Town Column : Oak Bluffs
By Megan Alley
Published: December 31, 2008
Hush! Can you hear it? It is the sound of absolutely nothing that will last for a few days as we relax and look back at what we have accomplished these past few weeks or perhaps this last year. Take a breath and enjoy it because, like a clock that needs rewinding and is silent, the year is getting rewound to give us another 365 new days to work our lives into. Although this holiday season was not as busy as previous years, the town still seemed to be the center of much activity. Shoppers were about and visitors still came to visit friends and family.
Heather Holt and her children, Lucas and Miles, were here for a few days visiting her mother, Ginnie Hall, and other relatives and friends.
Pat and Kerry Alley's off-Island children and their spouses and children came after Christmas to celebrate once again with them. Rachel and Greer along with their children, Jonas and Drew, Sarah and Jack Lavolette and their children, Alley, Logan, and Jake, all came from off-Island to celebrate with the family. They were joined by their brother, Chris Alley, his wife, Kate Feiffer, and their daughter, Maddy, of Oak Bluffs.
Melanie and Mike Marchand hosted their usual Holiday Buffet, which is in honor of both the Christmas season and the birthday of Melanie's mother, Sandra deBettencourt.
The Pre-Christmas buffet at Mary Alley's home brought together family, friends, and her co-workers at the Martha's Vineyard Hospital for another yearly party. The guest most reluctant to leave after the dinner was Mary's almost 97-year-old grandmother, Elizabeth Alley, who enjoys these family get-togethers as much as anyone.
The Oak Buffs Library will be showing a new DVD release on its large projection screen on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 6 pm. Colin Firth stars in a father-son drama based upon Blake Morrison's best-selling memoir.
We send birthday smiles to Jenny Jenkinson and Michelle Bettencourt on January 2, Nola Mavro, Chris Alley, and Nicole deBettencourt on January 3, Kate Feiffer and Jules Ben David on January 5, and Michael Araujo and Patricia Costa on January 6.
So many people contributed to our enjoyment of this past year, many we take for granted. Take time to thank all those people who volunteer their time on committees to make life easier for many, the town workers and employees, police, firemen and EMS workers, and of course our families and friends. And please do not forget the servicemen who keep us safe and watch over us. Many of them had to be away from the towns and people they love this holiday season as their commitment to this country takes them to places throughout the world.
And now it is time to extend our hands back in memory to thoughts of those people who were once a part of our town and lives but left us this past year. Joe Nunes, Thelma Baird, Peter Williamson, Dorothy Roberts, Charlie Marinelli, Jean O'Brien, Lois deBettencourt, Paul Bergeron, Marsha Campbell, John Ferreira, Bob Wlliston and Ellie Egilinas, Anthony Gonsalves, Calvin Zaiko, Wilfred Lawrence, Hy Hoffman, Ed Barmakian, Robbie Cronig, Joanne Cleary, and Maynard Silva are those we will not forget.
Enjoy your week and your new year.
Peace.
