the town has granted Morning Glory Farm, in partnership with the Grey Barn, the agricultural lease.

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There are many reasons for the partnership between the FARM Institute and Slough Farm. The livestock which they both raise (and which require significant land for grazing) is just one.

The partnership also rests, in part, on the long working relationship between Lindsay and Slough’s executive director Julie Scott. The women had built a base of trust and respect while working together at the FARM Institute for years.

Lindsay described Julie as “a wealth of knowledge in making real, hands-on farming be accessible in an educational way.”

Collaborations are written into Slough Farm’s mission. “When our founders decided to create a nonprofit, they were not shy to the fact that there were already a lot of nonprofits on the Island,” Julie noted.

“Our mission is intentionally broad.

It includes the phrase ‘to support our fellow farmers, food equity organizations, and creative communities.’ We have a working farm, grow great food and offer educational programs. But we also have a building that focuses on art, culture, health, wellness and culinary activity. We’re bringing all of these thinkers and craftspeople together and supporting them.”

That might seem daunting to some people, but Julie and the farm’s staff have embraced the possibilities. They met with a lot of nonprofits and offered their space and their support. The result has been partnerships with Island Grown Initiative (IGI), the Martha’s

Vineyard Agricultural Society and Martha’s Vineyard Community Services in addition to the FARM Institute.

Slough Farm Suppers is a good example of how working together benefits all involved. The program began as an early pandemic initiative to meet the increased demand for food and to address food insecurity for under-resourced Islanders. Individually packaged meals were prepared by local chefs and restaurants, using foods sourced not just from Slough Farm but also from fishermen, dairies and other farms. Camp Jabberwocky rented its kitchen out for meal preparation.

In Fall 2020, the Suppers program was integrated with the IGI To Go program. This merger prevents duplication of communications, storage and distribution efforts. It also means the meals get into the hands of people who need them most – which IGI does so expertly through programs including the Island Food Pantry and other partnerships.

Slough Farm (this page) shares with its neighbor, the FARM Institute (opposite, bottom) not only the concerns of raising livestock but a community mission to educate and inspire.

Better Together

Slough’s studio space and professional demo kitchen have enabled arts residencies through local cultural organizations. Slough worked with The Yard to provide two dancers with space access on the farm. With Featherstone Center for the Arts’ Literary Arts program, the farm offered writing residencies.

Space availability and health concerns have propelled collaborations amidst the Covid pandemic. Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival (MVFF) partnered with the YMCA of Martha’s Vineyard on the Vineyard’s Drive-In, which ran its second successful season last summer. Golden Gate Child Development Center turned to its longtime partner Featherstone Center for the Arts to run an auxiliary preschool program there when Covid protocols prompted need for more space.

“I don’t think they were writing poems about chickens but they were hard at work,” Julie said with a laugh. She hopes for a “Poetry in the Pasture” program when the weather is better.

Even before Covid, collaborations like the Island Food Equity Network, an alliance of both private and public organizations and individuals serving the food-insecure community, rose up from

the desire to work more efficiently together.

The web of Islandwide partnerships is extensive and crosses different sectors. There are practical benefits including not duplicating services and achieving cost efficiency. But the current spirit emphasizes embracing interconnectedness. By sharing resources, the Island’s nonprofits are learning from each other.

Most of all, they’re putting their energies into the hands of the people they most want to reach and serve. That type of collective action is hard to achieve but it’s working here at the local level.

Elizabeth Bennett is a writer and editor working for the Vineyard Gazette.

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Kevin Hooks

THE HEART OF THE VINEYARD

2022 ISLAND NONPROFIT DIRECTORY Sponsored by Martha's Vineyard Nonprofit Collaborative

Martha’s Vineyard is home to more than 100 nonprofit organizations that are dedicated to the arts, community services, health services, conservation efforts, education, housing and recreation. Many organizations depend on volunteers and community support to make the Island a better place to live. With the continued challenges of the pandemic in 2021, nonprofits again doubled down on efforts to support Islanders in every way.

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Each year The Vine updates the Island Nonprofit Directory, both in print and online at vineyardgazette. com/island-nonprofit-directory. The directory printed here contains only the name of the organization and contact information. To view the expanded listings, with a description of each nonprofit, be sure to check out the online directory. If you would like to add a nonprofit to the directory or amend a listing, please email thevine@mvgazette.com.

