Chilmark Fields Owned and Managed by Vineyard Open Land Foundation

A Community Gathering

Dance at The Yard

African American Heritage Trail of Martha's Vineyard Site

An Event Sponsored by the Oak Bluffs Council on Aging

Creative Living Award

In 1983, the Permanent Endowment was presented with its first gift in the amount of $60,000 from the estate of Ruth J. Bogan establishing the Ruth J. Bogan – Ruth Redding Memorial Fund.  This Fund was created to honor Ruth Bogan who, in the words of her friend Ruth Redding, was a “gallant woman who loved beauty, who loved the Vineyard and who believed ‘anyone can do anything.’”  In her letter of instruction to the Endowment, Ruth Redding requested that some funds be used to “encourage fine craftsmanship, creativity and ingenuity in many fields through such awards as gifts, prizes and scholarships.”  Based on that wish, the Permanent Endowment established the Creative Living Award to recognize members of the Vineyard community who embody the spirit of Ruth Bogan and have contributed significantly to the quality of life on the Island.

For the past twenty seven years, the Creative Living Award has honored those who have worked to “preserve and nourish” the Vineyard and to “help the present inhabitants to realize the value of their treasure.”  From artists to farmers and doctors to volunteers, the award has highlighted the accomplishments of individuals and groups who have served the Island community well.

This year, the recipients of the Creative Living Award were Camp Jabberwocky and its founder, Helen Lamb.  For the past 56 years, Camp Jabberwocky has provided a summer camp experience for adults and children with a wide range of disabilities.  The days are filled with art and poetry as well as dancing, movies, fishing and sailing.  Campers come to the Island to join the Jabberwocky family for a time but they leave having shared enduring lessons on how to appreciate the joys of daily life, the pride of accomplishments both big and small and the happiness that comes from caring for others.  Camp Jabberwocky is staffed by volunteer counselors and relies on the generosity of the Vineyard community for all of its operating expenses.  Its campers and counselors are a familiar sight around the Island in the summer and strong local support has continued year after year as Islanders are reminded of the joy that comes from giving.  On August 11th, the Permanent Endowment presented Helen Lamb and Camp Jabberwocky with the Creative Living Award at an event held at The Grange Hall in West Tisbury.

Creative Living Award Recipients

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1983 Marion Halperin and H. Stanton Lair
1984 Sydna White
1985 E. Gale Huntington
1986 Harold Heeremans and Alison Shaw
1987 Jean L. Silva
1988 Edwin B. Gentle III and Roxanne Jardin
1989 Margaret Love
1990 Margaret Hall and Sara Piazza
1991 Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard in Honor of its Volunteers
1992 Mary Beth Grady and Allison Burger
1993 Cornelia Mendenhall and the Red Stocking Fund
1994 Allen D. Whiting
1995 Fae Kontje
1996 African-American Heritage Trail of Martha’s Vineyard
1997 Peter Boak
1998 John R. Abrams and Debbie Milne
1999 Peggy Pinney Vance
2000 Bill and Kathleen Joyce Costanza
2001 Stan Murphy
2002 David and Rosalee McCullough
2003 Art Buchwald
2004 Gus BenDavid
2005 MJ Bruder Munafo
2006 Russell S. Hoxsie, M.D.
2007 Susan Klein
2008 Clarissa Allen and Mitchell Posin
2009 Helen Lamb and Camp Jabberwocky