First of all, I want to tell you that our Island girl, Katherine Poole, daughter of Everett and Virginia Poole of Chilmark, is okay. Katherine, a talented musician, artist, playwright and poet moved to Nashville several years back to soak up the culture in our most famous music city. You might remember her from her several successful years heading our theatre department at the high school.

Katherine performed at a venue in Nashville on Feb. 29. Islanders Kate Taylor and Phil DaRosa were also performing with her. The next day the tornado struck. Katherine posted some pictures of the destruction. She wrote a stunning poem about this tragic event. And she rolled up her sleeves and is helping her adopted community. Please keep her and the people of Nashville in mind. Do what you can.

Speaking of artists, our Noepe creative writing program is offering several free sessions of poetry workshops. Check it out. And photo artist Dan Waters will present a talk at the First Light Cafe at our Martha’s Vineyard Museum on Wednesday, March 18 at noon. This is part of the series of soup and sandwich with a talk by a visiting artist or historian. I’ll see you there.

Another place we can meet up is the fundraiser for the Montessori School, Saturday, March 28 at the Harbor View. There will be live music, dancing,food and drink, and a very worthy cause.

The current health crisis is presenting a rash of challenges. My young friend, Ryan Laslovitch, now at Johnson and Wales University, had spring break last week. He is back at university but says it will be decided this week if the school will close amid a big disinfection. He might be back. Harvard is online now and you know about the Saint Patrick’s Day parades. I can maybe get through the parade thing, but I doubt I can live without the Boston Marathon. That decision is being made by next week. The six towns the marathon transverses all must weigh in.

Meanwhile, my Italian cousin, Sheila Tabanelli Buckley, was planning to visit me for the first time since we were teens. She and husband Enrico were going to fly to Boston then take their first trip to Martha’s Vineyard. Well, they are now in lock-down in Italy. And Italy suffered another earthquake yesterday. I am overwhelmed.

My question in all of the instructions about hand-washing, etcetera, is who wasn’t washing their hands?

My dear high school friend, Mary Margaret Duffy, moved to California years ago. What a delightful surprise to get a phone call from her last weekend. Please put Mary on your prayer list. She has health issues. And so does a lovely young girl, Arayah, here on-Island. Keep her in mind.

Best get well bouquets go out to Carolyn Rogers.

Belated birthday wishes to Glen Andrews for March 5; twins Doug and David Seward for March 6; Michele Linderson for March 8; and Kathy Santos Smith for March 9. March 10 was a party for Vicki Ben David White, Desiree Richards, Libby Persampieri-Troiani and Mike Benjamin. March 11 honored Eileen Maley and Amarylumis Douglas. This weekend the famous Schilcher triplets age gracefully on March 14 — Alex, Duncan, and Nick. And on March 15 Jib Ellis and Lee H. Mccormack take the cake. Many happy returns.