HEART OF THE VINEYARD 2022 NONPROFIT DIRECTORY ARTS AFRICAN ARTISTS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT P.O. Box 3000, PMB 3051 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-560-2620 info@aacdpafrica.org aacdpafrica.org

AQUINNAH CULTURAL CENTER INC. 35 Aquinnah Circle Mailing address: 10 Black Brook Road Aquinnah, MA 02535 508-645-7900 aquinnahcc@gmail.com wampanoagtribe.net

ARTS AND SOCIETY P.O. Box 4485 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-696-0539 jcrelan@yahoo.com artsandsociety.org

FEATHERSTONE CENTER FOR THE ARTS 30 Featherstone Lane P.O. Box 1145 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-1850 featherstone@featherstoneart.org featherstoneart.org

ISLAND COMMUNITY CHORUS P.O. Box 4157 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 antispung@aol.com islandcommunitychorus.com

ISLAND THEATRE WORKSHOP P.O. Box 1893 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-627-2456 itwonmv@gmail.com itwmv.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD ART ASSOCIATION THE OLD SCULPIN GALLERY 58 Dock Street P.O. Box 761 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-627-4881 oldsculpin@gmail.com oldsculpingallery.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS 99 Dukes County Avenue P.O. Box 168 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-5444 galaxygallery.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY P.O. Box 4189 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-696-8055 mvcms@vineyard.net mvcms.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD PLAYHOUSE 24 Church Street P.O. Box 2452 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-696-6300 info@mvplayhouse.org mvplayhouse.org

MVYRADIO (88.7) 489 State Road P.O. Box 1420 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-693-5000 info@mvyradio.org mvyradio.org

CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AMERICAN LEGION POST 257 & POST 186 Post 257 47 Martin Road Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-9257 Post 186 176 Katama Road Edgartown, MA 02539 508-627-8673

OLIVE BRANCH FAIR TRADE

ANGELS HELPING ANIMALS WORLDWIDE, MARTHA’S VINEYARD

P.O. Box 1281 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 607-590-1161 marthasvineyardchildrenschorus@gmail.com

Woodland Center 459 State Road, Unit 21 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 774-563-3083 olivebranchfairtrade.org

P.O. Box 120 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-560-8311 angelshelpinganimalsmv@gmail.com angelshelpinganimalsmv.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD COMMUNITY RADIO INC. (WVVY 96.7)

PATHWAYS ARTS/ PATHWAYS PROJECTS INSTITUTES LTD.

ANIMAL SHELTER OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD

P.O. Box 1989 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-9379 wvvy.org

9 State Road P.O. Box 437 Chilmark, MA 02535 508-645-9098 pathwaysartsmv@gmail.com pathwaysmv.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD CHILDREN’S CHORUS

MARTHA’S VINEYARD COMMUNITY TELEVISION (MVTV) 58 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 P.O. Box 608 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-696-9760 mvtv@mvtv.org mvtv.org

THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD FILM FESTIVAL P.O. Box 592 Chilmark, MA 02535 508-645-9599 info@tmvff.org tmvff.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD FILM SOCIETY/FILM CENTER Tisbury Marketplace 79 Beach Road P.O. Box 4423 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-696-9369 info@mvfilmsociety.com mvfilmsociety.com

MARTHA’S VINEYARD MUSEUM 151 Lagoon Pond Road Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-627-4441 mvmuseum.org

PHYLLIS VECCHIA CREATIVE DRAMA 67 Deer Hill Road Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-696-8738 pvcreativedrama@yahoo.com

RHYTHM OF LIFE P.O. Box 3000, PMB 3172 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-627-3786 rick@drumrol.org drumrol.org

VINEYARD ARTS PROJECT 215 Upper Main Street P.O. Box 1527 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-413-2104 info@vineyardartsproject.org vineyardarts.org

VINEYARD HAVEN BAND, INC. P.O. Box 2187 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-645-3458 vineyardhavenband.com

THE YARD

1 Pennywise Path P.O. Box 1829 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-627-8662 contact@animalshelterofmv.org animalshelterofmv.org

THE COTTAGERS INC. 57 Pequot Avenue Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 info@thecottagersincofmv.com thecottagersincofmv.org

DUKES COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE P.O. Box 190 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-693-6887 vetsagent@dukescounty.org

