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Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
May 26 - June 1, 2005 Edition
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Art
Family Planning Art Show
The
Martha's Vineyard Times
May 19, 2005
By Wendy
Arnell Brophy
Guests
crowded the Ag Hall, enjoying the art, refreshments, and socializing
at last year's gala opening benefit.
File photo
by Susan Safford
Shown at
the Family Planning of Martha's Vineyard clinic in Vineyard
Haven are (clockwise from bottom left) program director Patty
Begley, R.N.; Judy Salosky, president of Friends of Family
Planning; staff member Miryam Gerson, R.N.; and Amy Upton,
a Friends board member and coordinator for this year's art
show. The poster is by Martha's Vineyard Regional High School
student Lee Greathouse, winner of the annual poster design
contest. Photos by Ralph Stewart
Steve Lohman with his quirky and graceful sculpture, "Spring
Dancer," one of many pieces of art which will be on display
this weekend at the Ag Hall in West Tisbury. |
It’s that
time of year again. It’s spring; and yes, we are gearing up for
another crop of summer visitors. But before the deluge, there’s
still time to enjoy one of the most welcome harbingers of spring —
the annual Family Planning Art Show, a cultural and social event par
excellence.
This display of Island talent was the brainchild of Vineyard Haven
artist Liza Coogan some 16 years ago, when it was still a traveling
show scheduled for Easter weekend. The first venue was Murdick’s
Fudge; Beadniks was next; then Crispin’s Landing; and finally
the Vineyard Playhouse. The vagabond Family Planning Art Show has
finally settled into the Ag H all in West Tisbury and instead of at
Easter it is now held on Memorial Day weekend.
The show grew and others copied the idea, but it is still the original
— the only one to offer a 40/60 split with the artists. Family
Planning takes 40 percent of a sale and the Island artists receive
the larger amount. The art show is a fundraiser for Friends of Family
Planning, the fundraising board that helps to finance programs not
currently subsidized by either the State or Federal governments.
Over the past three years Family Planning funds, statewide, have gone
from $4,463,000 in 2003, to a slashed $2,643,000 in 2004. The 2005
budget restored most of the funding, to $4,155,500 — better,
but less than what it had been three years ago. This restored budget
did not take into consideration the increase in costs of supplies,
medicines, rents, heat, or wages.
The staff at the Vineyard Haven clinic is paid well below the nursing
wage they could earn at a hospital. This, in spite of their long years
of training and commitment to helping those who seek family planning
counseling, birth control, and routine women’s health care.
Patty Begley, R.N. has been the director of the program for the past
21 years. Patty and her associate, Miryam Gerson, R.N. work long hours
with a very diverse clientele. As our Brazilian population has grown
Miryam, at her own expense, has learned Portuguese: there were no
funds available to hire a translator. Miryam now sees, almost exclusively,
Portuguese-speaking Islanders, which is about 20 percent of the clinic
caseload.
On the federal level, the Title X program which used to fill some
of the holes in state funding, according to Patty, is shifting its
monies to “faith-based” organizations which offer no medical
care.
“Government has a role to play in providing funding for a full
range of medical services and choices in reproductive health care
for women,” Patty said.
In a recent newsletter from Health Care of Southeastern Massachusetts,
the funding distribution agency for the Martha’s Vineyard Family
Planning Clinic, comes this information: for an average of $400 per
year, a low-income woman can be covered for full and comprehensive
health care benefits that includes laboratory screening for cervical
cancer, STD (sexually transmitted diseases) tests, breast cancer screening,
unintended pregnancy prevention, no-cost contraception, counseling
for effective method use, and for reduction of high risk behavior
for HIV and STDs.
The cost of an in-hospital, well baby delivery is $10,000. This does
not take into account the future cost of supporting a child and mother
until the child reaches the age of maturity, or there is a change
in the family income.
“For every public dollar spent on comprehensive Family Planning,
the state saves three dollars in Medicaid costs for prenatal and newborn
care. Massachusetts saves approximately $12 million each year in medical
costs,” stated Patty.
A rare gift
The unique role played by Friends of Family Planning of Martha’s
Vineyard is a rare gift not only to the clinic, but also to the entire
Island. This type of fundraising group exists nowhere else in the
state.
“Our board tries to fill the gaps in the Family Planning clinic
services. They need our support and extra funds to stay afloat for
the good of the entire community,” said Judy Salosky, current
president of Friends of Family Planning.
Friends, as they are commonly known, picks up the tab for rent; educational
seminars for the staff; a rather large bit of spring cleaning at the
clinic including a new rug and file cabinets; 7,000 condoms that are
distributed at no cost; and in the fall there will be a reimbursement
program for men who have vasectomies. Friends will also be funding
a pilot program for HPV (human papilloma virus) screening. This test
is performed when a woman has an atypical Pap smear — a Pap being
a test for cervical cancer.
A helping hand
‘I got involved with Friends because of the art show, I had been
going to it for so many years I felt it was time to lend a helping
hand,” Judy said.
This year’s art show will take place at the Ag Hall in West Tisbury
on May 27 through 29, with doors open from 10 am until 6 pm.
This evening, Thursday, May 26, there will be a gala opening reception
from 6 to 8 pm. Tickets for the benefit gala may be purchased at the
door for $35. Fourteen years ago, Blue Cullen was responsible for
starting this pre-opening soirée, a chance to bring Vineyarders
out of the white winter doldrums and into the spring green. Park Corner
Bistro will cater the festive event.
The show will host 110 artists this year, and the art forms will run
the gamut from wall art to 3-D sculptural pieces, jewelry, and fiber
art. Although it is no longer a juried show, the art show coordinator,
Amy Upton, has the final say about which pieces get in, based on space
and salability.
Step into spring, attend the annual Family Planning Art Show this
weekend, see old friends and make new ones. But most importantly,
support health care for all Island women by attending the gala, purchasing
a piece of art from an Island artist, or giving a donation to Friends
of Family Planning of Martha’s Vineyard.
Family Planning Art Show and Sale, Fri., May 27 - Sun., May 29,
10 am-6 pm. Free. Gala preview party, Thurs., May 26, 6-8 pm. $35.
Ag Hall, Panhandle Rd., West Tisbury. For info call 508-693-1208.
Wendy Arnell Brophy, a former Martha’s Vineyard Times Calendar
editor, is a freelance writer currently living in San Francisco. She
is a former president of Friends of Martha’s Vineyard Family
Planning.
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