Artists, Friends and a Worthy Cause

This Thursday, May 26 at 6 p.m., the doors of the in West Tisbury will swing wide and welcome in the 2011 summer season with the Friends of Family Planning Art Show. This event, which has grown from a very small gathering of volunteers and artists in 1989 to a much anticipated coming together of Islanders and artists, will start with a gala on Thursday night. Guests can preview the art and enjoy music by Jeremy Berlin, as well as food by Jan Buhrman of . 

Nearly 100 artists will participate. Attendees can expect to see work of some of the Island's finest photographers, painters, jewelers, potters, sculptures, mixed-media artists and more. All of the artists will donate at least 40 percent of their sales to the Friends of Family Planning, an organization that has been working to help fund one of the Island's most vital health initiatives for many years. Due to recent budget cuts, those funds are now even more important. 

Family Planning of Martha's Vineyard is a part of the Massachusetts Health Care Initiative in Brockton, and provides affordable and confidential family planning. Services include screening for high blood pressure, anemia and diabetes; gynecological exams; testing for pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and HIV; counseling and education and birth control.

Martha's Vineyard Regional High School students have been a part of Friends of Family Planning for years. Since many of the patients at Family Planning are teens, this allows Family Planning to have "a prescence in the school, which is really important because there's a lot of misinformation out there," said Miryam Gerson, president of Friends of Family Planning.

Jess Dupon, a student at the Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School and a volunteer on the board of Friends of Family Planning, said she became a part of the board because "I really value the safe and affordable services they offer to men and women on the Island. I also think it's important for young people to become active in programs they care about and don't want to see cut."

Friends of Family Planning is made up of a board of community members, health workers and high school students. Funds raised by Friends of Family planning were crucial to the creation of the new Family Planning center on State Road. Additionally, Friends of Family Planning support the mission of Family Planning by providing free condoms, reimbursing for vasectomies and providing staff education. 

The gala on Thursday goes from 6 to 8 p.m. and the charge is $50, all of which goes to support Friends of Family Planning. The art show runs Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to  6 p.m.

As the only major fundraising event of Friends of Family planning, this weekend's gala and art show means crucial continued support. Over the years, the event has grown into something really special. As Gerson puts it, "It's a lovely jump-start to the season and it is wonderful when the community comes out to support Family Planning and in the process gets to support local artists."