THE EDEY FOUNDATION P.O. Box 1029 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-693-3791 beaphear2@gmail.com

FRIENDS OF OAK BLUFFS P.O. Box 1281 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 friendsofoakbluffs.org

HOLY GHOST ASSOCIATION OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD P.O. Box 2203 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-9875 holyghostassociation.com

1 The Yard P.O. Box 405 Chilmark, MA 02535 508-645-9662 info@dancetheyard.org dancetheyard.org

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HEART OF THE VINEYARD 2022 NONPROFIT DIRECTORY MARTHA’S VINEYARD CAMP MEETING ASSOCIATION

MEDIA VOICES FOR CHILDREN

80 Trinity Park P.O. Box 1685 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-0525 office@mvcma.org mvcma.org

110 Daggett Avenue Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-0752 mediavoicesforchildren@gmail.com mediavoicesforchildren.org

P.O. Box 243 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-338-4665 info@marthasvineyardcf.org marthasvineyardcf.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD FISH FARM FOR HAITI PROJECT 205 State Road Chilmark, MA 02535 508-645-2710 info@fishfarmhaiti.org fishfarmhaiti.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD HEBREW CENTER 130 Center Street P.O. Box 692 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-0745 mvhc.us

MARTHA’S VINEYARD MEDIATION PROGRAM 15 Merchant’s Way, Suite 5 P.O. Box 761 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-2999 info@mvmediation.org mvmediation.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD NONPROFIT COLLABORATIVE P.O. Box 1018 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-560-4181 Jackie@mvnonprofits.org mvnonprofits.org

MV SOCIAL JUSTICE LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION P.O. Box 1536 Edgartown, MA 02539 socialjusticemv@gmail.com socialjusticemv.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD VISION FELLOWSHIP PMB #132 455 State Road, #18 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-1057 hackney@vineyardvision.org vineyardvision.org

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MV YOUTH P.O. Box 65 Chilmark, MA 02535 508-648-1353 lindseyscott@mvyouth.com mvyouth.com

NAACP OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD P.O. Box 1513 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-338-4033 marthasvineyardnaacp.org

Jeanna Shepard

MARTHA’S VINEYARD COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

PAWS OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD P.O. Box 1636 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-221-1337 pawsofmv@gmail.com pawsofmarthasvineyard.com

ROTARY CLUB OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD

Polly Hill Arboretum is open to the public most days, dawn to dusk.

FELIX NECK WILDLIFE SANCTUARY OF MASS AUDUBON

VFW POST 9261

100 Felix Neck Drive Edgartown P.O. Box 494 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-627-4850 felixneck@massaudubon.org massaudubon.org/felixneck

14 Towanticut Avenue Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-9261

FRIENDS OF MANUEL F. CORRELLUS FOREST

P.O. Box 1951 Edgartown MA 02539 mvrotary.com

VINEYARD PRESERVATION TRUST P.O. Box 5277 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-627-4440 info@mvpreservation.org vineyardtrust.org

CONSERVATION & ENVIRONMENT BIODIVERSITYWORKS 455 State Road PMB #179 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 800-690-0993 info@biodiversityworksmv.org biodiversityworksmv.org

COMMUNITY GREENHOUSE OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD 114 New York Avenue P.O. Box 2048 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-2019 greenhousevineyard@gmail.com marthasvineyardgreenhouse.org

P.O. Box 243 West Tisbury, MA 02575 www.endowmv.org/friends-of-the-m-fcorrellus-state-forest/

FRIENDS OF SENGEKONTACKET P.O. Box 740 Edgartown, MA 02539 fospresident@gmail.com sengekontacket.org

GREAT POND FOUNDATION P.O. Box 9000 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-627-7222 info@greatpondfoundation.org greatpondfoundation.org

ISLAND GROWN INITIATIVE 4 Cournoyer Road West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-687-9062 office@igimv.org igimv.org

LAGOON POND ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 1978 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-335-2564 info@lagoonpondassoc.org lagoonpondassoc.org

MARINE AND PALEOBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE P.O. Box 1016 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-3122 info@mprinstitute.org mprinstitute.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD FISHERMEN’S PRESERVATION TRUST P.O. Box 96 Menemsha, MA 02552 508-687-0344 mvfishermen@gmail.com mvfishermenspreservationtrust.org

THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD GARDEN CLUB P.O. Box 5061 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 info@marthasvineyardgardenclub.org marthasvineyardgardenclub.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD SHELLFISH GROUP INC. P.O. Box 1552 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-0391 mvshellfishgroup@gmail.com mvshellfishgroup.org

HEART OF THE VINEYARD 2022 NONPROFIT DIRECTORY

10 Martha’s Road Edgartown, MA 02539 508-560-1562 mvvegansoc@gmail.com mvvegansociety.com

THE POLLY HILL ARBORETUM P.O. Box 561 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-693-9426 info@pollyhillarboretum.org pollyhillarboretum.org

SHERIFF’S MEADOW FOUNDATION P.O. Box 1088 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-5207 info@sheriffsmeadow.org sheriffsmeadow.org

TISBURY WATERWAYS INC. P.O. Box 4375 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 774-563-5616 info@tisburywaterways.org tisburywaterways.org

TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS P.O. Box 2106 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-7662 info@tisburywaterways.org Thetrustees.org

VINEYARD CONSERVATION SOCIETY P.O. Box 2189 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-9588 info@vineyardconservation.org vineyardconservation.org

VINEYARD OPEN LAND FOUNDATION P.O. Box 4608 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-3280 office@volfmv.org vineyardopenlandfoundation.org

VINEYARD POWER COOPERATIVE INC. 151 Beach Road Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 P.O. Box 1077 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-693-3002 info@vineyardpower.com vineyardpower.com

EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT

MARTHA’S VINEYARD YOUTH LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

ADULT & COMMUNITY EDUCATION OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD (ACE MV)

P.O. Box 4551 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-627-2122 mvyouthleaders@gmail.com mvyli.org

AMERICAN RED CROSS: THE CAPE, ISLANDS AND SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS

SASSAFRAS EARTH EDUCATION

286 South Street Hyannis, MA 02601 508-775-1540 redcross.org/ma/hyannis

455 State Road PMB #105 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-9222 info@acemv.org acemv.org

THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE TRAIL OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD P.O. Box 234 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-693-4361 lightingthetrail@gmail.com mvafricanamericanheritagetrail.org

THE FARM INSTITUTE (TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS) 14 Aero Avenue P.O. Box 1868 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-627-7007 lbrown@thetrustees.org thetrustees.org/tfi

MARTHA’S VINEYARD AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY P.O. Box 73 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-693-9549 admin@mvagsoc.org marthasvineyardagriculturalsociety.org

5 Church Street Aquinnah, MA 02535 508-645-2008 sassafrasmvy.org

SENSE OF WONDER CREATIONS 23 Grove Avenue P.O. Box 1558 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-3142 psb@senseofwondercreations.org senseofwondercreations.org

SLOUGH FARM 15 Butler’s Cove Road Edgartown, MA 02539 julie@sloughfarm.org sloughfarm.org

WEST TISBURY LIBRARY FOUNDATION P.O. Box 1238 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-693-1551 dan@indianhillpress.com wtlibraryfoundation.org

ANGEL FLIGHT NE 492 Sutton Street North Andover, MA 01845 800-549-9980 / 978-794-6868 info@angelflightne.org angelflightne.org

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS 684 Main Street, Suite 3 Hyannis, MA 02601 508-771-5150 info@capebigs.org capebigs.org

BOSTON MEDFLIGHT Robins Street, Hangar 1727 Hanscom Air Force Base Bedford, MA 01730 781-863-2213 bostonmedflight.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD BOYS & GIRLS CLUB 44 Robinson Road P.O. Box 654 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-627-3303 mvbgclub.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD LANGUAGE 55 Pilgrim Road Edgartown, MA 02539 508-627-7809 nrsteinbock24@gmail.com mvlanguage.com

MARTHA’S VINEYARD MUSEUM 151 Lagoon Pond Road Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-627-4441 frontdesk@mvmuseum.org mvmuseum.org Ray Ewing

MARTHA’S VINEYARD VEGAN SOCIETY

The Art Barn at Featherstone Center for the Arts is the largest gallery space on the Island.

THE VINE · Page 21

HEART OF THE VINEYARD 2022 NONPROFIT DIRECTORY CAMP JABBERWOCKY P.O. Box 1357 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-2339 (June-August only) 508-560-8450 (Year-round) info@campjabberwocky.org campjabberwocky.org

CAPE WELLNESS COLLABORATIVE 11 Potter Avenue Hyannis, MA 02601 774-408-8477 capewellness.org

ELDER SERVICES OF CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS Main Office 68 Route 134 South Dennis, MA 02660 508-394-4630 info@escci.org Martha's Vineyard Office 1 Hospital Way P.O. Box 2337 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-4393 info@escci.org escci.org

FRIENDS OF FAMILY PLANNING OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD P.O. Box 909 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-1208 marthasvineyard@healthimperatives.org healthimperatives.org

HOSPICE OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD P.O. Box 1748 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-0189 hello@hospiceofmv.org hospiceofmv.org

ISLAND AUTISM GROUP P.O. Box 2786 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-693-2568 islandautism.org

ISLAND FOOD PANTRY P.O. Box 622 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 137 Vineyard Avenue Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-4764 info@islandfoodpantry.org igimv.org/about-island-food-pantry

LYME CENTER OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD P.O. Box 748 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-693-1846 enid@mvlymecenter.org mvlymecenter.org

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MARTHA’S VINEYARD CANCER SUPPORT GROUP INC. P.O. Box 2214 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-627-7958 annemariedonahue54@icloud.com mvcancersupport.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD CENTER FOR LIVING 29 Breakdown Lane P.O. Box 1729 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-939-9440 mvcenter4living@gmail.com mvcenter4living.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD COMMUNITY SERVICES 111 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-7900 info@mvcommunityservices.com mvcommunityservices.com

MARTHA’S VINEYARD HOSPITAL 1 Hospital Road P.O. Box 1477 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-0410 mvhospital.com

MARTHA’S VINEYARD YOUTH TASK FORCE 35 Greenwood Avenue Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 P.O. Box 163 Chilmark, MA 02535 508-696-5304 ytf.theresa@gmail.com mvyouthtaskforce.org

NATIONAL WIDOWERS’ ORGANIZATION 1-800-309-3658 info@nationalwidowers.org nationalwidowers.org

NORTHEAST NATIVE NETWORK FOR KINSHIP AND HEALING P.O. Box 2236 Vineyard Haven, MA, 02568 508-663-3874 info@kinshipheals.org kinshipheals.org

RED STOCKING FUND P.O. Box 600 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-776-6050 / 508-776-0801 theredstockingfund@gmail.com theredstockingfund.org

SEVEN HILLS FOUNDATION

YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND

Seven Hills Vineyard Supports 37 State Road, P.O. Box 1443 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-7917 sbacon@sevenhills.org sevenhills.org

P.O. Box 1317 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-693-7733 hcallen@bfmlegal.com ygfa.org

VINEYARD BIRTH COLLECTIVE P.O. Box 1244 West Tisbury, MA 02575 info@vineyardbirthcollective.org vineyardbirthcollective.org

VINEYARD COMMITTEE ON HUNGER P.O. Box 4685 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 info@hungercommittee.org hungercommittee.org

VINEYARD HEALTH CARE ACCESS / VINEYARD SMILES 114 New York Avenue Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 P.O. Box 1298 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-696-0020 info@mvhealthcareaccess.org mvhealthcareaccess.org

VINEYARD HOUSE INC. P.O. Box 4599 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-8580 vineyardhouse@vineyard.net vineyardhouse.org

VINEYARD INDEPENDENCE PARTNERSHIP P.O. Box 1204 West Tisbury, MA 02575 vipmv.org

VINEYARD VILLAGE AT HOME P.O. Box 1356 Vineyard Haven 02568 508-693-3038 vineyardvillage@gmail.com vineyardvillage.org

VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION OF CAPE COD 255 Independence Drive Hyannis, MA 02601 508-957-7400 vnacapecod.org

WINDEMERE NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER P.O. Box 1747 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-696-6465 windemeremv.org

HOUSING HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD P.O. Box 1093 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-939-4573 houses@habitatmv.org habitatmv.org

HARBOR HOMES OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD P.O. Box 4795 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. harborhomesmv@gmail.com harborhomesmv.com

ISLAND ELDERLY HOUSING 60B Village Road Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

