Help plant and clean up Mytoi, the public Japanese-style garden on Chappaquiddick, on Saturday, May 1, any time from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring your own work gloves, rakes, and shovels.

Please let The Trustees of Reservations know if you plan to attend; call 508-627-7689.

The early childhood program at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services has been named one of the best in the state.

The Island program is among the Top 10 High Performing School Readiness Organizations in Massachusetts, according to Social Impact Research, a part of Root Cause, a firm dedicated to mobilizing the nonprofit, public and business sectors to work together.

Four Island groups have been nominated for excellence awards: Adult and Community Education Program of Martha’s Vineyard (ACE MV), Holy Ghost Association of Martha’s Vineyard, Martha’s Vineyard Film Society, and Vineyard Nursing Association.

Given by the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, the awards honor organizations making a difference in their community. A nonprofits awareness day will be held at the state house on June 14.

Alexia Schroeder, of West Tisbury, has been named to the dean’s list for the 2009 fall semester at Villanova University. Alexia is a freshman.

•

Kendall Tyler Chaves, of West Tisbury, has been named to the dean’s list at Babson College for the fall 2009 semester.

Peter and Clare Ives, of Aquinnah, announce the engagement of their daughter Chelsea Ives to Sean Kelley. Sean is the son of Michael and Paula Kelley, of Newburyport. A September 2011 wedding is planned.

The cat population at the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard remains the same as last week. We have Dixie, the beautiful orange, white and black calico; Binx, the black and white sweet cat with the long white whiskers; and Phoebe, the orange and white cat who loves her basket to curl up in. Frankly we can’t understand why these three cats have not been adopted — they are real beauties. And then there are Cyrus and Miss Misty, who are fast becoming the shelter mascots. They are allowed to come out of their cages and greet people who come to visit.