JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

Chilmark is ready to close the book on August and move into the slower season. It is always bittersweet to say goodbye to seasonal friends off to their other homes, schools and interests. We have enjoyed sharing the varied moods of summer with them.

Life moves us right along with new challenges and interests to replace the old. Word is out that the U.S. Coast Guard will commence the rebuilding of the burned down boathouse after Labor Day. The sidewalk superintendents will be on hand for the excitement.

Chilmarkers’ second most favorite activity, that of monitoring town government, is alive and well as we saw at the large gathering at town hall Tuesday evening. Citizens were invited to attend the selectmen’s meeting and share their views on a number of town concerns. It is always good to see how many people care about how Chilmark runs and that they turn out to participate.

There was a public meeting at town hall on Tuesday to hear the results of a several years-long, on-going study of the Tisbury Great Pond. The Massachusetts estuaries study has been completed and the report shows some changes in the nitrogen levels in the pond. Please go to MVTV or the on-demand television sites for complete coverage of the report. A story appears in today’s Gazette as well.

Bob Conway, Chilmark’s resident weather man, has been monitoring our weather for many years and reports that we had more rain — three and a quarter inches in a four-hour period on August 27 — than has fallen during that time frame in more than a year. He also observed that Chilmark had more rain on that day than the down-Island towns.

The coaches of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School’s cheerleading program have asked the town columnists to alert students to the fact that there are openings in their new fall program for athletes who wish to join the cheerleaders. Call Channon at 508-696-3787 or Sue at 508-627-9568 for information. The family of the late Rev. Norman Eddy of New York city and Abel’s Hill has invited friends and family to a service of internment at the Chilmark Abel’s Hill Cemetery on August 30 at 11 a.m. Mr. Eddy died on June 21 this year. The family requests that you call 508-645-3118 to RSVP.

Catha Day Carlson has been at her Peaked Hill home this week. Unfortunately, her mother Barbara Day is in the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital recovering from a fall at her West Tisbury home last weekend. We wish her a speedy recovery and hope to see her out and about soon.

Cola Parker and Andy Anderson welcomed daughter Ella home from camp in time for her to enter three craft items in the annual Agricultural Fair for which she won three blue ribbons. Congratulations, Ella! The family lives off South Road.

And finally, a note on the need to pay attention to the danger of ticks. I was too busy to take in the program last week at the Chilmark Community Center offered by the Martha’s Vineyard boards of health or I would have known that the red mark on my leg deserved more attention than I wanted to give it. Do remain alert to the tick possibilities and don’t hesitate to go for a professional check of the bite. It won’t take long, doesn’t hurt and will save complications in the future.