Feb. 13, 2007 — Dressed to the nines in Valentine's Day red, seniors at St. Ursula's senior citizen center in Cruz Bay celebrated Tuesday by honoring two of their own.
Reubenia Hill and Elizabeth Stevens, both 69, received applause, accolades and flowers for their many years of service to their families, the community and to the senior citizen center.
"The seniors are the ones who did everything for their community," St. Ursula's Director Clarence Scipio said as the more than 50 attendees listened.
He said the time to honor them was now, when they were still able to appreciate the good words flowing their way.
The Virgin Gorda-born Hill moved to St. John in the 1950s. She worked many years as a clerk-typist at the Education Department until she retired in 1992.
She now helps at the senior center by teaching embroidery. "I show other people how to do it," she said.
Hill is married to Walter Hill Sr. and has two sons, two daughters and one stepson, as well as several grandchildren.
Stevens was born in St. Lucia, but moved to St. John in 1991. She worked in Caneel Bay Resort's housekeeping department from 1992 to 2003 and is now a part-time employee with the Department of Human Services' Senior Community Services Enrollment Program.
She said she likes her work at the senior center because she gets to meet different people.
"And I'm a proud, hardworking mom, grandmother and great-grandmother," she said, adding that she has nine children.
Abigail Hendricks, who runs the senior center at Calabash Boom, said that she worked with Stevens at Caneel Bay. She said that when a supervisor was tough on her, she just ignored it.
"Miss Elizabeth was a lesson in patience," she said. She said that she knew Hill from her student days when Hill worked at the Education Department.
"We were a disgusting bunch of children and Miss Val never yelled at us," Hendricks said.
She said both Hill and Stevens were truly phenomenal women.
The senior center was as dressed up as the seniors themselves. Pink flowers decorated every table and red hearts hung from the ceiling.
The seniors themselves entertained with a rousing version of "The Senior Citizen's Theme Song," sung to the tune of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
"We are glad we are not forgotten in the twilight of our years / What a joy it is for us to know that someone really cares," they sang.
The song ended with a promotion for the senior citizen center.
"If you're 60 years or over and you don't know what to do, just join the senior center and they will welcome you," the seniors sang.
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