All things Chilmark revolve around the annual school fundraiser taking place at the CCC from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1. (good golly, yes, it’s February already) Parents have been scurrying about gathering auction items, decorations and, of course, generating unwavering excitement. For twenty bucks at the door you can kick up your heels to Johnny Hoy & the Bluefish, sip on a drink, snack on appetizers and sweets, bid on auction items, socialize with friends and support our school. Best of all, it’s a rockin’ party for 21+ so get a sitter for your wee ones and head to the center of town.

If you still need to be tempted, here is a small sampling of items that could be yours: an outdoor movie night, house rental in Hawaii, raw bar party, artwork, gift certificates to local eateries, gift baskets, riding lessons, Femme Fatale fishing charter and a key to Quansoo for a week.

And, if that’s not enough to entice you, perhaps knowing there’s a box of Chilmark Chocolates up for auction is? Got questions? Reach out to Beth Wike, Sarah Waldman, nearly any other school parent or, if you’re a Facebooker, check out the Chilmark School PTO page.

Jane Slater is back at her Basin Road home after a ride in an ambulance and trip up to Boston. She’s returned lacking a gallbladder, but the rest of her is intact and her spirits are good. She extends a gracious thank you to the dedicated folks of Tri-Town Ambulance and everyone else who contributed to caring for her.

Helen and Arne De Keijzer spent just shy of a week at their Larsen Lane home after visiting their 19-month-old grandchild on the West Coast.

For the next week we will sit and wait, anxious to hear stories of Vinny Iacono’s trip to Iceland. Despite threats of extreme cold, high winds, measurable snow and curious cuisine, the call to see the Northern Lights was too strong to shy away from. I’ll admit, I’m a bit envious and am hopeful a postcard and a few pictures will be shared in my direction.

Pam Goff shared that the last church winter supper was this past Tuesday. With folks overscheduled and otherwise committed the number of attendees has dwindled so, as fun as it was, they are done until pizza nights resume in the spring. Days will be longer then and, perhaps the 6 p.m.start time will entice more to join, not to mention the opportunity for kids to be outside practicing soccer skills, playing tag or just being silly.

Longtime friend, down-Island mom and fierce supporter of the foster child program, Elexis Wildanger will host a foster parent recruitment event at 3 Poplar avenue on Feb. 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Call 508-326-1155 for more details and directions. This casual get-together will have a DCFS representative on hand to answer questions. Foster parent application packets will be available and Elexis will gladly share her stories about what it takes and what it’s like to foster a child. The goal is to recruit more folks to participate so that, if the need arises, a child who needs to be cared for can receive that care without having to go off Island.

She would have been 97 this week. Although she’s been gone since 2015, there are signs of great-grandmother Elizabeth “Bette” Flanders Carroll surrounding us. She comes up in conversation. Phrases she used like “sit a spell” and “service deluxe” still roll off the tongue. Cookie tins that are labeled with her name on the bottom and are continuously filled with cookies still circulate around town. None of us are perfect and she would be the first to admit that she wasn’t either, but we can all take a lesson from Bette about being an active participant in our community and being welcoming to family, friends, neighbors and the occasional passerby. Sunday dinners were a place for all to gather and you felt loved and important if a place was set at her table just for you.