JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

Chilmark is aglow this week! The fall foliage is at its best these days. The rain and wind today does not bode well for any lengthy display. I hope you down-Island folks had a chance to take your annual foliage ride up-Island earlier this week to enjoy our fall colors! It has been really pretty and colorful all week.

The Halloween festivities have been in preparation all week. The Chilmark children are all invited to the annual costume party at the community center, sponsored by the Chilmark firefighters’ association. Details are in the able hands of Katie Carroll this year. The fun begins at 5 p.m. and continues until costume prizes are awarded and food consumed and then the neighborhood visitations begin! It all reminds me in no way of what our Halloweens were like in a smaller Chilmark. We did make up some elaborate costumes and we did go out trick or treating but I do recall more tricks than I hear about today! The neighborhood has changed; for instance, there are no more outhouses to be endangered. As I recall, there was a great deal of toilet paper and assorted string involved in some of the tricks oh, well, don’t let the kids read this. They will have a grand time, and we know we will all be happier with their activities than I remember our parents being with ours!

We all send best wishes to Bill Smith, who should be at his Menemsha Crossroads home as I write, recovering from surgery done this week at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. We will all be happy to see him out and about soon.

The 26th Women’s Symposium will meet tomorrow, Oct. 30, at the Community Center at 9 a.m. The group will hear speakers, join discussion groups and share refreshments. Donations are welcome to cover expenses. This is a popular event so it is suggested that you arrive early for parking in the area.

A well-known Islander, John Mayhew, who is known to many from his years of teaching Island students, hunting and fishing Island-wide, and, in his 90 years, befriending most all of us, will celebrate his 90th birthday Oct. 31. The family is holding an open house birthday party for him in the downstairs dining room of Windemere, where John now lives. Come out and greet John and his family from 2 to 4 p.m. Cheers from us all, John!

Roland and Gertrude Shea of Hammett Lane and Gert’s sister, Marilyn Fish and her husband, Gene, of West Tisbury, hosted a birthday celebration for their sister, Alice Wallace, who was 88 this week. Alice was born at the Hammett Farm in Chilmark and now lives in Franklin, Tenn. Beverly Chenaille, also a sister, and her husband, Francis, were here for the weekend. Roland and Gert’s son, Raymond, and his wife, Camille, came from Bow, N.H., for the festivities. Cheers from us all!

The annual commercial scalloping season opens this week. We all hope it will be a long and profitable season for our fishermen.

The parking lot at the community center was repaved this week. Just in time for the heavy traffic on election day. Don’t forget to vote. Polls are open from to 8 p.m.

Irene Tewkesbury at the Chilmark Library is asking for help with her many craft classes for the children’s after-school programs. She needs some plastic coffee can covers. If you can help, please drop them off at the library for her.

Clarissa Allen, Adriana Ignacio and Kristin Maloney are back from an enjoyable week in New Mexico. They visited in Abiquiu with Kristin’s mother, Sonya Hodson, who lives there. While in New Mexico, the ladies visited the famous Ghost Ranch, toured Santa Fe and other attractions of that state.

Susan Murphy reminds us that the Needlework and Fiber Arts Group meets every Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the library. All are welcome.