March 23, 2008 — Wilford Pedro Home for the Elderly was the place to be for Easter lunch Sunday.
Pier 69 proprietor Unise Tranberg, folks from the Frederiksted Economic Development Association, and a host of volunteers served up heaping plates of roast pork, ham, turkey, stew fish, peas and rice, green peas and carrots, Crucian stuffing, macaroni and cheese, carrot cakes, fruits, dinner rolls and butter to the community's residents as they came back from Easter church services. Having made a hit last year, Eugene "Doc" Petersen was back, softly singing old calypso to his own clean, bell-like acoustic guitar.
"Mathilda she take me money and run to Venezuela," he sang, while Tranberg, Rupert Ross, Marcia and Hugh Payne and the other volunteers served up the plates.
This is the 15th year Tranberg and FEDA have offered this Easter meal.
"My mom used to help out like this, along with my aunt," said Tranberg while getting ready for the luncheon on Friday. "She passed away in 1993 and I started doing this in her memory."
They serve Easter meal and St. Croix Rotary Club West serves Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, she said.
The preparation for the day is extensive, as volunteers began creating Easter baskets on Good Friday and spend all day Saturday preparing the meal
Many people help year after year, she said. "Marcia and Hugh Payne here have been volunteering the past four years," she said. Rupert Ross has been involved for years, Larry Quinn has donated Easter eggs for the last seven years, and many others have given of their time again and again.
Josephine Alicea, tenant council president at Wilford Pedro, made sure the afternoon went smoothly and all the residents were taken care of. She and Tranberg conferred and made sure those residents who would have trouble coming out to the luncheon were all brought a plate of food and an Easter basket of goodies.
Pier 69, the Frederiksted Economic Development Association, Villa Morales restaurant, the West Indies Corporation, Kussco and Merchant's Market are some of the major sponsors who help out year after year, Tranberg said.
Back Talk
Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.