Cue the music, can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?
For more than 40 years the popular children’s television show has played a central role in the life of preschoolers, teaching many important life lessons — how to spell the word cookie, how to count to 10.
Now in a new documentary to be aired by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), young children will be able to learn about the tougher issues in life such as hunger. And a Vineyard single dad and his children will play a leading role.
The stars of the segment — along with Elmo of course — are John Chivers, his son, Jonathan, 8, and daughters, Josephine, 7, and Charlotte, 4, all of Edgartown, who receive regular assistance from the Serving Hands Food Distribution group on the Island. The Chivers also recently received a 10-week Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership at Whippoorwill Farm. The family farm share was donated by Slow Food Martha’s Vineyard.
On Monday this week, Sesame Street production crews arrived on the Island to film the Chivers family gleaning crops at Morning Glory Farm in Edgartown. The Chivers joined a farm crew to help pick pattypan and summer squash, while the cameras poked through the large, prickly squash leaves. Then on Tuesday they went to pick up their first share of produce at Whippoorwill Farm.
“It’s been really exciting,” Mr. Chivers said. “They [his kids] can’t wait to be on Sesame Street.”
Much to the disappointment of farm workers and others who helped organize things for the film crew, Elmo did not make an appearance.
After gathering their vegetables, the Chivers family returned to the food distribution center at the First Baptist Church in Vineyard Haven. The Farm Institute, Oak Bluffs School and Cronig’s were there to provide additional food.
“The idea is to have children and parents talk about different ways they can get food and be able to talk about food security and insecurities [around the subject],” Serving Hands distribution director Betty Burton said. “The other part of the story is things have really turned around for this family and we want to share their story.”
The documentary will air Oct. 8.
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