At the end of a long year, good things often happen. They come together as a collection, bunched up in one month, like the best surprises at the bottom of a long, full Christmas stocking.
This year, Fishers Island was blessed with many special occasions in December.
Please click any image to see a larger version
or scroll through all the photos in the gallery.
We celebrated Mary and John Ski’s 70th wedding anniversary and her Big birthday with an outpouring of love and happiness!
The Union Chapel tree was lit, the Village Green was aglow, and the Buoy tree made its annual appearance before we had a little hiccup with the weather wind – but that is to be expected with Island living!
The Library’s Story Time night had a very special visitor.
With the assistance of the Fire Department’s elves, Santa’s run went off without a hitch.
The Senior Lunch guests were treated to music by the smallest Island Carolers, who sang with beautiful voices. This monthly luncheon is always a treat, with the island chefs providing delicious meals, special seasonal table centerpieces, a fun raffle, and, at Christmas, beautiful cookies!
This season’s unique gift is the most beautiful nativity scene cross-stitched by Mary Jean Pelham and donated to Union Chapel by her children. The tiny stitches and the detail in the design make it exceptionally graceful. There is a duplicate of this at Our Lady of Grace as well. These are examples of many pieces she stitched for family and friends.
Jesus’s birth was celebrated at a special Union Chapel Christmas Pageant service, with the story told and many favorite carols sung. The event was also celebrated at Our Lady of Grace Church at Christmas Eve Mass with the children in the Christian Initiation for Children program hosted by OLOG.
The FIS Upper School carolers were at it again with a special door-to-door visit to Fort Wright residents—up Whistler and down Winthrop to the Community Center, they strolled!
The Fire Department members receive special thanks for going above and beyond, culminating with the annual FIFD Community Children’s Party—and Santa appeared again, as everyone has been so good this year!
We all get to smile when the penguins return! They move about the island, and one never knows where they will be on any given morning! We spotted them all over the West End. Thank you to the (still) anonymous individual(s) who treat us to this!
Last but certainly not least! We had a special treat on New Year’s Eve! The American Legion was full to over flowing with the 84+ guests that came to celebrate. Chef Ben and Nici Christopher with the help of Patty Walker and her volunteers, and DJ Porfirio “Rod” Rodriguez, created an amazing atmosphere complete with a delicious buffet dinner, decorations ringing in 2025 and a huge community gathering in this great entertaining space! Thank you to everyone that helped and everyone that came to enjoy the festivities!
Sending a massive collection of thank you wishes to all the light hangers, tree movers, cookie bakers, and all those who make this (sometimes) crazy island stay afloat.
Here’s to a Happy, Healthy, Thoughtful, and Peaceful New Year
PHOTO CREDIT GOES TO:
Ski Family, Diane Ski Blomquist
Union Chapel Tree, Clifford Anderson
Buoy Tree, Jane Ahrens
Library with Santa, Tracy Pisano
FIFD with Santa Run, Nikole Aiello
FIS Elementary Carolers, Gail Edwards
Pelham Cross Stitch, Jane Ahrens
UC & OLOG at Christmas, Gina Scumaci
FIS Carolers, Marj Beck
FIFD Community Children’s Party, Jane Ahrens
Penguins, Jane Ahrens
