JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

slaterjn@comcast.net

Chilmark sends condolences today to the many friends and family of Walter Russell Silva, who was a lifelong Chilmarker. He was born and raised on the Tea Lane Farm, also known as the Silva Farm. He served in the Army and, on discharge, returned to Chilmark with his wife Lucette, a native of France. Among other jobs, he was the superintendent of the Seven Gales Farm for many years. He died on Dec. 29 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and will be buried today at 11 a.m. at the Abel’s Hill Cemetery with military honors. He enjoyed keeping in touch with all his Island friends, and those he visited regularly will miss him. He very much enjoyed his oysters and came to Menemsha frequently for them and for the company of his friends there.

We send condolences to the family and friends of Jennie C. Wlodyka. She was the mother of Walter Wlodyka of Chilmark and grandmother to Lev C. of Chilmark and Sascha Vargas of Florida and great-grandmother of their children. She had been a resident of Windemere for a number of years.

Congratulations to Jay Crosby and Diana Litchfield, who were married here on Dec. 31 with the reception at the community center. Jay is the grandson of Bobbie Leventhal Crosby and has been a seasonal resident of Chilmark and member of the community center all his life. Cheers from us all!

The Chilmark selectmen and the Tea Lane Farm committee will hold an open house at the farm on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. The invitation is to any who might wish to rent the farm and restore the farmhouse and out buildings. It is hoped that there will be several farm plans submitted to the town and applications for the lease. Any questions will be answered at the open house and/or by calling town hall.

Friends of Norman and Diana Freed eagerly await their return to their Chilmark home. They are currently in Boston, where both are attending to health problems. We hope to see them home and out and about soon.

The Yard is hosting a fund-raising party at the community center on Jan. 13 with music by Johnny Hoy. They hope to catch up with the expenses of 2011. Please call 508-645-9662 for more information about the festivities.

There will be a public meeting with the U.S. Coast Guard and their architects at the Chilmark town hall on Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. This will be the final discussion of plans for the replacement of the boathouse in Menemsha Basin.

Bill and Zee Gamson are back at their Chilmark home after an end-of-year visit to Oakland, Ca, to visit their son, Josh, and his daughters, Reba and Maddy. While out west, they visited Zee’s brother, Harry Keshet and his family in Chico, Ca. They also enjoyed a visit to the Sacramento Valley Nature Sanctuary.

We send condolences to the family and friends of longtime Chilmark seasonal resident, Albert L. Cohn, who died Dec. 27. He wintered in West Orange, N.J., where he had a successful career in law. He was well known in his field and highly regarded. His friends here will miss his cheerful presence among us every summer. He and his wife, Sylvia, maintain a home at Prospect Hill overlooking Menemsha, where he shared the pleasures of sailing with his family and friends.

The Cultural Luncheon Series offered monthly by the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living will start off the new year with a luncheon honoring the Scottish influence and contributions to Island life. The luncheon will be at the Grill on Main from noon to 2 p.m. on Jan. 14, with Steve Ewing as the speaker. Tickets are $25 per person and are available by calling Leslie Clapp at 508-939-9440.

Susan Larsen has called to our attention to the fact that it is a new year, but there is still no cure for breast cancer. She will take part in her third Avon Walk for Cancer event on May 19 and 20 in Boston. She is a two year survivor of this cancer and dedicated to raising funds and awareness so that a cure may be found soon. Her daughter Brigida will be part of the youth group, Avon Walk Boston Youth Crew. Susan will walk 39.3 miles and hopes to raise a minimum of $1,800 dollars. With help from her Vineyard supporters she has raised $24,000 over the last two years. We wish her well and provide you with the following contact information: Her fund-raising Internet address is avonwalk.org/goto/susan.larsen. Her local mail address is 108 Hammett Lane, Chilmark, Ma. 02552. Let’s offer whatever support we can to Sue and Brigida as they try to help us all.