The WHWC Thespians delighted members with readings and recitations in a program titled Deep Seas: Poetry, Tales and Songs of Sea and Shore. Despite the chilly temperatures and icy conditions, the Parish Center was filled with members looking forward to a beloved annual event.

The tone for the performance was set with a choral reading by Mary Swope and Carol Casey of John Masefield’s “Sea Fever.” Ellie Armstrong followed with a reading of an episode from her own collection of memoirs, “Sailing in a Pea-soup Fog,” remembering a teenage adventure sailing in becalmed Vineyard Sound.  The audience listened with rapt attention as Gloria Borghese read “The Eye,” a poem she wrote in response to a work of art created by her grandson.

Next up was Rhona Carlton-Foss reading a childhood favorite, Lydia Huntley Sigourney’s 19th-century poem “Indian Names.” Lee Drescher read from the children’s book “The Good Giants and the Bad Pugwudgies,” which recounts a Wampanoag legend about the creation of Buzzards Bay, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and the Elizabeth Islands.  She followed this up by performing “Rolling Waves, ” a song she composed to the tune of “This Land is Your Land,” encouraging the audience to join in the refrain as Mary Swope accompanied her on guitar.

Nawrie Meigs-Brown delved into the waters of Stellwagen Bank with a reading of Mary Oliver’s “Humpbacks,” then led the audience in singing a traditional folk song “Eddystone Light,” popularized by Burl Ives in the 1950s with the lively refrain “Yo ho ho! The wind blows free; Oh for a life on the rolling sea.”

The program was closed by readings of two short poems by Irish poets.  Lalise Melillo read “Postscript” by Nobel Prize-winning Seamus Heaney. A consummate teacher, Lalise enlightened us on the uniqueness of the words Heaney used to capture a moment of heart-stopping beauty. Mary Swope then read William Butler Yeats’s “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” set in an idyllic place of natural beauty.

The program was dedicated to Thespians San Lyman and Jeannette Fullerton, who could not perform this year, and to the memory of Olivann Hobbie, who passed away in December.

George Scharr, Falmouth Academy (F.A.) chair of the Arts Department, dedicated the already-scheduled performance by F.A.’s String Ensemble and International Ensemble to Olivann Hobbie, who passed away unexpectedly on December 4^th. Olivann was one of F.A.’s founding faculty and was the school’s first Arts Chair. She was a mentor and an inspiration to Mr. Scharr and many others. She also taught history.

Norma Stiner, Director of String Ensemble, conducted the student musicians through a set of traditional Christmas and Hanukkah tunes, followed by an impressive Tchaikovsky Humoresque. Before student pianist Xuanyu “Genie” Chang performed Chopin’s Nocturne in C Minor #21, Mr. Scharr gave a touching tribute to Olivann. The International Ensemble of 2 violins, guitar, and piano then performed John Lennon’s Imagine, Toreador Song from Bizet’s Carmen, and Nat King Cole’s  It’s a Wonderful World. Over forty WHWC Club members enjoyed the December 12th performance and appreciated the opportunity to honor a lost club member and contributor to the community.

Students Xuanyu “Genie” Chang, Alex deChiara, Marcus Greco, Miguel Gomez-Ibanez, Junke “Kelly” Lin, Faye McGuire, Luke Okoshi-Michel, Gabriela “Gaby” Otoni, James Riddiford, and Robert Ronan performed.

updated to include July 12 deadline

Have fun while raising funds! In exchange for a generous donation from the Road Race Committee, WHWC has provided volunteers for the past 3 years to staff the tables where numbers are handed out to runners in the days leading up to the Falmouth Road Race. This year’s race takes place on Sunday, August 20th. Number pickups are scheduled on August 17th from 3:30 to 7:30 pm, August 18th from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm and from 3:15 to 7:15 pm, August 19th from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 12:15 to 3:30 pm at the Falmouth High School.

