Chilmark is quickly shedding the blanket of snow that fell so incessantly on Saturday last. As I write on Tuesday lots of bare ground is already exposed and we are hoping for more to be revealed as the weather warms up this week. Of course, we can’t be sure that our first Friday the 13th of the year won’t bring mischief!

How sad that we have to say goodbye to Cheryl Stark way too soon. She was a beloved artist, businessperson and good friend to so many in our Island community and beyond. We send condolences to her family and many friends and will keep her memory close.

John and Hillary Keene and family spent the recent holidays in Colorado with Hillary’s family and helped to celebrate Hillary’s dad, Hal Noyes, 80th birthday. Cheers from us all!

Joe and Susan Chapman of Flanders Lane enjoyed having daughter Hadley home from her first semester at Purdue University.

It was cheering to see a couple of scallopers heading up the channel this morning...means it is warm enough to scallop and we will be seeing fresh scallops at the fish markets this week.

We know that Julie Flanders is happy to have daughter Bella Thorpe home from her skiing holiday in Europe, where skiing Zermatt had to be a highlight. The Thompson family is happy to have newly-arrived Mae Thompson home from the hospital after having arrived six weeks early. Cheers from us all!

I made a shout out to Katie Carroll for some news this week as I have been housebound and she has provided many of the details for this week’s column. I am very grateful.

Marshall and Katie Carroll and family are currently at Disney World enjoying fun and sun so it was even more of a favor for her to take time out to help me. They will be home by the time you read this. Their daughter, Bradley, will be heading back to her second semester at William and Mary on Jan. 16 and will be accompanied on the drive by her grandmother, Diana Lees. As a grandmother, I know what a treat that will be.

It is a busy time of year at town hall. Many of your neighbors are turning out for early morning and late evening meetings, all in the interest of keeping Chilmark moving ahead. I am always grateful for all the hours our volunteers put in to keep things moving.

Cheers to Ted Mayhew who will be home by the time you read this, recovering from eye surgery.

The pressure is on the dredgers to get the channel dredged by the end of this month. The next few days of mild weather must cheer them.

A public dancing dance hall hosted by The Yard will take place at the Chilmark Community Center on Jan. 20 from 7 to 10 p.m. and we will dance to the music of Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish. Who can resist? Tickets are $10 for adults and free for youth under 12.

Pathways continues to keep us engaged with an evening of music on Jan. 14 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Tavern in Chilmark center. They offer a program, Wool for Water, on Mondays from 1:15 to 3 p.m., where one can spin and knit with materials provided and all projects included.

Lunch is available from Josh Aronie’s food truck weekdays in the Home Port parking lot, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Send Chilmark news to slaterjn@comcast.net.