Happy end of: 2017, the holiday season, and school vacation. Welcome 2018 and hard-core winter. While New Year’s Eve day and night were extremely frigid, there was fun to be had all over town. The pond behind the library was heroically cleared of snow (mostly by parents) on Saturday and Sunday so the kids in town could skate on it. Rachel and Mike MacDonald made their annual New Year’s Eve visit, and spent a whirlwind weekend seeing as many friends as they could.
If you see Juli Vanderhoop, ask her to show you the picture of her “smoking” TV; on Christmas Day a large tree fell outside Juli’s house and knocked out her electricity. But the damage did not stop there. It created a power surge that took out her refrigerator and Internet, and caused her TV to smoke. She is still trying to work out all the damage and get everything replaced. Juli, I truly hope that 2018 will go up from here on out.
Pam Glavin has put up Carl’s Wishing Tree. Every year Pam places a small, lighted tree to honor Carl Widdis’ generous spirit at Carl’s gravesite in Aquinnah. You can come visit Carl and his tree at any time, but when you do, you must carry on Carl’s work by promising to do a good turn for someone, or saying a prayer for someone in need. Carl would go out of his way to do anyone a kindness. Let’s keep that spirit alive.
At the library this week: Story Time will be on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 3:30 pm, and Saturday, Jan. 6, at 10:30 am. Also on Saturday, from 11 am to 3 pm, is the Kids Craft. Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 4 pm is Afterschool Club.
On Saturday, Jan. 6, Pathways will hold their monthly “Dance Event with Performance,” followed by dancing for all with DJ KOS (a.k.a. Keith Bassett). The event will run from 7 to 9 pm; doors will open at 6:30 pm. Those performing include Jesse Keller and Lisa Weiss, Tessa Permar, Corrine De Langavant, and Ty Romijn. On Tuesday, Jan. 9 they will host “Open Writing and Poetry” with the optional theme “Making It Last.” Pathways Living Room Studios is open daily from 11 am to 5 pm, except Wednesdays and Sundays. Every Monday, beginning Jan. 8, the Knitting Group will meet from 1 to 3 pm. The group is led by Rebecca Gilbert.
Ken Wentworth and Liz Witham launched a crowdfunding campaign for their documentary “Keepers of the Light,” and over 100 people have already donated. WGBH, a flagship PBS station, wants to broadcast the film once it is completed, and they will be making the film available for broadcast to PBS stations nationwide. There is still time to donate to the project; just go to film-truth.com and click on the Donate button.
Martha’s Vineyard Community Services’ Recovery Coach Services, in collaboration with Fly Outreach Program, will begin a four-week “Yoga for Recovery” series. The series will meet weekly on Monday and Thursday at both the Vineyard House (Monday) and Island Images Gallery (Thursday). The series will begin on Jan. 8 and run through Feb. 1. Classes are open to anyone in the recovery community, with a suggested donation of $5 to $15. The “Yoga for Recovery” series uses a holistic approach to support healing from addiction and substance use disorder through the practice of yoga and meditation. Monday’s classes will be taught by Sharon Duncan in the Hazel Teagan room of the Vineyard House (56 Short Hill Rd., Vineyard Haven) from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. Thursday’s classes will be taught by Angie Lyon at Island Images Gallery (57 Circuit Ave., Oak Bluffs) from 6 to 7 pm. Registration is not required, and yoga mats and props will be provided.
Berta and Vern Welch had their rocking holiday party just before Christmas. There was a great DJ, and some surprisingly good dancers among the guests. Unsupervised children started a card game that may or may not have involved betting. People came from up- and down-Island bearing food and drink. Everyone had at least one serious conversation with someone they hadn’t seen in a while, and all guests made sure they looked good. In short, it was a wonderful time.
Happy birthday to Olive and Violet MacPhail, who celebrated on Dec. 30. Happy birthday to Megan Ottens-Sargent, who celebrates on Saturday.
