The Roy L. Schneider Hospital's annual Blue and Silver Ball recognizing St. Thomas and St. John health facilities employees of the year is set for Saturday, July 22, at Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort.
This year's honorees are Dionidas Anthony, Joyce Benjamin-Correa, Celeste Brin, Myris Guishard, John Olive and Dr. Vicente Poblete.
Anthony has been named Employee of the Year at the Myrah Keating Smith Health Clinic. She grew up in Puerto Rico, then moved to St. John after receiving her bachelor's degree in computer information systems from the University of Puerto Rico. After working in the hospitality sector, she joined the staff of the St. John clinic in 1994 as hospital accounts financial manager, a position she continues to hold.
Benjamin-Correa, who is receiving the Employee Service Award for the year, has been a medical technician with the local health facilities for more than 35 years. She began work at the old Knud Hansen Hospital as a secretary, then worked her way up through training and certification to become a technician. She has passed federal examinations in blood banking, chemistry, hematology and urinalysis and has taken courses through the federal Centers for Disease Control. Her contributions have included training new technicians and interns.
Brin is being honored as Nurse of the Year. A native St. Thomian, she joined the pediatrics unit of the then-St. Thomas Hospital in 1984 as a nurse's aide. Within four years, she was promoted to the highest level in the nursing assistance division. In 1996 she received her B.S. in nursing from the University of the Virgin Islands. This year, she was named acting head nurse of the obstetrics unit at Schneider Hospital.
Guishard is the hospital's Employee of the Year. A native of Curaçao who has resided on St. Thomas since 1971, she was the salutatorian of the Class of 1985 in the Charlotte Amalie High School adult education evening program. Her first job at the hospital was as a clerk in the gift shop. Since 1988, she has been working as a receptionist and providing transcribing, typing and filing services in the radiology file room.
Olive has been named Director of the Year. A graduate of Sts. Peter and Paul High School, he was certified by the American Society of Radiology in 1960 and joined the Knud Hansen staff in 1965. Two years later he moved to Alabama to work at a hospital while taking night classes toward a radiology technology degree at Gadsden State College, which he received in 1972. In 1985 he returned home to become radiology supervisor at the St. Thomas hospital, a position he still holds.
Poblete, an obstetrician-gynecologist, is being recognized as Physician of the Year. An honors graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, he specialized in high-risk pregnancy and control of premature labor at the New York Hospital Corwell Medical Center, then returned to the Philippines to practice and teach. Since moving to St. Thomas, he has been on the hospital medical staff while also maintaining a private practice. He is currently chief of obstetrics/gynecology at Schneider Hospital.
Employees nominate peers for the annual honors, and a selection committee makes the final determination of honorees.
Tickets are $35 for the Blue and Silver Ball buffet dinner and dance. Music will be provided by the Starlites. To make reservations, call 776-8311, ext. 2273 or 5092.

The Roy L. Schneider Hospital's annual Blue and Silver Ball recognizing St. Thomas and St. John health facilities employees of the year is set for Saturday, July 22, at Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort.
This year's honorees are Dionidas Anthony, Joyce Benjamin-Correa, Celeste Brin, Myris Guishard, John Olive and Dr. Vicente Poblete.
Anthony has been named Employee of the Year at the Myrah Keating Smith Health Clinic. She grew up in Puerto Rico, then moved to St. John after receiving her bachelor's degree in computer information systems from the University of Puerto Rico. After working in the hospitality sector, she joined the staff of the St. John clinic in 1994 as hospital accounts financial manager, a position she continues to hold.
Benjamin-Correa, who is receiving the Employee Service Award for the year, has been a medical technician with the local health facilities for more than 35 years. She began work at the old Knud Hansen Hospital as a secretary, then worked her way up through training and certification to become a technician. She has passed federal examinations in blood banking, chemistry, hematology and urinalysis and has taken courses through the federal Centers for Disease Control. Her contributions have included training new technicians and interns.
Brin is being honored as Nurse of the Year. A native St. Thomian, she joined the pediatrics unit of the then-St. Thomas Hospital in 1984 as a nurse's aide. Within four years, she was promoted to the highest level in the nursing assistance division. In 1996 she received her B.S. in nursing from the University of the Virgin Islands. This year, she was named acting head nurse of the obstetrics unit at Schneider Hospital.
Guishard is the hospital's Employee of the Year. A native of Curaçao who has resided on St. Thomas since 1971, she was the salutatorian of the Class of 1985 in the Charlotte Amalie High School adult education evening program. Her first job at the hospital was as a clerk in the gift shop. Since 1988, she has been working as a receptionist and providing transcribing, typing and filing services in the radiology file room.
Olive has been named Director of the Year. A graduate of Sts. Peter and Paul High School, he was certified by the American Society of Radiology in 1960 and joined the Knud Hansen staff in 1965. Two years later he moved to Alabama to work at a hospital while taking night classes toward a radiology technology degree at Gadsden State College, which he received in 1972. In 1985 he returned home to become radiology supervisor at the St. Thomas hospital, a position he still holds.
Poblete, an obstetrician-gynecologist, is being recognized as Physician of the Year. An honors graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, he specialized in high-risk pregnancy and control of premature labor at the New York Hospital Corwell Medical Center, then returned to the Philippines to practice and teach. Since moving to St. Thomas, he has been on the hospital medical staff while also maintaining a private practice. He is currently chief of obstetrics/gynecology at Schneider Hospital.
Employees nominate peers for the annual honors, and a selection committee makes the final determination of honorees.
Tickets are $35 for the Blue and Silver Ball buffet dinner and dance. Music will be provided by the Starlites. To make reservations, call 776-8311, ext. 2273 or 5092.

The Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs Wednesday implemented a moratorium on issuance of all new mobile vendors licenses.
In a press release, DLCA Commissioner Andrew Rutnik cited lack of space as the reason for the moratorium, which is to take effect immediately in the St. Thomas/St. John district.
Rutnick held town meetings on all three islands regarding problems encountered by vendors, regulatory agencies and the community.
The moratorium, which will last for an undetermined time, will not affect St. Croix.
For more information contact the Division of Licensing at 774-3130.

Nazareth Lutheran Church invites the faith community to a first-time event, a combined hurricane supplication service and picnic, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Cruz Bay Creek barge dock. From there, participants will process to the church building for the remainder of the service. The picnic will follow in the parish hall at 11:30 a.m. To learn more, call 776-6731.

Nazareth Lutheran Church on St. John invites the St. Thomas faith community to a first-time event, a combined hurricane supplication service and picnic, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Cruz Bay Creek barge dock. From there, participants will process to the church building for the remainder of the service. The picnic will follow in the parish hall at 11:30 a.m. To learn more, call 776-6731.

Nazareth Lutheran Church on St. John will host a first-time event, a combined hurricane supplication service and picnic, on Saturday, July 22, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
The day's activities will begin with a gathering at the Cruz Bay Creek barge dock across from the new V.I. National Park Visitor Center. From that location, there will be a procession to the Nazareth church building for the continuation of the service. The picnic will commence in the parish hall following the worship.
In years past, Hurricane Supplication Day has been a V.I. government holiday. It no longer is, but communities of faith are continuing to observe the idea of the day in special ways within their worship structure, according to Pastor Carlyle Sampson of Nazareth church.
The idea for this picnic was born at the most recent Lutheran district assembly as a way to foster greater fellowship among the members of the three Lutheran congregations on St. Thomas and St. John. The general public is welcome to attend. For further information, call 776-6731 or 776-6361.

Nazareth Lutheran Church on St. John will host a first-time event, a combined hurricane supplication service and picnic, on Saturday, July 22, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
The day's activities will begin with a gathering at the Cruz Bay Creek barge dock across from the new V.I. National Park Visitor Center. From that location, there will be a procession to the Nazareth church building for the continuation of the service. The picnic will commence in the parish hall following the worship.
In years past, Hurricane Supplication Day has been a V.I. government holiday. It no longer is, but communities of faith are continuing to observe the idea of the day in special ways within their worship structure, according to Pastor Carlyle Sampson of Nazareth church.
The idea for this picnic was born at the most recent Lutheran district assembly as a way to foster greater fellowship among the members of the three Lutheran congregations on St. Thomas and St. John. The general public is welcome to attend. For further information, call 776-6731 or 776-6361.

On Tuesday Coral World and the Ritz Carlton hosted a marine environmental event at Great Bay, which is part of the St. James Marine Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary. Great Bay is also home to the Ritz.
About 75 seahorses, ranging in age from four months to a year, were released into their natural habitat.
Coral World curator Donna Nemeth said the shallow, calm waters of Great Bay contain sea grass and algae that provide a beneficial habitat for the seahorses. "We have already released a number of our seahorses in this reserve because of its healthy sea grass beds," she said.
Jim Luecke, Coral World's assistant curator, spoke briefly to about two dozen of the hotel's guests and other interested persons before taking three buckets of seahorses about 50 yards off the beach in a dinghy .
Once released, the seahorses nonchalantly drifted to the bottom and wrapped their tails around individual blades of sea grass. The were released two and three at a time about 20 feet apart.
Luecke said that the seahorses life span is three to four years. He also said seahorses often fall prey to predatory fish such snapper, grouper and grunts.
The St. James Sanctuary, as well as two adjacent marine wildlife reserves, protect the valuable nursery habitats for seahorses, juvenile reef fish, lobsters and birds.
For more information on the St. James Marine Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, or a map of the protected area please contact DPNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife at 775-6762.

The All Saints Cathedral School Capital Development Committee is developing a directory of All Saints graduates.
Alumni and those with contact information for alumni are asked to submit names, postal addresses, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers to the committee by faxing to the school at (340) 774-1707 or e-mailing to Nadine Marchena at nmarchena@hotmail.com.
The capital development committee is co-chaired by Catherine Mills and Carole Oriol.

The next scheduled date for insurance examinations for ST.Thomas/St.John is at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 27, at the Division of Personnel Testing Room in the GERS Building.
Registration will take place at the Division of Banking and Insurance Office at Nisky Center, ending Wednesday, July 26. The fee for the examination is $25.
For additional information contact Claudette A. Georges at 774-7166.