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The Avis SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 26-27, 2013 ‘Remember and Respect’ ST. CROIX — This Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, the Amer- ican Legion District 10 will honor our veterans. District Commander Charles David announced that the dis- trict has several events planned for Memorial Day. In addition to the Memorial Day parade, post members plan to place flags on all veterans’ graves in the cemeteries of the Virgin Islands. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day to remember those who have died in our nation’s service, he said. The mission this year is quite clear, David said, and that is to honor and remember all veter- ans who gave their lives in the service of the United States and to recognize and thank all veter- ans, past and present, who have served our country in the Armed Forces of the United States; the National Guard; the Reserves; and our allies. The Memorial Day ceremony will be hosted by the Bromley Berkley American Legion Post No. 133 on St. Croix and by the Patrick U. George American Legion Post No. 90 on St. Thomas. The traditional observance at the cemetery has a long history and is scheduled as part of this year’s Memorial Day observance. The American Legion Post will deco- rate the graves of fallen comrades with flags. The event on St. Croix will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Frederiksted Post Office, where a parade will start and move on to the Fred- eriksted Cemetery for a service at the grave of comrade Rudolph Charles. The parade will then continue on to the Frederiksted waterfront, where a seaside service will be conducted and honors ren- dered. After the parade and graveside/ seaside ceremonies, a special hon- ors ceremony will take place at the Buddhoe Park bandstand. During the ceremony, SGM Hollis McIntosh and Shenneth Canega- ta will present the 2013 Memori- al Day address. On St. Thomas, the ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Western Cemetery No. 1 with a graveside ceremony. The parade will then move down Main Street to the Emile White Memorial for a seaside ceremony. The parade will then proceed to the Franklin D. Roo- sevelt Veterans Park for the official Memorial Day ceremony. Celebration on St. John includ- ed grave decorations on Saturday and flag presentations to the Mora- vian churches in Coral Bay and Cruz Bay, St. John on Sunday. Troops from the Virgin Islands National Guard will participate in the parade again this year along with Boys Scouts and school bands. The theme of the parade is “Remember and Respect,” accord- ing to David. The district also is asking that Virgin Islands residents fly the American flag on Memorial Day to express appreciation to all veter- ans and current members of the Armed Forces by joining the nation at 3 p.m. to observe The National Moment of Remem- brance, a tribute to the fallen and their survivors. Memorial Day parades planned in both districts SUSAN ELLIS ST. CROIX — The third annual Housing Expo sponsored by the Vir- gin Islands Housing Finance Author- ity will be held in June on St. Croix and St. Thomas in conjunction with National Home Ownership Month. The expo will be held on June 1 at the Sunshine Mall on St. Croix and on June 22, at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Arena on St. Thomas. Both events will be open between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. This year’s theme is “Cultivat- ing the Dream.” The Housing Expo will have infor- mation for the public on the various aspects of buying and maintaining a home. Contractors, construction product vendors and utility providers will be on site to answer questions and provide information. The expo also will feature workshops on find- ing and financing a home, do-it- yourself home maintenance, fore- closure prevention and energy conservation. There will be prizes and giveaways for the first 50 attendees. This year, the VIHFA has part- nered with the VI Department of Agriculture to help attendees not only with the basics of home own- ership but also for the cultivation of food for harvest. Children and adults alike will have the oppor- tunity to gain knowledge on soil preparation, planting, cultivating and yield by participating in box garden workshops with DOA and a “Kids Workshop” with The Home Depot. “Our hope is that this simple lesson on the art of cultivation will transpire into an understanding that the dream of home owner- ship is just as easy to achieve with proper planning and prepara- tion,”Adrienne Williams, VIHFA executive director, said in a news release. Last year, there were almost 40 vendors, including banks, insur- ance companies, real estate agents, landscapers, utility companies, green produce vendors, home improvement consultants, con- tractors and building material sup- pliers.There were hourly workshops and presenters educating the crowds on everything from han- dling finances, foreclosure preven- tion, loss mitigation, financing and refinancing home loans. This year, the expo will feature many of the same vendors and pre- senters. To become a vendor, an exhibitor or for other information, call 772- 4432 on St. Croix or 777-4432 on St. Thomas. Originally, Roberts said, a black and white drawing was given to the students to use as a pattern, but the final product turned into something else. “It looks a little bit more like St. Croix. They made it their own,” she said. Above the horizon, an island with the shape of St. Croix’s North Shore, is surrounded by dive boats, sail boats and a cruise ship. Below the surface, the students painted divers, local fish, turtles and littered the bottom with cans, fish traps and tires. “The point (of the project) is what we do on land is connect- ed to the ocean and what we do to the ocean is connected to the land — it impacts the reef,” Roberts said. Submitted photo A mural created by St. Croix Educational Complex students was hung on the Payless Shoe Store building at Sunny Isle Shopping Center on May 16. MURAL: FROM PAGE 1 VIHFA to host Housing Expo ST. CROIX — The Virgin Islands has received a $2 million federal disaster relief grant for local busi- nesses, according to Percival Clouden, chief executive officer of the VI Economic Development Authority. The disaster relief project is fund- ed through the FY 2012 Disaster Relief Opportunity, administered by the U.S. Economic Development Administration to help the territory’s small and medium-sized business- es that have been affected by natural disasters. The fund will provide loan services and help business people create or retain their business, maintain jobs and address the impact of natural disasters on the local economy. The project is for small and mid-sized VI businesses in the commercial, manufacturing, retail, construction and business services industries. The VIEDA will create and administer the fund. “This VIEDA grant is part of a $8.7 million support for disaster recovery in Connecticut, Illinois, Missouri, New York and U.S. Virgin Islands. With this grant, the VIEDA can assist our local small to medi- um-sized businesses, which have suffered economically from natural disasters and impeded the normal operation of their business and dislocated their employees,” Clouden said. In Nov. 2010, President Barack Obama declared the Virgin Islands a major disaster area in response to Gov. John de Jongh Jr.’s disas- ter declaration when the territory sustained severe damage from Tropical Storm Otto in late October 2010. As a result, the territory was eligible to receive this grant. “The de Jongh/Francis admin- istration is duly committed to assisting our small to medium- sized business enterprises impact- ed by natural disasters to rebuild a stronger community. This grant from the U.S. EDA will enhance their ability to respond to future disasters, retain and create more jobs and revenues for the territory,” de Jongh said. For more information about the relief fund, contact the VIEDA at 714-1700. VI receives $2M disaster relief grant to aid businesses