It was a big week at USCG Station Menemsha. Pins, praise and high fives were shared as almost a full handful of advancements took place at a boathouse ceremony. Family, friends and a few community members showed up to share their excitement as Justin Harris, Jeremiah Jacobs and Gary Kovack received high honors, pins and praise as they advanced to the rank of chief petty officer. Also being celebrated was Shane Mullen, who advanced to boatswain’s mate first class. As they often say in place of well done, bravo zulu friends.

As I am sure you’ve probably heard, the Chilmark Preschool board of directors and supporters are on a mission to find a forever home for the school, which has outgrown its space within the Chilmark School. Years ago, a group gathered to brainstorm about creative ways to boost the Chilmark School’s enrollment. One of the ideas that came from that meeting was the idea of a private but town-oriented preschool. Long story short, the preschool is fast approaching the 20-year mark and I couldn’t be more proud as a member of that original committee. Those of us who made the original commitment now have children in their early 20s. They all have fond memories of Chris Abrams not only being their teacher but also a surrogate grandmother who quickly learned each of their quirks and melded them beautifully together into a group that is still friends today. Brooks was one of those kids.

Friends of the Chilmark Preschool hosted another info session at the library on Jan. 17. They will be in attendance at the special town meeting on Monday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. Town voters are reminded to attend and voice their yea or nay at this single article meeting.

Back in the early 1990s, when email was becoming a more widespread means of communication, we met Kathy Retmier. She was the creator and provider of Vineyard.net. Over the years she would be a constant source of tech support when my email wasn’t working, when getting access set up on a new smartphone was a flurry of errors or when spam mail flooded my mailbox and I was about ready to give up email all together. For me, Kathy wore the email hat but, as we know, people wear many hats and go through life in various capacities. For Tri-Town Ambulance chief Ben Retmier, she was mom. Ben, I’m sorry for your loss. My condolences go out to you and your family.

Rumor has it there are lambs at the Whiting’s West Tisbury farm. I don’t know a whole bunch about lambing but I do recall the excitement of my aunt and uncle’s sheep Laverne — as in Laverne & Shirley — having twins one spring weekend while I was visiting. The feeling of seeing a newborn lamb never seems to change. Most of us have the tendency to ooh and ahh no matter what our age, so be prepared to quietly smile in awe as you pass Whiting’s, Flat Point, Allen Farm, Fenners and more. Little lambs will be appearing for us to remark on.

A baby of the human kind was welcomed to the world last week in Martinsville, Va. Maria Rose Ruimerman was welcomed to the world by her overjoyed parents Kimberlie and Andrew. Here in Chilmark, three cheers, yippee and hooray have been shouted from the rooftops by grandparents Janet Weidner and Tom, Uncle Pete and everyone else who has even the slightest connection to the new baby. I’ve seen pictures: 8-pound 14-ounce, 21-inch Maria is lovely. I even heard a comment that “she’s not all wrinkly like many newborns.” What joy babies can bring. Let’s take the opportunity to revel with the Willard-Weidner-Ruimerman family.