Two local community groups will host a town hall meeting Monday night to look at fighting crime and setting up a neighborhood watch program within the Savan area on St. Thomas.
Community Action NOW and the Citizens and Police Association (CAPA) will host the forum at 6 p.m. Monday in the community room at Christ Church Methodist in Market Square. The meeting will also help kick off Community Action NOW’s Savan clean up and restore project, which begins July 9 and runs through July 25.
“We are excited about the community’s efforts so far,” said Iffat Walker, executive director of Community Action NOW. “Savan is tired of the criminal element. We are going to show up and support the Citizens and Police Association’s efforts to bring the discussion on crime and crime prevention in the neighborhood.”
Under the direction of acting director Bruce Flamon, CAPA works directly with community members to help develop neighborhood watch programs, according to a release from the organizations.
“We serve as a voice for the community,” Flamon said. “All citizens of Savan are encouraged to attend this very important meeting.”
Community Action NOW is also raising funds for its cleanup project, which will also be discussed during Monday’s meeting. So far, the group has planned three weeks of activities to educate residents about the historical significance of the neighborhood and bring them together for a cleanup phase from July 13 through 17. The group will meet at 7 a.m. at the Savan basketball court each day of the cleanup.
A “restoration phase” will run from July 20 through 24, again meeting place at 7 a.m. the Savan basketball court, followed by a resource fair and re-dedication ceremony from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 25 at the court.
The project is being launched in partnership with the V.I. Economic Development Authority, Environmental Association of St. Thomas-St. John, Sankofa Saturdays and the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service, among others.
More information is available online at www.communityactionnow.org, by sending email to info@communityactionnow.org, or calling 770-852-0226.
