Martha’s Vineyard, MA, United States (AHN) – Martha’s Vineyard welcomed President Obama and the first family Thursday for their third vacation on the idyllic island.
Obama, wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Milia will once again spend their days on the Vineyard at Blue Heron Farm, a luxury retreat located up-island on Tisbury Great Pond in Chilmark.
While the president and his family will try to keep a low profile on the island, hundreds of White House support staff, security personnel and a slew of reporters are not so discreet. Television vans, newspaper reporters, photographers and paparazzi have been spotted all over the island. Low-flying helicopters were heard overhead all day Thursday.
For city leaders, the Obamas’ visit is a sign of status. For others, the First Family is a tourist attraction.
Nancy Gardella, executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commence said, “Martha’s Vineyard is honored and delighted the president and his family have chosen Martha’s Vineyard as their vacation destination for the third year in a row. We are very excited.”
Commemorative Obama T-shirts have been “flying off the shelf,” said Richard White, owner of the popular retail store Soft As A Grape.
“We the people of Martha’s Vineyard love having the president here,” White said. “It brings attention to the island and we love attention. While some people are upset over Obama taking a vacation with all the turmoil going in the nation, we here on the island don’t begrudge the president a vacation, and he and his family are very welcome here.”
Islanders and Vineyarders take this and past presidential visits in stride. If they happen to run into the President or the First Family they simply nod, say hi and respect their privacy. “Wash-a-shores” (also known as tourists) do not share the same decorum and are a bit more zealous in their reactions.
Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the First Family might spot them at the 150th Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair taking place this weekend. Or a lucky few might snag a glimpse of the Obama girls playing mini golf at Island Cove Adventures in West Tisbury. “I am not a name dropper, and we like to keep the names of our quests private, but I could mention that Sasha and Malia played a round of mini golf here last year,” Ray Gosselin, owner of Island Cove Adventures noted.
The weather is warm, the sun is shining and the water is tepid on Martha’s Vineyard. That warmth and sunny atmosphere is exactly the image Martha’s Vineyard aspires to portray to President Obama, his family and all of America.
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