JUNE D. MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks@gis.net)

The Rev. David Berube will be the guest minister at Community Baptist Church on Sunday. Reverend Berube is a member of the Oak Bluffs Police Department and serves as chaplain for at Otis Air Force Base.

The church congregation would like to thank Barry and Grace Reeves for their generosity and opening of their Totem Pole Inn for an evening of fellowship following the candlelight service on Christmas Eve. We enjoyed a night of reminiscing about our memories of the Totem Pole Inn over the past half century and who lived in which of the four homes and their duties at the inn.

The Aquinnah Wampanoag Elders’ luncheon on Dec. 19 was attended by many generations of tribal members. We were treated to scallops harvested by Julianne Vanderhoop Mahoney from Menemsha Pond and provided by Bret Stearns as director of the natural resources department. Each elder also received a special gift package. Thank you to the hunters who donated 11 deer for our elders program which will provide meals throughout the winter and for elder luncheons. Donors include Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribal Elder Gilbert Silvia, his sons Kenneth and Michael, and his grandson Michael Dube, as well as Nicholas Bologna of Aquinnah and Joseph Fontaine, Philip Packish, William Berry and David Miller.

On Friday, the tribal staff party was scheduled with the usual Yankee swap. It was decided to order Chinese food from New Bedford, which has been done for a previous celebration. This time though, the food was shipped to Nantucket in error. After the boxes of food were located, the shipment was then headed back to New Bedford. When that error was noted, the airplane had to turn around to return to the Vineyard with the food. Meanwhile Kristina and Carrie had their brunch at the Plane View Restaurant while the staff quickly prepared lunches to go for 25 people. As for the Chinese food, we shared it at our Aquinnah potluck holiday party on Saturday evening.

That party was fun for all. Santa arrived via the assistance of Aquinnah Police officer Ryan Maher, as his sleigh broke down at West Basin. Santa presented each child with a gift certificate for either Kiddo’s, the Toy Box, Bunch of Grapes Bookstore or Aboveground Records. Thank you to Mekenock Bellecourt and the Aquinnah Community Programs Committee members Betty Joslow, Nancy Leport, and Kristina Leslie for planning the evening. The Chinese food was a treat.

That story was just too good not to pass on to others. So, I thought I would send an e-mail to Lieut. Commander Ron J. MacLaren in Kuwait. In return, I received a very touching story of one of his men who was critically injured. It brought tears to my eyes on Christmas Day. Ron had to go out and try to cheerfully celebrate the holiday with his various units and to not let on that anything was seriously wrong until after the holiday passed. Bless him. Ron is in charge of hundreds of service men and women from all branches and of numerous units. He is the director of the health program for the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe and we look forward to his return in May.

Rick and Roberta Gross arrived this week from their winter home in Washington, D.C., for a two-week stay. They are looking forward to their annual celebration welcoming in the New Year with friends in Aquinnah.

Dr. Don Hare and his wife Nancy will arrive this weekend to see their neighbors Rick and Berta Gross. Great news: Dr. Hare is doing exceptionally well and improving considerably from illness he experienced over the summer.

Condolences to the family and friends of Ruth Hughes, who died at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on Dec. 20. Ruth and her husband Bob Hughes of Pinkletink Way shared their love of Vineyard history by often sending interesting notes and newspaper articles that pertained to Vineyarders. We always looked forward to those tidbits.

Sean MacPhail, his wife Alexandra and their twins Olive and Violet moved into their new home on Lighthouse Road a week before Christmas, celebrating with a Christmas Eve open house.

Chris Manning arrived home on Friday from his freshman year studies at Memorial University in Newfoundland. The storm on Thursday delayed his flight. It circled around Logan seemingly forever, and then turned around and went to Montreal for the night. Needless to say, Chris stayed awake all night at the airport in Montreal to prepare for an early flight home on Friday morning. His little brother Noah was delighted to see him.

Joan Gentry Patadal arrived home on Sunday after spending the past two months at Spaulding Rehab in Boston where she has received extensive physical therapy. She was accompanied home by her daughter Bea and they enjoyed the Christmas holiday with sister Barbara and mother Beatrice Gentry.

Matthew Scott, son of Frank and Linda Garvin Scott, arrived home on Thursday from his freshman-year studies at Dartmouth College. Matthew had spent the past 10 days of this semester traveling with the Dartmouth Chords, performing throughout New England.

Tiffany Smalley, daughter of Jay and Millicent, arrived home this week from her freshman-year studies at Harvard.

Tobias J. Vanderhoop arrived home over the weekend to spend Christmas with his family. He is now halfway through his studies at Harvard University with the Kennedy School of Government.

Barbara Wallen and her husband Gary are now year-round residents of Aquinnah. Barbara, a longtime Lobsterville resident, is glad to be here after summering here for decades.

Dawn Widdiss arrived for the Christmas stay with her mother Gladys A. Widdiss and to spend the holiday with her brothers Don and Carl.

Get-well wishes to Nancy Convery Young who is undergoing medical treatment. Marianne Thomas has been taking care of Nancy’s home while she is away.

Arnold Zack and his wife Norma Zack, arrived this past week for a stay at their Lighthouse Road home. Their daughter Rachel arrives this week while their son Jonathan is in Los Angeles.

Happy 16th anniversary wishes to Joan Lelacheur and Richard Skidmore as they celebrate on Dec. 31.

Happy birthday wishes this week to Donald L. Britt and Paul Vandal as they celebrate on Dec. 28. Aquinnah fire chief Walter E. Delaney’s special day is Dec. 29. Olive and Violet MacPhail will celebrate their second birthday on Dec. 30 in their new home down the road.