The new court, aimed to help address the underlying addiction that often drives people into the criminal justice system, applauded its first four graduates this week.

Nearly a hundred people gathered at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School on Saturday morning for a walk to raise awareness about the effects of addiction on the family and friends of those struggling with substance abuse.

Annabelle Metell, a senior at the regional high school, has organized a walk for Saturday called Break the Silence, which aims to help loved ones of those struggling with addiction.

The new court for people dealing with substance abuse opened in Edgartown District Court earlier this year with the goal of addressing the underlying addiction that often drives people repeatedly into the criminal justice system. 

The Vineyard House's annual Water Tasting By the Sea started as a small, grassroots event more than 25 years ago. It now attracts a crowd of 250 people and can bring in about 20 per cent of the annual donations for the sober home.

For Islanders wrestling with addiction, isolation and stress brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has made a perennial problem worse.