In a week when there was little to celebrate because most of us had been saddened and numbed by the devastation caused to our Haitian neighbors, it was good to have a brief respite from the images and stories arising out of the catastrophe.
That came in the rousing and enervating performance by the Soweto Gospel Choir at UVI’s Reichhold Center for the Arts. Earlier that Friday it seemed that the skies matched our weeping. And although the rains persisted into the evening, hundreds braved the weather, and the result was a house packed to the rafters.
Among those who braved the wet weather were, Felicia Hall, Monife Stout, William Frett, Winston Smith, Felicia Blake and her sister Pat Blake Simmonds, Aurea Anderson and Juanita, Jemima Parris, David and Lenore Edgecombe, Richard and Dee Brown, Penny and John Woods, Judge Audrey Thomas, Judge Verne Hodge, Judy Bonelli, Jane di Cola, Noreen Michael, Ellie Blyden, Solomon Kabuka, Debra Watlington, Dolace McClean, and Larry Sewer.
At the end of the second encore, the audience seemed reluctant to leave the wonderful energy created in the space. Thankfully the showers held up long enough for most attendees to make it out of the parking lot.
However, those who attended formed lines at various stations to purchase $5 raffle tickets to win a slew of prizes donated for the event. Prizes range from day trips on yachts to meals at area restaurants to locally made fruit preserves. Among those performing were, Barefoot Davis, the Becca Darling Band, Down the Line, the Zulu Tribe and the Ahwee band.
Among the raffle winners were Sarah Culpepper, Catherine McKnight, Kimberly Lake, Alan Freeman, Mitch Brickray, and Earl Vanterpool. Enjoying the activities were Diane Bryan, Toni Thomas, Chef Demaris, Eileen Short, Steve Prosterman, Rocky Liburd, Senators Louis Hill and Usie Richards, Alli Paul, Carol Malo, Charlene Kehoe, Clara Stryker, Stedman Hodge, Jr., Ferrari, Patrick Benjamin, Ed and Lucia Thomas, Orville and Julie Kean, Catherine Kean, Henry Wheatley, Evanton “Cassi” Randolph, Chantal and Orlando Cruz, Patrice Johnson with her daughter Cameron, and Judy Anderson who was there with Herbie Hughes, Patricia Lee and Jay Sacks. We even spotted Grande Cru chef/owner Patricia La Cort checking out the Zulu tribe doing the electric slide Zulu style. Awesome!
Doing a shift at the drink station was West Indies Co. and Bellows prez, Richard Berry who was relieved by colleague, Giovanni Rochester who arrived for her tour of duty pouring libations in the late afternoon. Several of the passengers on the mega yachts moored at the marina also participated in the fundraiser. We chatted briefly with Ginny Kenyon from the Argyll who was there with several of her mates and we hung out for a while with Yvonne Warner who was attending with David Warfield.
To date, close to $40,000 was raised. Good job St. Thomas!
