The 48th annual Possible Dreams fundraiser will take place at the Allen Farm this Saturday, headlined by comedian Seth Meyers.
The event is a fundraiser for Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, which provides Islanders with dozens of services, including mental health care, senior care and family resources.
The Art Buchwald award for Outstanding Community Service will be presented at the event to professional windsurfing champion Nevin Sayre. Mr. Sayre has raised money for Community Services with his Round the Vineyard Challenge, a solo 55-mile ride around the Island on a wing foil board.
Chair of the Possible Dreams committee Nancy Monestime-Williams first started volunteering with the organization 13 years ago. In 2022, after Community Services stepped up to help 50 Venezuelan asylum seekers who had been sent to the Island by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Ms. Monestime-Williams, who is Haitian American, knew that she wanted to become more involved and joined the board.
“It was Community Services that jumped right in and found clothing, shelter and resources too,” she said. “Being a member of the organization and seeing it also help members of my larger community, that’s when I knew.”
The Possible Dreams committee began reaching out to local organizations for sponsorships and donations for the auction in January. Between ticket sales, donations and the auction, Possible Dreams is the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year.
Ms. Monestime-Williams said the auction will have some new surprises this year.
“We’re keeping some stuff that are oldies but goodies and things we know that people like, but we’re also infusing some new energy into it.”
The auction items range from Island experiences such as skip the line passes at Biscuits and ArtCliff diner, to off Island opportunities, including VIP sports game tickets or a walk in Central Park with Tony Shalhoub.
Ms. Monestime-Williams said one of her main goals is to make the event more accessible to Islanders by lowering the ticket prices and making more available.
“I want to make sure that truly everyone in the community feels that they are part of it in one way or another.”
Last year 250 tickets were available, but this year they have already sold-out at 350 tickets.
Despite limited tickets, she said people participate in other ways to help make the event happen.
“They all join forces, and they want to assist in some way,” Ms. Monestime-Williams said. “Whether it’s by buying a ticket, being a sponsor, donating something or volunteering, it’s beautiful to see how everybody wants to be involved.”
Most Islanders have a personal connection to Community Services, whether it’s buying homeware at Chicken Alley Thrift Shop or utilizing their childcare centers, Ms. Monestime-Williams said, adding that the wide reach of their programs is exactly what makes Possible Dreams special.
“For better or worse, everybody has been touched by and can relate to the programs of community services. That’s what makes it stand out and makes it different. It’s not just one thing, it’s everything.”
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