The Vineyard brings out people’s passions. Last summer when we hosted a trio of tykes from off-Island while their parents were at a wedding, my husband took their son out on his tiny new sailboat in Katama Bay. I played with the girls along the shore, and despite it being a cool day, the sisters darted into the water, splashing and loving life. Soon they wanted their own turns sailing on Escape.

About a month later we received a drawing in the mail that six-year-old Susan had done to show her dad the sailboat ride she had been reminiscing about. Her sail had lasted roughly five minutes, but that exciting Vineyard moment was still with her.

Most of the articles in this magazine involve passion of some sort – starting with the Best of the Vineyard, which not only highlights the places, people, and things our readers love, but is testimony to the dedication of so many Island business owners (page 30).

Talk about dedication: Six generations of one family have nurtured Shearer Cottage in Oak Bluffs, one of the first inns to host African Americans vacationing here and still active today (page 70).

Free tennis for Island kids has allowed more than two thousand the opportunity to develop a passion for a healthy, fun lifetime sport. The story of ten years at Vineyard Youth Tennis is a win for everyone (page 50).

This is the time of year to celebrate the inherent beauty in nature and our Island community. And what better place to applaud them both than in Menemsha (page 58)?