University of the Virgin Islands President Orville Kean and funeral director and former V.I. senator Cleone Creque are this year's honorees at the annual Anniversary Ball of the Barbados Association of St. Thomas and St. John, set for Saturday at the Renaissance Grand Beach Resort.
"This will be our ninth annual ball, and it is in observance of Barbados' 34th anniversary of independence from Great Britain," association president Richard Payne said.
Kenneth Knight, founder of the National Association of Barbados Organizations, will be the evening's featured speaker.
In a letter soliciting advertising for the ball program book, Payne described some of the association's activities:
Having adopted the Kirwan Terrace Elementary School through the Volunteers in Public Schools program, it has donated services, equipment, materials and savings bond awards for graduating students.
It promotes the game of chess in local schools "and looks forward to having a competition of the schools in the near future."
It has donated funds for various community projects and for hurricane relief to neighboring islands.
It awarded two book-fee scholarships to graduating high school students enrolling at UVI this fall.
In a UVI press release, Kean noted that the association "has been supportive of the University by contributing scholarships and that it understands and supports UVI's vision of facilitating economic and social transformation in the Virgin Islands." It cited association member Beresford Husbands as having commended Kean for his "significant contributions to the community in the area of education, impacting both Virgin Islands students and those from the Eastern Caribbean."
The ball begins at 7 p.m. with cocktails, to be followed by dinner, the recognition program and dancing to the music of Deep Unda Kova. Tickets are $50 and may be reserved by calling 775-4824.
