Although the excitement of Carnival is just over, another traditional excitement will take center stage Wednesday: a smaller, quieter, but equally significant celebration.
No elaborate costumes, tramps or fireworks, but rousing rounds of "hurrahs" are bound to sound loud when the Rotary Club of St. Thomas II announces the identity of its Person of the Year at the noon ceremony at Marriott’s Frenchman’s Reef Beach Resort, where a Lladro statuette of Don Quixote — Miguel de Cervantes’ valiant knight-errant — will be presented to the person the committee has deemed most deserving of the honor.
The prestigious honor is not necessarily selected on the basis of Quixote’s "quixotic qualities;" the recipient need not tilt at windmills literally, but he or she must reflect the knight’s generous idealism, his visionary qualities. The honoree must have demonstrated Quixote’s determination when flailing at those windmills in efforts for the good of the community.
The recipients, dating back to 1981 when Wilbur "Bill" LaMotta received the first award, have ranged from doctors, politicians and entertainers to newspaper publishers and mothers. Such as last year’s recipient, Candia Petersen, "an extraordinary parent and activist, who raised two extraordinary children (Barbara and Dr. Bert Petersen)," according to Person of the Year Committee Chair Elliott MacIver Davis.
So, who will it be this year? The traditional secret is once again being vexingly kept by the traditionally close-mouthed Davis, who is very good at his job. In fact, there could be tramps and fireworks for all the hints he affords a questioner, trying to trip him up. No dice.
He had this to say: "This year is unusual in several respects. It is another first for us in the category of unsung heroes, someone who has been giving service to the Virgin Islands for nearly 30 years, quietly and humbly."
So, there you are. Notice the carefully worded, gender-neutral statement.
This reporter then said, "I think I’ll call club president Simon Caines and see what I can find out." "Oh, please do that," said Davis, knowing full well the result would be a big zero.
Caines spoke about his love for the Rotary organization and how privileged he is to be this club’s president.
That said, Caines then admitted, "I don’t know who it is. It’s a closely guarded secret. I thought now that I’m president, I would know ahead of time. Well, there’s no such thing." Though Caines learned rank hath no privilege where the Person is concerned, he concluded, "I’m still very excited about the possibility of who it is."
Previous persons of the year: LaMotta, Davis, Albert Aubain, Gov. Roy Schneider, Costas Coulianos, Calvin Wheatley, Dr. Alfred Heath, Gov. Alexander Farrelly, Irvin "Brownie" Brown, Delegate Ron de Lugo, Dilsa Capdeville, Athniel "Addie" Ottley, Judge Verne Hodge, Leona Bryant, Edward Thomas, Juel Molloy, Vinnie Mohanani, Sen. Lorraine Berry, Nick Pourzal, Randy Knight, John DeJongh Jr., Shaun Pennington, LaVerne Ragster, Rodney Miller, Suzanne Robinson, Joseph Aubain, Cecile deJongh, V.I. Inspector General Steven van Beverhoudt and last year’s recipient Candia R. Petersen.
