JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

slaterjn@comcast.net

Santa arrived at the Chilmark Community Center on time on Wednesday last and was well received. A very large crowd of Chilmark folk was on hand to greet him as he gave out cheer and gifts to the Chilmark young.

Next door at the Chilmark Library a fair crowd was entertained by the Vineyard Haven Brass Band, who played Christmas carols both old and new in a most enjoyable concert sponsored by the Friends of the Chilmark Library.

Music was in the air at the library on Wednesday. Two Chilmark School students, Madia Bellebuono and Kelly Klaren, treated the patrons and staff to an impromptu holiday concert played on their saxophones. It was considered by all to be a special holiday treat.

The Chilmark Community Church will hold a 5:30 p.m. candlelight service of lessons and carols on Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24. The public is invited to join the congregation. The Christmas Sunday service will also feature the singing of carols. That service begins at 9 a.m.

We send condolences to the family and friends of Eleanor S. Gadd of Bloomfield, Conn. and Abel’s Hill, Chilmark. She died on Friday, Dec. 16. The family plans a memorial service at Abel’s Hill in June. She is sadly missed by her three daughters, Emily B. Gadd of Bozeman, Mont. and Chilmark; Carol Gadd of Newington, Conn., and Fran Demers and her husband, Phil, and their sons, John and Dan, of Chilmark. A complete obituary will appear in a future issue of this paper.

The West Tisbury Congregational Church is again offering community suppers on Wednesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. at the church. The first of the season will be on Jan. 4 and the last is scheduled for March 28. All are welcome. Side dishes also are welcome but not required.

We send welcome greetings to Bob and Jane Wachsler of Tiasquam Ridge who are moving here year-round and looking forward to enjoying Chilmark all year long. Their children of New York city, Black Rock, Conn., and Portland, Ore. will be visiting and helping Bob and Jane settle in. Gracie, their rescue Brittany spaniel, is already alerting the neighbors of their arrival! Cheers from us all!

The Chilmark Church community soup suppers are on Tuesday nights at the church. They begin at 5:30 p.m.

The popular Friday night movies will begin at the Chilmark library on Jan. 6. The Friends of the Chilmark Library offer us these evenings of free admission, popcorn and a classic movie — all beginning at 7 p.m. on Fridays. The first movie on Jan. 6 will be Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The weekly movies will continue until April 6. The weekly matinee movie with chowder will be offered at the library beginning Jan. 25.

Cheers to you all for whatever holidays you are celebrating as we move through the end of yet another year and head into 2012. We wish you all health and happiness and we wish, again, for peace in our world.