The first snowfall of the season surprised us Tuesday morning. Travel was treacherous throughout the morning but by early afternoon most of the roads were plowed and sanded and passable. We were spoiled last winter with just a few light dustings of snow.

The Aquinnah artisans will have a holiday fair on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 7 and 8 from noon to 4 p.m. at the town hall. Twenty-five vendors will have their wares for sale. Food will be available from the Food Truck on Saturday and from Orange Peel on Sunday.

The Chilmark Church will present Leah Littlefield Kahler and her Offerings of Music and Light on Dec. 8 at 5 p.m. Performers this week will include Rick Bausman on drums, Adele Dreyer on piano, Susan Klein storyteller, Susan McGhee on violin, Stephen McGhee on cello, Ed Merck on recorder, Jessica Sanseverino as soprano, Valerie Sonnenthal with bowls, and Carole Vandal with native flute. Claire Ganz will provide her delicious refreshments.

The Chilmark Church will hold their annual Christmas bazaar at the Community Center on Sunday, Dec. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The First Congregational Church of West Tisbury will present their annual Christmas Faire on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. All proceeds support the work of the church in our island community.

Get well wishes to Shelley Devine Carter who is a patient at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Mrs. Anne Vanderhoop Madison once again entertained with her annual Thanksgiving open house filled to the brim with family and friends.

Noah Manning returned on Saturday after spending the Thanksgiving holiday in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. with his grandparents Bill and Joan Kistner as well as aunts and uncles and cousins. He was accompanied on his journey by his parents Paul and Theresa.

Sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Tom Rabbitt. Tom was an great host of innumerable gatherings at his Tisbury homes, bringing people together from across the Vineyard. Those were the good days of the 1960s. He will be missed.

Sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Shirley Tankard Robinson

who passed away at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on Nov. 29. Shirley, along with Tom Bennett, were the co-founders and mainstay of the Youth Center under the auspices of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services when it was housed in the Educomp building. Shirley provided guidance, balance and structure to hundreds of youth during her career. She was a blessing and is fondly remembered and adored by those whose lives she touched. Her passing is a great loss to our island community.

Happy birthday wishes this week to Mrs. Patricia L. Pease who observed her special day on Dec. 2; Jonathan Klaren and Marjorie Spitz share the day on Dec. 7; Sasha Gerhard will be a teenager on Dec. 8, sharing the day with Candace Nichols, and twins Robin and Russell Smith; Polly Renear will celebrate on Dec. 9 as will Deborah Hancock and Paul Henry Jeffers-Mayhew; Tamara Buchwald parties on Dec. 10; and Christopher P. Manning will celebrate his special day on Dec. 12.