Sixty-two years is a long time to wait for a thank you. More than half a decade after risking his life overseas as a fighter pilot in World War II, James McLaurin has gotten the recognition he deserved — a Congressional Gold Medal.

For the past three years, the static of nearby stations filled radio frequency 93.7 FM. On Friday morning a week ago, the static was replaced with silence. Around 4:30 p.m, there was a beep. And then a song came over the airwaves.

So that night, even as a slew of Island musicians took the stage at the Chilmark Community Center to raise money for an Island family, and as Islanders took cover from the steady drizzle and caught up with friends over freshly baked cornbread and homemade chowder, a radio from a car parked outside blared a steady stream of music.

Last Saturday was Holiday Party Day on the Vineyard — with art openings and dances scheduled from one end of the Island to the other.

And Maggie’s Salon on Beach Road in Vineyard Haven was a busy place.

The three stylists behind the chairs flitted and chatted their way between cuts, blow-dries and colorings. Each worked with two customers at once, except for Richard Cascarino, who groomed a family of three.

The Hagen household was decidedly uneventful. John Hagen stood outside with Sabu, the practically pony-sized family dog. Elsewhere on the Island, bells rang and kids ran out of classrooms, slinging backpacks into cars. In a matter of moments, the hustle and bustle spilled into the Hagen driveway.