JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

There was joy in the Weisman household earlier this month when Hugh and Suzanne announced the engagement of their daughter Ali to Malcolm McDowell. Both are educators in New York city who became engaged one recent spring day on Windy Gates beach. They are planning a Chilmark wedding in October. Congratulations to all!

Congratulations to Katie Vincent who graduated from the Schenectady County Community College on the 16th of May. She is the daughter of William Vincent and the late Priscilla Vincent and niece of Robert Vincent, all of Schenectady and Chilmark. Cheers from us all!

Cathy Thompson is enjoying some vacation time at her Menemsha home.

The popular clam shack, the Bite, will be open by the time you read this. Karen Flynn and her sister, Jackie, are busy preparing for another busy season on Basin Road.

Cheers from us all to Sam Feldman, who will celebrate his 80th birthday in style at a public party at the Farm Institute at Katama Farm on Sunday, May 24, from noon to 3 p.m. with lunch, music and kids activities — come one and all, come rain or shine!

Carol Mays of Londonderry, N.H., spent last weekend with her mother, Mildred Mayhew, at her Menemsha home.

Did I tell you that I spotted the first swimmer at Menemsha beach on May 8? Swimming in May isn’t always news, but this year the weather has been so cold and damp swimming didn’t seem inviting!

Stephen Mayhew came for a weekend visit with his family, Elmore and Vonda Mayhew on State Road.

We all send many wishes for returning good health to Tom Osmers, a popular fisherman known to many Chilmark folk who are thinking of him at this time.

The Chilmark Community Church is having a plant and yard sale in their Fellowship building behind the church on Saturday, May 23, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be many flower and vegetable plants offered for sale as well as tables of what we used to call White Elephant items. The sale is on rain or shine.

We send condolences to the family and many friends of Weston Howland Jr. of Weston and Chilmark. He led a busy life of good works in many fields that earned him many friends and many honors. His interest in the beauty of the Vineyard led to successful achievements in conservation that benefit us all. His friends and family will miss his active presence among them.

Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard is holding their 16th annual Oak Bluffs run on Sunday, May 24, at 11 a.m. at the Wesley House. There is still time to register from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Wesley House on May 23. The five-kilometer road race will benefit Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard.

The Chilmark Free Public Library welcomes Ellen Bunch, who began her summer employment on May 20. Ellen is a new year-round resident of West Tisbury.

Best wishes to Roland and Gert Shea as they move into their new home on North Road this week. Moving is never easy even when it is on the same side of the road!

The unique artworks of Elizabeth Carter will be shown at the Chilmark library from tomorrow until June 12. The opening reception will be on Saturday, May 23, from 3 to 5 p.m. Her works are wall sculptures that combine many objects and materials.

Chilmark artist Dawn Greeley will be remembered with a special art show at the Shaw Cramer Gallery on Main street in Vineyard Haven. The show, called Remembering Dawn Greeley, will display her paintings and offer them at special prices. The show will be open from now through Monday, throughout the Memorial Day weekend. Also, a memorial garden will be dedicated this weekend at the Featherstone Center for the Arts near the blinker in Oak Bluffs in Dawn’s honor Sunday at 1 p.m. Dawn was a gifted artist who passed away last spring, and she is missed by her many friends.

Popular town employee and tax collector Polly McDowell has announced her retirement from her town offices. We will miss her cheery face around town hall and her help and concern at tax time. Polly also served on the school committee, the town hall building committee and served as staff representative on the personnel board ... and served for many years as our tax collector. We all thank her for her hard work in our behalf and wish her well in her retirement.

Please let me hear about all the graduations happening in Chilmark families, year-round or seasonal. We all like to share the good news!