508-693-5880 x12 dyoung@iehmv.org iehmv.org

ISLAND HOUSING TRUST P.O. Box 779 West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-693-1117 info@ihtmv.org ihtmv.org

RECREATION CHAPPAQUIDDICK COMMUNITY CENTER 180 Chappaquiddick Road P.O. Box 2966 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-627-8222 chappyccenter@gmail.com chappycommunitycenter.org

CHILMARK COMMUNITY CENTER 520 South Road P.O. Box 29 Chilmark, MA 02535 508-645-9484 chilmarkcommunitycenter.org/

FUEL (FOUNDATION FOR UNDERWAY EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING) 5 Water Street Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-560-9237 office@fuelprogram.org fuelprogram.org

Ray Ewing

HEART OF THE VINEYARD 2022 NONPROFIT DIRECTORY

Starting young is a Vineyard tradition at the Martha's Vineyard Arena.

HOSTELLING INTERNATIONAL MARTHA’S VINEYARD 525 Edgartown-West Tisbury Road West Tisbury, MA 02575 508-693-2665 vineyard@hiusa.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD ARENA 91 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 Mailing address: 111R Edgartown-Vineyard Road Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-5329 info@mvarena.com mvarena.com

MARTHA’S VINEYARD FIGURE SKATING CLUB P.O. Box 1542 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 774-521-9870 marthasvineyardfsc@gmail.com mvfsc.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD LITTLE LEAGUE

MARTHA’S VINEYARD UNITED SOCCER

P.O. Box 2653 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 info@mvlittleleague.org mvlittleleague.org

P.O. Box 945 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 info@mvunited.org mvunited.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD ROD AND GUN CLUB 265 The Boulevard P.O. Box 1799 Edgartown, MA 02539 508-627-3537 info@mvrodandgun.org mvrodandgun.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD SKATE PARK ASSOCIATION 111 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road Oak Bluffs P.O. Box 1297 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 info@mvskatepark.org mvskatepark.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD YOUTH HOCKEY

SAIL MARTHA’S VINEYARD P.O. Box 1998 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-696-7644 admin@sailmv.org sailmv.org

VINEYARD FAMILY TENNIS

P.O. Box 2319 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-687-2120 mvyouthhockey.org

618 Barnes Road P.O. Box 72 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-693-7762 frontdesk@vineyardfamilytennis.org vineyardfamilytennis.org

MARTHA’S VINEYARD YOUTH RUNNING CLUB, INC.

YMCA OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD

508-612-7015 hurricanesmv@gmail.com

111R Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 508-696-7171 frontdesk@ymcamv.org ymcamv.org

MISTY MEADOWS EQUINE LEARNING CENTER 55 Misty Meadows Lane Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-338-7198 info@mistymeadowsmv.org mistymeadowsmv.org

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THE OYSTER

Ray Ewing

Connect the Dots What are people doing to stay connected, engaged and reasonably happy, during this, the second full winter of our collective discontent? Plenty!

BY ALEXANDRA BULLEN COUTTS “Only Connect!” If I were the kind of person who could commit to literary-inspired tattoos, this epigraph from E.M. Forster’s 1910 novel Howard’s End might be my choice. As someone who spent a great deal of time pre-pandemic thinking and talking about the importance of real-life connection – The Oyster began as a sort of in-person social survival network for young adults looking for things to do in the off-season – the prolonged periods of quarantine we’ve all had to endure in the name of public safety has felt not just personally devastating but also professionally confusing. How can I encourage social and personal connection as a strategy for emotional well-being from six feet apart? How do we reconcile caring both for our community and our own mental health? And how many days in a row can I possibly work from home wearing pajama pants without officially becoming what one friend calls a “pajama pants person?”

These are the questions that keep Page 26 · THE VINE

me up at night. And since we’re (still, STILL) surviving a pandemic, I recently did what any self-respecting person with a smart phone would do, and I asked Instagram for advice. I wondered – in the form of several stories and some targeted emails and DMs – in the absence of our regular off-season survival tactics (potlucks, movie nights, raucous nights downtown) what are people doing to stay connected, engaged and reasonably happy, during this, the second full winter of our collective discontent?

What follows are some of your best suggestions, mixed in with a few of my own sanity-saving tricks:

Buy Something Yes, I know, money doesn’t buy happiness. But it does buy things, and sometimes, let’s be honest, things make us feel better. Many of you look forward to annual winter sales from Island shops and artists – Trust, a boutique in Vineyard

Haven, and jeweler Ivry Russillo both recently hosted Instagram flash sales that each sold out, well, in a flash.

