While many nonprofits across the nation are cutting staff and programs due to the weak economy and rising operational costs, the Vineyard Nursing Association over the past six months has gone in a different direction, nearly doubling the number of patients under its care while hiring new staff and expanding its programs.

Massachusetts is in the midst of a blood shortage due to a decline in blood donations, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross said Monday. Meanwhile, officials at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital said demand for blood on the Vineyard has increased with the summer swell in population.

Those involved with blood supply agree the current situation makes a high turnout critical for this Thursday’s Martha’s Vineyard Community Blood Drive.

This past winter Eisenhauer Gallery owner Elizabeth Eisenhauer and Kaitlyn Ruitenberg went to Brussels, Belgium to visit French artist Michel Brosseau; in Mr. Brosseau’s studio they felt as if they had entered a 19th century European atelier. Canvases are everywhere, filled with colored buoys and sailboat linens bright as if sunlight were pouring out from the canvases. Long drapes hang on tall sunny windows that fill the studio with a warm yellow glow while the murmur of Brussels traffic comes through an open window.

Truth comes from the mouths of babes — or rather kids, tweens, teens, young adults, the future of humanity. Whatever you label them, these pint-sized pulse-takers of youth culture are back this summer with their own reviews of movies for young viewers screening every Wednesday at the Chilmark Community Center.

The organizers of the Summer Film Series at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival teamed up with the Gazette to bring you reviews by Island kids, here for the summer or year-round, each Tuesday, before each Wednesday film presentation.