Who will gather leaves for the children’s craft?

Who will sort the harmless reds from the poison?

Who will fold and unfold the octagonal star?

Who will care less for the flower than for its unfolding?

Who will look at a rock and see a king, a loser, a lost you?

Sylvia-Haveard Benefit

On Saturday, Jan 7, from 6:30 p.m. to midnight there will be a fundraiser for the family of Bethany (Sylvia) Haveard. The event will take place at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs and includes appetizers, a cash bar, silent and live auctions, and music featuring Morgan Reltza, Megan LaRoque and guests.

Please Adopt Us

Do you own your own home with a nice fenced-in yard and no other animals? Have you always wanted just one dog? If so, we have a special dog just for you at the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard. Her name is Missy and she is a year-old purebred pit bull. Missy is extremely well behaved and loves people, but doesn’t like other dogs. If you would like to come see her, and you fit the bill for adopting her, she will make a wonderful pet.

Jennifer Tseng began her reading at Wednesday’s night’s Speakeasy benefit for the West Tisbury Library held at State Road restaurant with an apology for being morbid. Her poem, When You Are Gone, was in honor of Andrew Jephcote, a “beloved regular and friend” who leaves little found-object sculptures around the library.

Four members of the Martha’s Vineyard masters swim team traveled to the Boston University aquatics and athletic center for the 2011 New England short course metres swim championships in December. The meet saw several New England and national records set. Nearly 400 swimmers from all over the country competed. Leslie Craven and Les Cutler swam the 800-metre freestyle. Leslie was second in the women’s 50 to 54-year-old age group (11.07.29), while Les was third in the men’s 65 to 69-year-old age group (16:48.72).

MARGARET KNIGHT

508-627-8894

(margaret02539@yahoo.com)

Now that the holidays are over, the “crowds” have left and we have the Island to ourselves. It’s a quiet time of year and the Chappaquiddickers still here are settling in for the duration, getting out those indoor projects, big spy thrillers, 1,000 piece puzzles or just breathing a sigh of relief to have made it this far in the year. Or maybe they’re thinking about that trip to somewhere warm where not everything out the window is brown or gray.

JUNE D. MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks2004@yahoo.com)

Lauded Elder Lawyer

Certified elder law attorney R.J. Connelly 3rd, a longtime seasonal resident of the Vineyard, has been awarded the Alliance for Better Long-Term Care’s Hero Award for his dedication to protecting elder rights.

Mr. Connelly has practiced elder law for more than 16 years and maintains offices in both Pawtucket, R.I. and Mystic, Conn. He is also certified to practice law in Massachusetts.

Welcome Pablo

Nicole DerManelian and Mark Begle of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a son, Pablo Ganesh DerManelian Begle, born on Dec. 30, 2011 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Pablo weighed 9 pounds, .5 ounces at birth. Pablo is welcomed by big sister Arjuna Inez.

JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

Well, December has gone into the record books as the third warmest ever recorded. The only snow was a few scattered flurries on two occasions. Last year this time we were dealing with several inches of snow that had stacked up and froze solid. I remember having to shovel snow to get to our car on New Year’s Day. We don’t have to wait for the January thaw as there isn’t any frost in the ground.