Sunny and seasonably cold and calm in Aquinnah over the holiday weekend, with only a slight bit of snow on Monday morning. May it remain this way for a few more weeks but we know there will be a storm or two in the forecast. The calmness of it all will allow us to ponder our New Year’s resolutions. In the meantime, it will be comforting to enjoy the peacefulness of viewing the half dozen pair of mute swans and their cygnets at the edge of Squibnocket Pond.

Two weeks ago, members of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum board, committees, builders and the many who have worked diligently on the US Marine Hospital to get it in mint condition were invited to view the fruits of their labor. To quote my colleague Skip Finley, it is spectacular!

We are anticipating a soft opening in January but in the meantime, you may still make a tax-deductible donation (for 2018) to the museum online at mvmuseum.org/support.php or by telephone at 508-627-4441 x 121 or by mail to Martha’s Vineyard Museum, 151 Lagoon Pond Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. The funds will be most welcome, especially before the official opening. Heather Seger or Katy Fuller can answer questions—and may be convinced to give you a quick tour of our brand new, world-class museum.

The night before, the YMCA of MV board met for a holiday gathering and to officially vote to approve the merger with the MV Ice Arena that our former board president, Al Woollacott, so creatively and steadfastly worked on for the past few years. It will be a smooth transition due to the efforts of Al and other members of the YMCA board and staff. Nice to finally see this come to fruition.

Drive with pride with a Martha’s Vineyard license plate, for the benefit of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services and the programs that support nearly half the Islanders in one manner or another. Is your vehicle registration about to end? You may go to the registry of motor vehicles and request a Martha’s Vineyard license plate wherever you reside in Massachusetts for an additional tax-deductible $40 for a two-year registration.

Twenty per cent of the profits will then be donated to youth groups or elder programs during the year. This past year, Big Brothers, Big Sisters benefitted as well as the Island Elderly Housing for their blueberry van that transports elders around the Island.

Meanwhile, the Friends of Up-Island Council on Aging have been busy at the Howes House working on the new schedule of programs for elders for 2019 including a new drawing class.

The Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living has been enjoying their new space provided by the county and towns, so stop by. They are located at 29 Breakdown Lane in Tisbury, down Holes Hole Road behind the SBS building across from the Black Dog Café.

The Federated Church in Edgartown will offer a free lasagna luncheon every Sunday, from Jan. 6 through March 31, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. If the roads are closed, so is the lunch. All are welcome. For more information, call 508-627-4421 or e-mail officefederatedchurchmv@gmail.com.

It was a delight to see Todd J. Araujo, Esq. while out shopping on Monday. Todd took a red-eye flight from his home in Alaska to make a surprise visit to his family for Christmas, his first time home for Christmas in nearly 20 years.

Edward, Fawn and Eddie Jr. enjoyed their Christmas holiday with her mother Gloria Fisk in Edgartown. They were looking forward to baby Lincoln Scott’s first Christmas.

Theresa and Noah Manning, Kayla and Kylee Darcy returned Sunday evening after spending the weekend in New York with the Kistner family. They celebrated Theresa’s birthday on Saturday and a family Christmas party including four generations. Theresa’s brother Dan Kistner flew in from California to surprise them all.

Congratulations and all the best to Anastasia Sargent who graduated on Dec. 15 from Art Center College of Design with a BFA. She was class valedictorian.

Belated birthday wishes to Ingy Farat Lew, Nancy Huntington Nitchie, Claus Maple Smith, Max Batzer, and John Bunker.

Charlotte Bologna celebrates her seventh birthday on Friday; Twins Olive Mae and Violet Jeanne MacPhail celebrate their 13th birthday on Dec. 30; Karen Truchon Altieri parties on Jan. 1 as will Linda Maida Coutinho; Dr. Timothy E. Guiney, my most favorite cardiologist in the world, celebrates his special day on Jan. 2; Donald Widdiss will party on Jan. 2; Cody Coutinho, Evelyn Vanderhoop and Chris Fischer all share Jan. 3; Stephen P. Silvia will party on Jan. 4 as will David Duarte; Alexander James Milavsky parties on Jan. 5 and shares the day with Francis Brown.

Happy new year one and all. May you have peace, prosperity, healing and good health, and love in 2019. There are a few resolutions I am going to be working on in the ensuing year so stay tuned!

Aquinnah town news can be sent to junemanning152@gmail.com.