But any day can be a good day for some in-person retail therapy. I like to make a habit of picking up little treats “just because,” like a pair of cozy socks.

You heard it here first: cozy socks make off-season life worth living!

Plus, by shopping local I get the added bonus of knowing that my purchase supports a local lovely person and her local lovely staff. Angela Sison, owner of Conrado in Vineyard Haven, makes it a point to carry a selection of small items that encourage a healthy off-season lifestyle, including warm beanies for winter hikes, kitchen gear for cooking projects, and extra-moisturizing skin and hair products to combat the dry-season drearies. “I added a little apothecary section at my shop because I know that taking care of my body with products that are handmade with organic ingredients by people who really care has made a dif-

ference in the way my body feels,” Angela says. “And in the wintertime there is more time for me to add to my skincare routine.”

A sub-category of “buying things” might be “ordering things,” and no, I am not suggesting you pad a single Bezos pocket, but I can’t deny the special thrill of those yellow slips at the post office.

Meg Athearn of Morning Glory Farm says, “I find ordering strange products like this Willie Nelson CBD electrolyte powder makes me feel like I have something fun coming in the mail.”

Make It a Big Deal In this seemingly never-ending series of Groundhog Days, where weeks and weekends feel indistinguishable one from the next, a bunch of you are finding ways to celebrate little victories, creating new daily or weekly rituals that serve as anchors of normalcy and calm.

Oyster follower Brett Otis start-

Olivia Rabbitt

THE OYSTER

ed a practice he calls mindful breakfast: “eating a sit-down breakfast, no screens/devices, just enjoying the food.” Others report that just the daily act of preparing a warm beverage each morning to one’s exact specifications – be it a pour over coffee, golden “mylk” or hot tea to go – can feel like a mini-meditation, setting a peaceful tone for the rest of the day.

Plug In Despite a number of you mentioning the importance of “screen breaks,” and a preference for wholesome activities like hiking, biking and holding actual books in your actual adorable hands, let’s get real here: screens are essential. I love screens! I happen to have small children, and I have been sufficiently indoctrinated in the “screen time is the devil” philosophy of modern parenting, so much so that it felt like something of a revelation during lockdown to realize that technology is actually…delightful?

I’m not talking about a Zoom meeting; nature abhors a Zoom meeting. But FaceTiming with family and friends?

Fun! Music Director at MVY Radio Jess Phaneuf says that while staying connected to friends has been a challenge, “I do see some of my relationships being strengthened with the help of technolo-

gy. I now don’t go a single day without FaceTiming my dad and I’ve connected more frequently to certain friends from afar thanks to the ease and prevalence of FaceTime and Zoom.”

Hate FaceTime? Turn that camera off and pretend your smart phone is something truly revolutionary: a lesssmart phone! Chappaquiddick resident and flower farmer Olivia Rabbit of Piecemeal Farm (@piecemeal_farm) has a sweet nightly routine, combining time in nature, connecting with friends and space for creative brainstorming.

“During the off-season I spend evenings walking around Chappy with my dog, Moa, (and a headlamp!) while talking with loved ones on the phone.

So many of us who work a full Island season can’t manage to make time for all the relationships we wish to cultivate during the summer, and devoting hours of deep conversation once it’s over rejuvenates the connection.” On her walks Olivia is also able to visualize plant matches for the growing season; once she gets home, feeling connected and re-energized for the future, she draws up colorful garden plans (see above).

Beyond chats with friends, screens give us access to classes, lessons and tutorials. YouTube can be a terrifying lawless garbage pail of conspiracy theories and unboxing videos…OR you could learn to change a tire! Speak French!

Draw a squirrel! Mend a cozy sock!

Tim Johnson

Mastering new skills, walks-and-talks with friends, a visit to your favorite local shop…it’s not rocket science, but maybe that’s the point. When so much of our brain power is now reserved for understanding the latest arcane quarantine guidelines, maybe it’s best for our selfcare to be as user-friendly as possible.

In other words: Keep calm, and only connect.

Book swap! Bring a book, take a book from the lending library at Tashmoo Landing.

Alexandra Bullen Coutts is a writer living in West Tisbury.