Volunteers work in pairs and Road Race Committee volunteers offer assistance. Pre-race spirits are high, and it is fun to participate in the energy. You can ask a family member or friend to sign up to volunteer with you and you can sign up for multiple shifts.

Sign up here. Be sure to select the Woods Hole Woman’s Club as your group so we get credit for your participation. Directions for signing up can be found here. Any spots not filled as of Wednesday, July 12 will be opened up for individual volunteers to fill, so please sign up by then to help WHWC reach their volunteer goal.

Questions? Please contact Kerry Walton <kerry.walton@gmail.com>

Members met and celebrated the accomplishments of the eight outstanding Precinct One students who attended the annual scholarship tea on May 9 in Woods Hole. All have strong academic records as reflected in their grades and inclusion in several Honor Societies. Left to right: Hadley Smith, Mj Jacobs, Amena Weiffenbach, Hannah Birmingham, Sadie Leveque, Ursula Junker, Katie Walsh, and Elizabeth Litton. The students introduced themselves and enjoyed refreshments and conversation with attendees.

Hannah Birmingham was on the field hockey and track teams, served as an officer of her class and several Honor Societies, and participated in the Model U.N. and Debate Club.  She has worked at Coffee Obsession and the Glass Onion Restaurant and as a lab assistant at the Marine Biological Laboratory.  Hannah will attend the University of Connecticut to major in Chemistry with an interest in the pharmacy program. 

Mj Jacobs has both studied and taught at Seven Stars Academy of Martial Arts since age four. Being in the Falmouth High School Theater Company and interning at the College Light Opera Company helped to develop Mj’s interest in pursuing a career in theater arts. She plans to attend Ithaca College.

Ursula Junker spent her junior year as an exchange student in Italy and looks forward to more travel. Locally she has been involved in theater, school newspaper, cello study, and painting.  At home, she loves to bake.  She has worked at Pie in the Sky, the Inlet Shop, and the Woods Hole Inn.  She plans to attend Wellesley College and explore a major in Philosophy.

Sadie Leveque has studied the violin and pursued her interests in visual art since early childhood leading to her preparing a portfolio of work for applications to art schools.  For paid and volunteer work experience she provided summertime childcare and led children’s craft projects at the Woods Hole Public Library.  She will attend Sarah Lawrence College to further study art.

Elizabeth Litton is passionate about both science and hiking. She founded the Falmouth High School Women in STEM Club.  Her resume includes six years of dancing with the New England Ballet Theater and hiking the 100 Mile Wilderness.  She has worked at several Falmouth eateries.  Elizabeth plans to attend the University of Vermont to pursue Environmental Science.                            

Hadley Smith studies violin and has performed with orchestral and fiddler ensembles and soloed at local churches.  She has also competed with a sailing racing team based in Osterville, runs for the school track and cross-country teams, and joined the French and Social Justice Clubs.  She has worked at Landfall Restaurant. Hadley plans to attend the University of Massachusetts at Amherst beginning with a semester in England.

Katherine Walsh has enjoyed working with horses since early childhood; she has ridden competitively and helped with lessons and camps at a local barn.  She is Vice President of the Falmouth High School Women in STEM club and is a member of the French Club. Her plans are to attend the University of Vermont and she has an interest in Computer Science.

Amena Weiffenbach is chief editor of Falmouth High School’s literary arts journal and a member of a writers’ group, the math team, and Women in STEM.  She has studied piano for six years and volunteered to maintain the Falmouth Dog Park and as an assistant teacher at a Spanish learning daycare.  Amena will attend Tufts University and may major in Math or Engineering.

The Scholarship Committee, headed by Priscilla Ruegg, is proud to add these students to the 138 others who have received scholarships from the club since 1980.  Donations to the scholarship fund are welcome throughout the year.  Checks should be written to the WHWC Charitable Trust and mailed to Kitty Brown, WHWC, PO Box 342, Woods Hole, MA 02543.

New members are welcomed at any time during the year.  Information about membership is available here or by contacting vice-president Mary Fran Buckley at maryfran55@earthlink.net.