NANCY GARDELLA

508-693-3308

(vhavenvgazette@yahoo.com)

More of 12-year-old Cheyenne Cormier’s first visit to the Little Apple, White Plains, N.Y.:

Cheyenne makes friends with people and pets everywhere she goes, and Nonna’s neighborhood was no exception. She met Nancy Hantman, Jim and ChiChi Markey, Tony and Bonnie Massaro, their daughter Heather, and Heather’s four year old, Justin. She met Lyuda from Russia, who was the other Nancy Gardella’s au pair, and is now au pair to three-year-old Luka. Lyuda, Luka, and Cheyenne went to the children’s park on the corner many times. Luka speaks German (Dad), Russian (Mom) and English, so I hope Cheyenne learned something. She also took Justin to the park. She was especially fond of our tenants, Rachel Schoolcraft and her husband, Arun Singh. They have a year-old baby named Olivia, who Cheyenne took to immediately. Mona and her husband, Rajiv, help take care of Olivia so Cheyenne befriended them, as well as their dog Athena. Unfortunately for me, Cheyenne’s wise mother, Renae, has taught Chey to be a comparison shopper. This involved many trips to the dreaded malls, whereas I would have preferred if Chey spent all her cash in one shot and we didn’t have to return. Chey always bought gifts for her family first, bragged about her sale purchases, and then showed them to all her new friends in the ‘hood. There was talk about Chey spending the summer there as everyone’s babysitter. We’ll see.

The annual Evening Under the Stars to benefit our Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support Group will be held on Thursday, May 17th at Lattanzi’s in Edgartown from 6 p.m. To 9 p.m. There will be delicious food, door prizes, and gift certificates. All money raised stays on Island for those struggling with cancer. For more information call 508.696.9849 or e-mail: jcarrollmv@aol.com. I’ll see you there.

Our library continues with free famous films, next Tuesday, May 15, at 7 p.m. An Oscar-nominated movie, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, based on the bestseller by Jonathan Safran Foer, highlights a young New York boy who finds a key in his deceased father’s belongings and sets out on a city-wide search to find its lock. Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock also star. I’ll see you there.

What great news from Charles and Carolyn Redington, now of Longmeadow and Florida, formerly of our Island. Carolyn is proud to report that Charles has won the Springfield College Distinguished Professor of Humanics award. Congratulations! You all know their daughter, son in law, and granddaughter on Island: Laurel Redington-Whitaker, Ray Whitaker, and Tessa Rose.

George Balco wants to remind you that next Tuesday, May 15, at our library, there is a free event at 1 p.m., too important to miss. A representative from the Weston Observatory will be at the library to talk about the Boston Education Seismology Project. Please stop by and learn.

Our Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living will hold its final cultural series luncheon for the season at the Grill on Main in Edgartown on Saturday, May 19, from noon till 2 p.m. The theme is the legacy of farming and its influence on our way of life. Speakers will be Jim and Deborah Athearn of Morning Glory Farm, Melinda Rabbitt DeFeo of the home grown project, and, my personal favorite, farmer Elisha Smith. Tickets are $25 per person, call Leslie Clapp to reserve at 508.939.9440.

Hey, kids, listen up—stay safe at the prom and the after parties, OK?

Anniversary bouquets go to Tim and Susan Anthony today.

The birthday bandwagon pulls along Mary Anne D’Alessandro and Tristan Klein today. May 12 is shared by Jyl Manning and P.J. Fleming. May 13 belongs to Terri Hayes and James Cooley. May 14 is a party for Becky Wilson Esposito, Emily Tarbegh, Jesse Elsasser and Dan D. Koch. May 15 is claimed by Jeffrey Sylvia. May 16 shines on James Seccombe and Silvio Spiconardi. And on May 17, Martin Simoni, Wesley Coelho Souza, and Jenna Bagnall take the cake. Many happy returns.