Finding the Pearl in Your Oyster Welcome to The Oyster, your all-season, on-Island survival guide for young adults (and the young-at-heart!) You’ll find me – Alex – here in each print issue of the Vine with musings, interviews and tips for staying connected all year long. The party continues online at vineyardgazette.com/vine/oyster and on Instagram (@OysterMV) where we’ll be posting regularly with info on upcoming events, job listings, classes and other randomly curated pick-me-ups. Drop us a note in the comments section online or email us at oystermv@gmail.com. If you’re new to the Vineyard, tell us what’s working for you (or not!) as you settle into Island life. If you’ve been here a while, share how you’re navigating the waters. Be sure to read “Connect the Dots” (at left) for inspiration from the incredible community of young people committed to year-round Island life. Then grab more tips below for connecting with other folks – and treating yourself – in fun ways this winter.

Pro Tips: Five Ways to Stay Sane In the Off-Season 1. Amity Island Running Club. Distance runner and Morning Glory Farm-er Meg Athearn is all about staying hydrated and running with friends. If a running club sounds like just the motivation you’ve been waiting for, check out Amity Island (@ amityislandrunningclub). Train for Island races, travel with the group, fuel your motivation with like-minded mates. Welcoming all ages and abilities.

2. Tulip Tuesday. Need a beauty boost? Pick up a bunch of tulips for only $10 every Tuesday during the winter at Morrice Florist, 149 State Road, Vineyard Haven. The store is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. Shop Conrado. Solve the winter wearies with some self-care shopping. Find a warm beanie, a soothing skin oil, a body bar, a pinafore apron or a cozy sweater at Island designer Angela Sison’s Vineyard Haven boutique or online store, shopconrado.com.

4. What’s For Dinner? Chef Jenny DeVivo demystifies the dinner crunch in monthly adult cooking classes at the FARM Institute throughout the winter. See listing in calendar.vineyardgazette.com.

5. Class Acts. The class schedule at Featherstone Center for the Arts is packed with possibilities: Throwing Pots, with Frank Creney; Still Life 102 with Liz Taft; jewelry making with Ivry Russillo are just a few. And if your inner mechanic needs more than a YouTube video to get started, check out Andrea’s Auto on Facebook for info on upcoming auto maintenance courses.

Find more classes and event listings at calendar.vineyardgazette.com.

Oyster logo: Taylor Achin

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BY THE NUMBERS

GOOD WILL

BY NICOLE GRACE MERCIER • ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHRIS BURRELL

200,000 BIG BUYBACK. 200,000 overgrown oysters from Katama Bay were bought at a discounted price and re-seeded in Slough Cove thanks to an innovative partnership between The Nature Conservancy and the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group.

WEATHER EXTREMES IN 2021 91° highest temperature (August 28)

$35,000 + FISH ON. The annual Bass in the Grass fundraiser, which raises money for local artists and the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby, raised over $35,000 this past fall with folks bidding on 24 unique works of art.

10.9° lowest temperature (January 30)

43,000 NICE SAVE. Thanks to Island Grown Initiative’s gleaning program, volunteers rescued 43,000 pounds of vegetables and fruits from rot in 2020 – almost doubling the 26,000 pounds rescued in 2017.

$50,600 BEAR-Y SWEET. The annual MV Teddy Bear Suite fundraiser raised $50,600 this past winter – that’s enough money to fund the entire year of Healthy Happy Kids at the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club.

44.5 inches of rain for the whole year

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INSTA ISLAND

through the lens @hookshots Kevin Hooks is a former actor-turned-director/producer whose Emmy-winning career has spanned five decades. He’s been visiting the Vineyard for 30 years, where he finds the beauty and simplicity of life here to be a balm to the busy urban environment of L.A. Through the lens of the camera, he’s learned to slow down and appreciate the breathtaking landscapes, the sunsets, “the amazingly detailed sea shells and rocks on the beaches.” His

goal for his Instagram feed, he notes, “is to have the viewer see the images as an artistic journey, a curated body of work that speaks to a specific point of view — black and white being the primary genre.”

But he also loves the way the platform allows him to grow and experiment as an artist and to see the world in new ways.

You can follow Kevin @hookshots on Instagram. And be sure to keep an eye out for his photos in the Vineyard Gazette.

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