JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

It may be October already but many Chilmarkers are still entertaining guests, seasonal visitors are still arriving and many weddings are still part of every weekend. This past weekend was a very wet one, but the newlyweds will be assured by many of us that a wet September wedding in Chilmark will be fondly remembered. They will share that memory with Herb and me as we celebrated the anniversary of a wet wedding day in September 43 years ago.

Congratulations to Jim and Roberta Morgan of Menemsha who celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary on Sept. 29, and to Donald and Hildy Mitchell of Vineyard Haven who celebrated their 57th anniversary last week. Donald was born and raised in Chilmark at the unique Mayhew Mitchell House in Quansoo. It is believed to be the oldest house still standing in Chilmark. Cheers to all!

Max and Connie McCreary of Abel’s Hill welcomed the annual visit of Paul and Carole Johnson and Steve and Ann Mandel of Darien, Ct. and Fran Hitchcock and Sandy Miller from Wellfleet. The group has gathered for their annual book club meeting for 20 years now. A good time was had by all.

Nancy Nitchie enjoyed a visit from Cathy Burrier of Stevensville, Md. at her Quitsa home for a few days last week.

Ann Dietrich traveled from her South Road home to see friends in Colorado for a September visit.

David Densmore of Alaska visited Chilmark this week. He is a fisherman and poet and came to read his poetry and talk about fishing at a program at the Library on Wednesday evening. While here, he stayed with the Morgan family in Menemsha and visited the Tisbury School where he read to the children and discussed his poems and his lifestyle with them. David and his work were well received everywhere.

Tom Aronson and Mary Midkiff of Louisville, Ky., spent last week at the Aronson cottage on Chowder Kettle Lane. Tom is the son of the late Henry Aronson and nephew of the late James Aronson. Jim’s widow, Grambs Miller Aronson sends greetings to all her Island friends, as she was unable to come herself this summer. Tom is the vice president of Churchill Downs Race track in Kentucky. Mary is an author with two books currently at the bookstores. One is She Flies Without Wings, which is about how horses help humans, and the other is Fitness, Performance and the Female Equestrian.

Bill Vincent and his daughter, Katie, came to the family home on South Road for a brief September visit. Their home is in Niskayuna, N.Y. Bob Vincent is now at the house for a three-week stay from his home in Schenectady, N.Y..

The Chilmark School parent teacher organization will meet on Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. at the school. All parents and interested people are welcome to attend. Alicia Knight and Rachel Hickey are chairman and co-chairman this year.

Evelyn Kreyling tells us that the fifth annual hike for Justin L. Coleman will be on Oct. 11 at 11:30 a.m., starting from the Coleman home at 150 South Road. Hikers will have a choice of a one-mile hike led by Evelyn or a 10-mile hike led by Justin’s mother, Julie Coleman. The money raised this year will be given to the Martha’s Vineyard Drive for Life program, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Martha’s Vineyard and Outward Bound, USA. If there are questions, please call Evelyn at 508-645-2261.

The Community Solar Greehouse of Martha’s Vineyard will hold its fall harvest festival on Sunday, Oct. 5 from noon to 3 p.m. The greenhouse is on New York avenue in Oak Bluffs next to Dick’s Bait and Tackle shop. The festival will include free soup, music, demonstrations in spinning and arts and crafts, produce and games for children. This will be the COMSOG’s 21st annual fall festival.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will conduct a public meeting at the library on Oct. 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. to discuss the Noman’s Land Island National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan. The public is invited to attend; you may learn more about refuge plans by going to fws.gov/northeast/planning/refugeCCPs.

The women’s symposium will meet at the community center on Oct. 18 at 9 a.m. The subject of this meeting is What If? There will be speakers, discussion groups and refreshments.