CLICK HERE FOR 2008 WICA NEWS...

  CLICK HERE FOR 2009 WICA NEWS...

What a Bingo Night! Whew!

Posted February 25, 2010     Another big crowd came out last night for the Wednesday Night Bingo festivities at Honeymoon Beach. Heidi was kind enough to make popcorn for everybody. Everybody laughed. Everybody had a great time and a lot of people won.

Joanne was not present as she was spending time with the Governor. However, we did have a Special Guest Bingo caller, Kevin Cordt! He and Jim did a fine job of calling the numbers and making everyone laugh. Kevin is well known to most Water Islanders and is a frequent visitor.

When not on Water Island Kevin is leading his jazz quartet, the Kevin Cordt Quartet, and touring with Last Train Home from Nashville, and Spottiswoode and His Enemies from New York City. He has performed with Sandra Bernhard, Joan Osborne, Phil Lesh and Warren Haynes in New York and opened for Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, the Indigo Girls, Nickel Creek, John Hiatt and many others.

He has also recorded with over 30 different artists all over the world. He has also appeared on numerous television programs including The Craig Ferguson Show. You can here his quartet every Friday night at Mr. Henry’s on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. “Reminiscent of Blue Note recordings of the 50’s” (Washintgon Post), the quartet continues to record and play all over the east coast.

Thanks Kevin!

And They Said It Couldn't be Done!

Posted February 21, 2010     The 2010 Water Island Civic Association Annual Auction was a tremendous success! Even in spite of the economy. What made it successful was the hard work put in by everyone that volunteered. It is that community spirit that helps to make Water Island a great place to call "Home".

The Auction started at 9AM (the entire workforce was there at 7:30AM!) and continued until Noon when a free lunch buffet was served to all. After having their fill of fine food the Auction started up again at 1:pm and finished about 4:30PM

If you were at the Auction most likely you are in this video!

Going! Going! Almost Gone!

5th Annual Water Island Classical Music Festival

The 5th annual Water Island Classical Music Festival is coming up - February 12, 13 and 14.  Carnegie Hall Pianist Julian Gargiulo returns for the fifth year bringing to the Virgin Islands a performance of the program he played in January at New York's Carnegie Hall.  Joining Julian are six world class musicians including the winner of this year’s Paganini Competition Dmitri Berlinsky performing on the Violin, Jazz Pianist Wells Hanley, Jazz Singer Patrice Perry, Russian pianist Maria Yefimova, operatic soprano Roza Tulyaganova of Uzbekistan and Soprano Olga Shyp.  Seven musicians in three concerts; each evening will feature a totally different program of music.
 
Make plans to come to Water Island - there will be ferry service from St. Thomas from Crown Bay Marina and return ferry boats to bring you back.  Three nights, three concerts.  Friday, Saturday and Sunday February 12, 13, and 14 at 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at Providence Point Water Island.  The concerts are free and plan to bring a donation to cover the artists expenses.  The concerts are sponsored by the Randall Family of Water Island who utilize their home as the concert venue.  A ferry from Crown Bay Marina will be available at 6:30 and 6:45 to meet the concert and a return at 10:00 PM and 10:30.  For more information call 774-2635 in the evening.

Hibiscus Society "Thank You"!

Posted February 9, 2010     We received the following from Mario A. Francis , STHS President

"Many thanks Joanne (Bohr)! Thanks to the Water Island Civic Association for their cooperation.

The St.Thomas Hibiscus Society members really enjoyed the trip:the short ferry ride; golf cart ride; most of all the Bonsai demo; