Chilmark

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He finally has a name. Orion Wechsler Sussman was born at home in Northampton on November 13, 2011. His proud parents are Dillon Sussman and Megan Wechsler. Dillon is the son of Ed Sussman and Heather Sommers. Orion is welcomed to the world by a bunch of proud cousins: Landon, Rowan, Nevia, and June — the children of Lila Sussman Ryan and Lee Steere; Emmet, the adorable baby boy whose parents are Lila and Troy Ryan; and Leo, the son of Jeremy and Polina Sussman. Welcome to the family, Orion.

We have another new baby to announce. Although he doesn’t live in town, his dad certainly spends a lot of time along Dutcher Dock. Riley Patrick Gale was born to Elizabeth Davis and Alec Gale on Thanksgiving Day. He weighed in at six pounds twelve ounces — not your typical weight for a Thanksgiving turkey but perfect for a beautiful baby boy.

Jasper Stray London and Sebastian Mast ventured to town to visit and play with their grandparents, Mark London and Linda Thompson. Their parents, Alexandra London-Thompson and Pete Stray, and Rick and Natasha Mast joined them too, but the boys were clearly the focus of fun at the London-Thompson house. Doting grandparents they certainly are.

A day-after-Thanksgiving football game at the Community Center field was played by a group of summertime friends in town to enjoy the holiday, good weather and companionship of some really fun folks. The McQueen/Chippari, MacMaster/Williams, O’Connor, Ruane/Ward, Baker/Brelis families and a bunch of friends all joined together to celebrate what they refer to as their special Island bond. Teams were chosen fairly so as to disperse all levels of ability evenly. The final game score was a tie, and fun was had by all. However, there was one obvious mishap which resulted in a trip to the ER. The anonymous injured party suffered two broken ribs, all for the sake of the game and a national television-worthy interception.

Here’s a quick shout-out on behalf of MVRHS library teacher Sandy Mott who oversees the yearbook. The 2012 edition can be preordered now for $45. After January 1 the price will go up to $65. PLease give Sandy a call at 508-693-1033, ext. 124. Having trouble deciding on a gift for your teen? Order them up something they will cherish for years.

Congrats to both Mike Broderick and his bride Mary McConneloug for being two out of the 17 mountain bikers to be eligible to represent our country in the 2012 London Olympics. I think it is commonly referred to as the “long team” which means the duo made the first cut and now are part of the pool of riders from which the Olympic team will be chosen in June. This is a huge step in the right direction. Fingers crossed that we will see their names on the board in London this coming August.

The Friends of the Library’s holiday open house will be held December 14 from 4:30 to 6 pm. Please pass the word that this is a family-friendly event where you will find food, music, and crafts — for kids and adults. Coincidentally, this coincides with the kick-off of the Big Used Book Sale where you can find some great deals. Held during library hours, the sale features hardcovers, books on tape, and DVDs for a mere $1. Paperbacks are 25 cents and for those of you still with a VCR readily available, videotapes are just 50 cents. From December 20 through 26 all the goodies will drop to half price and from December 27-31, hear this, they are free. Give the library a call if you need further information, 508-645-3360.

Are the early dark nights getting to you a bit? Why not step out and have some fun with your neighbors on Tuesday nights at a soup supper at the Chilmark Church. All are welcome at this cozy, family event that starts at 5:30 pm.

I will have more on this later, but I thought I would put a little bug in your ear about Hannah Kahl’s upcoming trip to Uganda. For six months she will be there working as a social activist at Earth Birth, an international women’s health collective. Hannah is in need of supplies and donations. I will have more details and specifics next week. In the meantime, if you are interested in contributing to her cause, email me. I will gladly put you in touch. So, stay tuned.

Two and a half weeks until those reindeer land on the roof and jolly ole Saint Nick tumbles down the chimney. Thinking about this makes me wonder what sorts of holiday traditions my friends and neighbors have that might be neat to incorporate into my life. Do tell.