At last, the election has come and gone. It was encouraging to meet so many new young residents of Aquinnah and to acknowledge their civic duty which was obvious with a 72 per cent rate of voters. Congratulations to all of the winners. Seven year old Clovis Smith summed it up for the day while in the voting booth with his mother Noni after walking half a mile to the polls: “We came all the way up here to put X’s in squares?!”

Nov. 11 is Veterans Day. Be mindful of those presently serving and those who have served to protect our freedom. The Veterans Day parade will be held on Saturday and will start from Nancy’s on the Oak Bluffs Harbor at 10:45 a.m. and march to Ocean Park.

On Sunday, Nov. 11 will also witness the first Grooverfest, observed at the Portuguese American Club in Oak Bluffs, in honor of Donald Groover who is presently undergoing medical treatment and needs our assistance. The doors open at 4 p.m. and music will continue until 1 a.m. with many of his fellow musicians performing. There will be a potluck dinner with donations at the door. If you are unable to attend, private donations may be sent to Don at Box 2946 in Oak Bluffs.

Jim, Nancy and Laina Benoit spent the first night Monday in their new home at Smalley Knoll. Taylor, Sarah and Louie Ives have been in their new home at Smalley Knoll for the past week.

Kristina Kestenbaum Williams Hook Leslie and Michael Sellitti arrived home after spending the week in Los Angeles with her daughter Jennifer and her family and in San Clemente with her daughter Samantha and her family.

Welcome to Heather McQueen who arrived this week from her home in Saint Andrews, Scotland. Heather will spend the next four months with her daughter Laura Hart and her husband Sam as they await the arrival of their first born child and Heather’s first grandchild.

Sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Bill Stafursky who passed away a week ago. Bill was a Vietnam combat veteran who served 50 years ago and returned home and continued to serve his country and his community. He was the epitome of civic-mindedness. Each Thursday he would venture out from his work at DaRosa’s to see if office supplies were needed at businesses around the Island, always spending a few minutes to chat.

For the past three years he had been the Veterans Outreach Program Manager at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, but even before taking that position he had always been there for fellow veterans in any manner. He will leave a large void across the Vineyard.

Happy birthday wishes to Aquinnah town clerk Gabriella Camilleri as she celebrates on Nov. 9.

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