Voting is over for now until April 27. I just want to thank all the volunteers who keep Chilmark running: Thank you for the late-night budget meetings, and getting everything squared away so life moves on.

Maybe we’ve had our last snowfall. Congratulations on piglets being born at Native Earth Teaching Farm, and the new kid born at the Grey Barn. You can still enjoy fresh chocolate, available through March 26, at Chilmark Chocolates, while Pathways continues to support and astound our creative Island community. Saturday night was their third celebration of International Women’s Day. Lynn Ditchfield with the help of friends presented “Nightmares & Dreams — Immigrant Voices,” a piece she began at Nancy Aronie’s Chilmark Writing Workshop that evolved and was presented with a cast doing a reading at the MVRHS library, and now is a truly effective piece of political drama. It’s based on her experience being a translator for mothers being held at an immigration detention center in New Mexico. She volunteered for two weeks, along with immigration attorney Rebecca McCarthy. If you are interested in helping or learning more, you can read bit.ly/immigrationcourt or bit.ly/fixingimmigration.

The rest of the evening was just as informative and mesmerizing. Susan Puciul shared her poetry; Pam Putney, a midwife who has worked all over the world, shared three poems written by women with HIV in Swaziland, ages 12 to 21. Jamie O’Gorman explained the history and cultural significance of belly dancing before the Vineyard Belly Dance & Revue performed. You could not have witnessed more joy than these women expressed while dancing — thank you for sharing. Heather Goff shared her inspirational story of pulling back from her life of doing for others, and how she found her strength and joy renewed in making art. I’m sorry to have missed Leah Crosby and Danielle Doell perform a dance together, but hopefully we’ll have another chance at the Yard.

Pizza Nights at the Chilmark Community Church continue on Tuesdays from 6 to 7 pm; all are welcome.

Don’t miss a great musical lineup at Pathways on Friday night, March 11, including Stan Strickland, Greta Bro, Wes Nagy, Dan Waters, Jemima James, and Michele Jones. On Tuesday, March 15, join host M.R. Baird for a collective reading and roundtable discussion on “Poetry and the Dream.” Doors open at 6:30, and programs begin at 7 pm; free. On Saturday, March 12, from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm bring your 7-year-old and help Claire Ganz proof pages from her book “Part of Me” and play memory with her photos. Bring your lunch. There will be juice and goldfish crackers. “Part of Me” is the first book in a series.  

If you are getting in the mood for St. Patrick’s Day and don’t want to cook, head over to the annual corned beef and cabbage dinner on March 12 at 6 pm at the First Baptist Parish House, 66 William Street, Vineyard Haven, for a complete meal with corn or soda bread, potatoes, carrots, dessert, and beverages, accompanied by lively Irish music. Bring your fiddle or fife and join in. Tickets are $12. Call 508-693-1539 for more info; takeout is also available.

Stop by the Lovingkindness MV sale at 129 Indian Hill Road in West Tisbury, from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13, where a portion of the proceeds is donated to prevention of elder abuse.

Bring your kids to the Aquinnah library on Saturday, March 12, at 5 pm for “The Peanuts Movie,” free pizza, both regular and gluten-free, and veggies and juice.

On Sunday, March 13, from 1 to 3 pm, join the family-friendly Vineyard Conservation Society walk at Native Earth Teaching Farm in Chilmark. The farm consists of organic farm fields, community garden plots, rare animal breeds, woodlands, and wetlands. The land is part of the headwaters for two Island watersheds, and includes the historic George “Fred” Tilton homestead. No dogs allowed.

Next week at the Chilmark library, join Margaret Penicaud, an Islander who lived in France for 7 years and briefly taught French at MVRHS, for an informal French Conversation Group beginning on Wednesday, March 19, for four Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. All levels of proficiency are welcome; French cheeses, bread, and imported sparkling water will be served. Don’t forget “Stories and Songs” on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 10:30 am, and after school projects on Wednesdays at 3 pm. Mark your calendars: The Cookie Mouse is coming on Saturday, March 19, at 10:30 am. For questions, call 508-645-3360.

It’s daffodil time; support the Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support Group on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, and get bunches of 10 daffodil buds for $10 at Edgartown Stop and Shop, down-Island Cronig’s, Reliable Family Market, and at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital gift store. The group has confidential weekly meetings on Wednesdays at noon at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center library. For more information, call Diane Ballay-Foley at 508-693-7115, or AnneMarie Donahue at 508-627-7958, or visit mvcancersupport.org.