Martha’s Vineyard Community Services (MVCS) announced Monday that Nevin Sayre is this year’s recipient of the Art Buchwald Award for Outstanding Community Service.
A press release from MVCS said that the honor recognizes Sayre’s “exceptional dedication” to the nonprofit and his “inspiring efforts” through his fundraising initiative, the “Round the Vineyard Challenge,” which is a solo, 55-mile circumnavigation of the Island on a wing foil board.
“We are thrilled to honor Nevin Sayre with the Art Buchwald Award,” said Scott Turton, interim
CEO of MVCS, said. “Through his energy, creativity, and compassion, Nevin has inspired others to get involved and helped ensure that MVCS continues meeting the evolving needs of our community.”
Sayre is a Vineyard Haven resident and a professional windsurfing champion, who was a four-time Collegiate Sailing All-American and an inaugural inductee into the Windsurfing Hall of Fame.
Through Sayre’s “Round the Vineyard Challenge,” he’s raised critical funds for MVCS services, including behavioral health care, early childhood programs, and the CONNECT to End Violence initiative, the press release read.
Also, between 1988 and 2008, Sayre organized the Martha’s Vineyard Windsurfing Challenge (also known as the Vineyard Challenge) to benefit MVCS and brought windsurfers from across the globe to the Island.
“My mom was passionate about helping Community Services. The Vineyard Challenge was my crazy way of giving back to the Island Community,” Sayre said in the press release. His mother was an active MVCS board member and helped organize the Possible Dreams Auction in the 80s.
The Art Buchwald Award for Outstanding Community Service honors Island individuals whose “philanthropic leadership reflects the humor, heart, and humanity” of late journalist and longtime MVCS supporter Art Buchwald. The official award is presented at the Possible Dreams Auction, a MVCS fundraising event on Saturday, August 8 this year. Last year’s honoree was Larkin Stallings, owner of the Ritz Cafe and president of the Oak Bluffs Business Association.