Here a few of the auction items, services or experiences that have been donated (we will feature items every Friday!):

• A chartered fishing trip on the Skipper for 2 (Jim Thomas and Aleks Santos)
• Home cooked dinner for 8 (Brooks family)
• Dinner for 2 and a play at the MV Playhouse (Brooks family)
• Wampanoag wampum bracelet ( Brown/Casey family)
• Tickets to the Obama exhibit at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and dinner with the Kobran’s

Check our Auction flyer that you received in your email Wednesday morning!  Contact Ann Cilfone if you have an item to donate at uu.society.mv@gmail.com .

Don't Miss Les Miserables - with UUSMV Cast Connections!
The MV Regional HS is presenting the musical Les Miserables at the Performing Arts Center on Thursday, March 31 at 7 pm, Friday, April 1 at 7 pm, and Saturday, April 2 at 7 pm. A matinee will be held on Sunday, April 3 at 2 pm. 

Tenley Brooks (daughter of Kristy and Eric) and Jack Crawford (grandson of Tad and Judy) are members of the MVRH production of Les Miserables!  Tenley and Jack are pictured on the right in the images below.

Tenley is sharing the role of Epinone. Tenley “said the character is a strong female voice in a story that devotes the most time to powerful male characters. With Eponine being such an assertive force in the performance, Tenley said, sometimes it’s hard for her to get into that highly confident mindspace. ‘Eponine has a lot more confidence than I do, so it’s hard to portray that sense of ‘I am the best at what I do,’ Tenley said. Tenley drew the connection between “Les Mis” and Black Lives Matter, saying that if there were to be a modern retelling of this tragic story, it might be representative of the challenges of African Americans in the U.S. 
‘As a revolution, that is what Black Lives Matter is trying to be, and bring about social change when there is this challenge that seems so huge. But even if they fail at some points, it doesn’t stop them from continuing to fight,’ Tenley said.”1

Jack plays Marius Pontmercy.  “I’m very happy that I’m playing Marius,” he said. “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables is my favorite song in the show, [and] I also really like in general his character development. He doesn’t have much social awareness [but] he becomes a whole new character.”3 

From -1 “A Truly Epic Story” by Lucas Thors, MV Times, 3/22/22 and 2“Regional High School Puts Les Misérables Center Stage” by Louisa Hufstader, Vineyard Gazette, 3/24/22 and 3“From All-State to Les Misérables, Vineyard Singers Are in Harmony” by Bill Eville, Vineyard Gazette, 3/24/22.  

Celebrate UUSMV Member - Donna McElroy
You may know her as donnaiguana – her zoom moniker at our Sunday services!  But many Islanders know her as Donna.  Donna has been a member of the UUSMV since 2014.  She is a quiet activist for those in need.  Donna has volunteered and worked for the Island winter shelter since 2019. In her first year she volunteered for 45 shifts, topping the next highest volunteer by 30!  Her knowledge of Brazilian Portuguese helps her connect with the shelter guests and with those seeking COVID tests at MV Testing. Donna was the lead clinical observer at MV Test which closed this week.
Donna has always been a helper.  She spent two years in Brazil with the Peace Corps before working at with Project HOPE in northeastern Brazil. After returning to the U.S., she worked as an RN both in Oncology and with Hospice. In 2007, she again worked with Project HOPE in the Marshall Islands. Upon returning to the states, she became a Travel Nurse, which is how she first came to Martha’s Vineyard. She left Martha’s Vineyard in 2016 but returned in 2019 when she realized that the Island’s beauty and charm were as much in the hearts of the Islanders as in the forests and on the beaches.  She was hired by IHC to work at the COVID-19 test site.  Donna has also helped UUSMV families in her work as a personal caregiver.  
Thank you, Donna, for living our UU principles every day.
  photo Ray Ewing, Vineyard Gazette

Wayside Pulpit

Our Wayside Pulpit turns 101 years old on April 4!  Many thanks to Mimi Davisson for taking over the Wayside Pulpit and Jack Street for this idea.  Photo credit goes to Mimi.   



Easter Flowers

We will be having Easter service in Steven’s Chapel! Any member who would donate $15 toward the purchase of flowers for the Sanctuary and entrance, please send your check or credit card and note Easter flowers in the memo line.  If you would like to gift your flowers in honor or memory of a loved one, we will gratefully acknowledge this in our Friday newsletter April 15.  Donations are due by April 10 please.

Stevens Chapel Folding Benches
The Stevens Chapel committee is looking to relocate four of our folding benches, either to a storage space, if you have one,  or to sell.  We have 3 four seaters and 2 three seaters for sale.
If you would like to purchase a piece of UUSMV history, we would love a donation of $100.00 for each bench.
You can be in touch with Lucinda Sheldon or Rita Brown if you can help us out,  as we would like them moved before our Easter service.

April Birthdays

Betsy Young Buck 1st
Dorie Godfrey 2nd                      
Linda Wilson 13th
Nancy Wood 14th
Eric Brooks 19th
Michael Savoy 22nd
Mary Jane Aldrich-Moodie 23rd
Rich Peia 25th
Johanna Kobran 29th

April Care Coordinator
Peter Palches
For Care Coordinator contact information and quick reference go to the UUSMV member page: www.uusmv.org

Easter Dinners
MVCOH will be distributing Easter dinners to islanders facing food insecurity. Please consider making a donation.  The cost of one family dinner is $40.  Send donation to Vineyard Committee on Hunger, PO Box 4685, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 or go to their website www.hungercommittee.org

Rev. Rob's Office Hours and Contact Information

In keeping with my half-time contract, I am generally be available for UUSMV appointments, calls and emails two days per week, in addition to preparing for and leading worship two Sundays per month. I publish the schedule of my availability at the beginning of each month. Please feel free to reach out by email or phone to schedule an appointment with me on one of these days. If you contact me on a day I’m not working, you can generally expect to hear back from me on my next UUSMV work day. If you have a pastoral emergency or a time sensitive matter that requires attention before my next work day, please call or text me and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

My availability in April is as follows:
Week of Apr 4:  Monday Apr 4, Wednesday Apr 6
Week of Apr 10:  Monday Apr 11
ON ISLAND:  Thursday April 14 through Sunday April 24
Week of Apr 24:  Wednesday Apr 27