Hawaii. Florida. Vermont. Bahamas. Texas. Colorado. Mexico. Maine. Costa Rica. All of these glorious places and more have drawn the attention of Chilmark families. Some may be kicking back closer to home and feeling fairly content doing so but all will have stories to share once everyone is back together after a February highlight, school vacation week. Some may have stories of swimming in tropical blue waters or shooshing through fresh powder. Others will have stories of hiking the highest peak in town or skipping stones at Menemsha Beach. All different. All equally wonderful.

Whether school vacation means boarding a plane, road tripping or simply staying home with the phone off the hook and a book by the fire, may the upcoming week be an enjoyable one for you all and do share some stories when you return to reality.

If you and your kids are keeping close to home, the library has some fun stuff lined up for the week. From Wii to Legos to movies the folks at the library aim to please all. As an added bonus, be sure to ask about the library passport because if you have one in hand and you manage to enjoy three or more programs at any Island library you win a prize. Give the library a call at 508-645-3360 for details.

Congratulations to Dash Christy, son of Jenny and Todd, on this noteworthy time in life. This high school sophomore is, as they say when everything seems to be going your way, “on fire.” Not only is he getting numerous hours behind the steering wheel with his learners permit, but he placed fifth in the state with his personal record long jump of 19 feet 5 inches. To top off the excitement, he took a second place award at the MVRHS Science Fair for his project on aerodynamic houses. Fynn Monahan, son of Anja May and Mike, also received a second place award for the project he worked on with Michael Wallace. Sports Drinks vs. Orange Juice: Electrolyte Count was the project that also earned them the special Biology Award given to a project that demonstrates originality and outstanding investigation in a biology field.

Congratulations to Clem and Diana Littleton on the arrival of their most recent grandchild. Mackenzie Elinor Littleton, born to Brittany, Rob and two-year-old sister Olivia Jean on Feb. 6 in Woodstock, Ga. weighed in at a picture perfect 7 lbs, 11 oz. Her great-grandmother and namesake, Elinor, and great-grandfather, Fred, would have been so pleased to meet her.

On Sunday, April 29,  at 11 a.m., the life of longtime community member, educator, and friend Chris Abrams will be celebrated at the Ag Hall in West Tisbury. John, Pinto, Jess, Kalib, Silas, Axel, Sophie and John all look forward to your company and the opportunity to exchange words, enjoy song and break break while remembering Chris and how she impacted so many of us, from the youngest to the oldest of out community members.

I’d like to extend my condolences to the family of Vera Pratt, who died Feb. 8 at the age of 83. I did not know her well but enjoyed our chats when she stopped in for fuel at the Texaco.

It seems appropriate that this week’s edition of buried at Abel’s Hill with Harriette Poole Otteson reflects on the life of Joseph Lash. Born in New York in 1909, Joseph spent his college years chairing college socialist organizations. Through the Depression he was committed to the Socialist Revolution and organized anti-war demonstrations. He appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee and considered himself as “a full time revolutionary dedicated to fighting fascism.” He met Eleanor Roosevelt in 1939 during FDR’s presidential campaign. He married Trude Pratt in 1944 and became stepfather to her four children, including Vera. He was drafted during WWII to the Air Force and in 1950 joined The New York Post and, for most of that time, was the UN correspondent. After 16 years, he left The Post and dedicated his time to writing the Roosevelt biography. He also composed biographies on Dag Hammarkjold and Helen Keller, but it was Eleanor and Franklin for which he won the Pulitzer Prize. Until his death in 1987, he and his family spent many summers at their Menemsha Inn Road home.

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