KATHIE CASE

508-627-5349

(kathleencase@comcast.net)

It feels like we are going through the January thaw in February this year. The warm weather is teasing us into an April fool’s joke. But we will take it and it was nice to see the snow leave in one day.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated this past week. Big balloons go out to Meghan Delphous who celebrated her day Feb. 1, Ethan Lefebvre Feb. 2, Elizabeth Hayman Feb. 3, Paige Fiske and Robert Olcott Feb. 4, Mason Bassett, Matthew Lavoie, Taylor Poggi and Aiden Rogers Feb. 6, Tonya Sequeira Feb. 8, Amanda Moraes Feb. 11, Sophia Decker and John Habekost Jr. Feb. 12 and Luke McCracken and Amadine Muniz who celebrate today, Feb. 13.

Special wishes go out to Lori Machado who celebrated her day Feb. 5.

Once again our Island community pulled together for one of its own. Will Oteri, who is an Edgartown police officer, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma this past fall. Will and his wife Tracy have been traveling back and forth to Boston four days a week; they have three small children and Tracy also works at the police station as the executive assistant. So it has been a busy schedule for all.

Will’s fellow officers started planning a fund-raiser to help with the financial part of the traveling and other costs the couple has been facing. Last Friday night the event happened at the Wharf. I have never seen so many people in the Wharf at one time; people came in and out all night long.

There were raffles and a silent auction of articles many people donated and there were tickets raffled for the Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Patriot games. Joanne Cassidy and the Sultans of Swing were the entertainment. It was an overwhelming night for the family; many came from off-Island. Tracy said she is still in awe of all that went on that night and the generosity of this community. But as we have said many times, we live in a special place and we are very lucky.

The best thing about the whole weekend was Will and Tracy traveled to Boston on Monday and a test came back showing that the spot that they found is now gone. So Will will be going through one more treatment and hopefully be done by the middle of March. That was the best news all of us could hear.

I wish you all a happy Valentine’s Day; may you get the rose or box of chocolates that you want.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.