On Saturday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m., the Martha’s Vineyard Skate Park Association will hold its third competition at the skate park, which is on the Vineyard Haven-Edgartown Road across from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. The rain date is Sunday, Nov. 11.

Registration is $10, with the money going to benefit the park. Registration begins at the skate park at noon. Helmets are required for all skaters. Food and beverages will be provided to entrants.

The Patriots-Colts tilt last week had Super Bowl-type hype but about two dozen Pats Island faithfuls enjoyed the game in relative secrecy.

“Hey, don’t tell. Let’s keep this a secret,” joked Lenny Verville of Oak Bluffs to this reporter at Outerland on Sunday afternoon. Mr. Verville and his friend Linda Hammond were enveloped by the surround sounds of the game, watching a crisp, life-size game picture on an eight-by-fourteen-foot screen set up on the Outlerland stage.

Starfish Talk

Director of the Marine and Paleobiological Research Institute Fred Hotchkiss will present a lecture entitled Starfish and the Number Five at the Chilmark Public Library on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The talk features the mystery of the starfish’s five-part symmetry, common in the plant world but a rarity in the animal world.

Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard will present Handmade from the Heart again this Christmas season.

All local artisans from candlestick makers to bakers are invited to contribute to this holiday fundraiser for Hospice.

The items will be sold at the Dr. Daniel Fisher House on Main street in Edgartown on Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hospice is seeking any unique, handmade items, including jewelry, needlepoint, knitted items, paintings, photographs, Christmas ornaments and more.

Miles Arrives

Andrea Falgout-Hirt and John Hirt Jr. of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a son, Miles Ondrej Hirt, born on Oct. 31 at the Martha’s Vineyard Community Hospital. Miles weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces at birth.

JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

Chilmark survived the big blow on Saturday. Our roadsides still have trees with colorful fall foliage although there are fewer trees in some places. A number of trees and limbs of trees blew down, mostly, along North Road. Work crews cleaned everything up quickly and no routes were blocked.

The storm was a long one with blowing sand at Menemsha and torn leaves were everywhere. Most Chilmark folk took it all in stride.

KATHIE CASE

508-627-5349

(kcase1@verizon.net)

I love it when the sun is shining and there is a cool breeze in the air. It rejuvenates you and means the time has come to get the winter clothes out and bring in some wood for the fireplace.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. I was in the cleaning mode yesterday and accidentally threw away the birthday list. Polly Davies is always to my rescue, however, so look for your name next week.

NANCY GARDELLA

508-693-3308

(vhavenvgazette@yahoo.com)

There has been a lot of talk about upgrading Veterans Memorial Park between Lagoon Road and the causeway. And that’s fine because so many people use what I call “my park” for picnics, birthday parties, soccer, baseball and, my personal favorite, basketball. As you recall I also spent at least two hours last spring exploring the wildlife of its swamp.

FISHING LEGACY LOST

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I’d like to commend Mark Alan Lovewell and the Vineyard Gazette for the excellent story, Owner of Quitsa Strider in Menemsha Sells His Fishing Rights, Ending an Era. It’s important for our coastal communities to better understand the unrelenting obstacles our fishermen are up against, and your story really brought that message home.

The Aquinnah Fire Department is still seeking a few strong people to join not only for the benefit of the department but for the Aquinnah community as a whole. Their services certainly would have been utilized on Saturday during the storm when everything was blowing around and transformers were at times arching and catching on fire. Our fire department is not well staffed at the present time and more volunteers need to be trained.