JUNE D. MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks@gis.net)

Aquinnah family, friends and neighbors will gather for a pancake breakfast at the town hall on Sunday morning Jan. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon. All you can eat for $5. Children under five years of age will be able to eat free. The funds will assist with programs for Aquinnah. See you there.

Kevin M. Devine, a Sergeant with the United States Army, departed from Afghanistan early on Tuesday morning after spending the past year in the hills there. He will arrive this week in Fort Drum, N.Y., where his wife, Tabitha, and their children Derrick, Anthony and Kylie presently reside. We anticipate his arrival on the Vineyard soon for a visit with his parents, Wendy Oliver and Herbert Devine, and his sister Stephanie and her family, as well as hundreds of his Aquinnah Wampanoag cousins. It was great to keep up with Kevin on Facebook each week but rather scary when we did not hear from him for several weeks at one point. Job well done, Kevin and his fellow soldiers, and for all who serve to protect our freedom. Kevin had also served in Iraq, returning home in 2004.

Thank you to Betty Joslow and Nonie Madison for their planning the post-holiday event at the town hall on Dec. 30, which had been previously cancelled due to the impending blizzard. Santa arrived with great fanfare. Books and gifts were carefully selected by him for each child to enjoy. A potluck feast was enjoyed by all. Thank you to elves Theresa Manning and Faith Vanderhoop who assisted.

Susan Klein’s Spice of Life memoir writing series begins an eight-week session today and continues through the end of February. Susie will assist you with recalling past adventures, writing your thoughts, organizing your photographs and letters to include in a priceless work and getting it written. For further information regarding this exciting class, please call Susan at 508-693-4140.

Condolences to the family and friends of Claire Coggins, who passed away at Windemere on Sunday. Services were held on Wednesday in Tisbury.

Condolences to the family and friends of Richard McCarron Sr., who passed away this week. Our families’ paths have crossed many times over the past half a century, especially while his wife, Anne, and I worked at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.

Condolences to the family of Micah Naftalin of Lighthouse Road and Washington, D.C.

Congratulations and all the best to Billy Kingsbury and his bride, Laura Freeman, who were married on Jan. 2 in Lexington, Ky. Trippy Barnes was the best man, and he was accompanied to Kentucky by Madeline Fisher, of Edgartown.

Noah James Manning returned home this past week after spending Christmas in New York with his grandparents, William and Joan Kistner, at their home in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Noah not only enjoyed a visit from Santa at the Kistner home but also a telephone call from Santa as he was traveling on his sleigh through Chilmark on Christmas Eve. Noah repeatedly asked Santa for an excavator, and his wish was granted under the tree. Noah was accompanied by his parents, Paul and Theresa, and by his Grandma June. We also enjoyed visiting with other members of the Kistner family in Poughkeepsie.

Clyde Phillips has recently retired as executive producer of the television program Dexter for the past 12 years. He will be moving from Hollywood to their home in Connecticut and spending more time at their Aquinnah home with his wife, Jane Lancelotti, and their daughter Claire. They spent their Christmas in Aquinnah with Jane’s father, who had arrived from Florida, and on Christmas Day the family journeyed to Narragansett, R.I. to visit more family members.

Naushon Vanderhoop returned to her home in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Wednesday after spending the week with her mother, Roxanne Ackerman, and her sisters, Diamond and Faith, and James, and her brother Woody and his wife, Jamie.

Gladys Widdiss enjoyed a holiday visit from her great-granddaughter, Josie Iadicicco and her mother, Terry. Josie is in the seventh grade at Oak Bluffs School and is proud to be on the high honor roll.

Virginia Yorke is proud to say she was the first to take Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s memoir True Compass out of the Aquinnah library. She read each and every of the 532 pages and enjoyed each word while not being able to put the book down. Virginia did enjoy a one-week visit with her granddaughter, Summer, while staying at the Duck Inn.

Belated happy birthday greetings to our Aquinnah library director Jennifer Christy and her twin sister, Christine, as they celebrated on Jan. 1. Gary Haley also celebrated on New Year’s Day.

Belated happy birthday wishes to Dr. Timothy E. Guiney, who celebrated his very special day on Jan. 2.

Sonya Mayrand will party today as will Graeme Bradlee.