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dateline: UVI The monthly newsletter of The University of the Virgin Islands July 21, 2004 vol. x, number 7 UVI knocked out the competi- tion at the St. Thomas 2004 Relay for Life with its theme “A Night at the Fights to Knock Out Cancer” and the corresponding display of a boxing ring, which won the event’s best decorated tent award. At in- tervals during the walk-a-thon held at the Charlotte Amalie High School track in June, the battle against can- cer was acted out in the boxing ring. Equipped with boxing gloves, UVI student Shanequa Williams played the role of cancer and UVI Alum Lyra Thomas Harrigan portrayed those united in the fight against the disease. In each instance cancer was knocked out. At the Relay for Life, a member of each team must walk on the track throughout the18-hour walk-a-thon. As a result, members of each team take turns walking. There were a total of 60 teams made up of people from the public and pri- vate sectors and the community at-large. UVI was one of the many organizations represented at the annual fund-raiser for cancer research and education. UVI had two teams whose combined total of 24 members raised $2,400. The peak of the event was between 6 p.m. and midnight when entire families came out to walk for the various teams. There were activities and contests for children, including tug- of-war and a moonwalker. Other events included a fashion show and karaoke contest. Events Calendar July 19-23 Food Crop Society Meeting STJ July 21 Wellness Seminar STT July 21 Free HIV Testing STT Aug. 13 Oliver Samuels Show STX Aug. 14-15 Oliver Samuels Show STT Aug. 15-18 New Student Orientation STT Aug. 16-18 New Student Orientation STX At 9 p.m. the night turned sol- emn as all the lights on the track were turned off for the official candle light ceremony. The ceremony included a can- cer survivor’s story of her battle with the disease and quiet reflec- tions by those who have lost loved ones to the disease. Following the ceremony, cancer survivors made a lap around the track then they were joined by their supporters. UVI Special Events Coordina- tor Raul Carrillo served as the chairman of the Relay for Life. He said that the event raised more than $107,000 for the local American Cancer Society. (left to right) UVI Alum Lyra Thomas Harrigan por- trays people united in the fight against cancer knock- ing out the disease, which is portrayed by UVI student Shanequa Williams at the Relay for Life. UVI Joins the Fight Against Cancer (left) An attendee attempts to graft a mango tree at the Eighth Annual Mango Melee and Tropical Fruit Festival held in July at the St. George Village Bo- tanical Garden on St. Croix. (right) Children com- pete in the mango-eating contest. The festival fea- tured delicacies made from mango, including a mango swirl cheesecake and mango ice cream. More than 70 varieties of mango and other tropical fruit were on display. The UVI Cooperative Extension Service was a co-sponsor of the event. Mangoes and More Featured at Annual Festival dateline:UVI 2 John Brewer’s Bay St. Thomas, VI 00802 GET CONNECTED TO UVI news, activities and accomplishments at . . . www.uvi.edu dateline:UVI is a production of the UVI Public Relations Office. Contact us by telephone at (340) 693-1056; by fax at (340) 693-1055; or by E-mail at nfarrel@uvi.edu. GET CONNECTED TO UVI news, activities and accomplishments at . . . www.uvi.edu For years the Royal Palm Drive on UVI’s St. Croix campus has attracted people who marvel at its majesty. To en- sure the beauty of the University’s sig- nature drive, the first plan of action in a campus-wide reforestation effort was to replace the damaged and destroyed Puerto Rican royal palms. That restora- tion was in 2003. One year later the Royal Palm Drive, the only of its kind in the territory, and the entire St. Croix cam- pus, were recognized at the 9th Annual Caribbean Urban Forestry Conference with a “Project Award.” The five-day Caribbean Urban For- estry Conference attracted profession- als from around the region. The theme was “Managing the Caribbean Urban and Community Forest.” Peter Abrahams, the St. Croix cam- pus director of Business and Facilities Ser- vices, was acknowledged for his leader- ship in transforming the campus grounds from a manicured lawn into a beautiful ur- ban forest. An urban forest is defined as all vegetation and green spaces within com- munities that provide benefits vital to en- riching the quality of life. Through grants, donations and input from the landscaping committee, lush gar- dens and blossoming tress and shrubs were developed on the St. Croix campus. Also winning an award from UVI was Extension Spe- cialist Carlos Robles. He won the “Outstanding Professional” award for his 23 years of providing information, education and technical advice in urban gardening, sustainable agriculture, urban forestry and farm safety with the Cooperative Ex- tension Service (CES). “I felt honored and gratified for be- ing recognized for something I love to do,” Robles said. Notably, Robles is one of the few certified arborists in the terri- tory. He conducts forestry workshops, seminars and demonstrations for home gardeners, public and private agencies, and landscape maintenance crews. Since 2002, Robles has been responsible for administering a USDA Urban Forestry grant. He also educates individual home- owners, neighborhood groups and stu- dents about the value of trees and the means of caring for them. Additionally, he is in involved in the “Remarkable Big Trees of the Virgin Islands” project. “Part of my responsibility is to edu- cate whoever will listen,” Robles said. And he does it with a passion. “I just love my job.” The 9th Annual Caribbean Urban Forestry Conference was jointly spon- sored by the UVI-CES, V.I. Department of Agriculture and the USDA Forest Ser- vice/International Institute of Tropical Forestry. (top) The Royal Palm Drive at the entrance of UVI’s St. Croix campus. The campus won a “Project Award” at the Caribbean Urban Forestry Conference. (bottom) UVI’s Coop- erative Extension Service State Director Kwame Garcia bestows the conference’s “Outstanding Professional” award on Carlos Robles, a UVI extension specialist. “I Love My Job” UVI Award Recipient Says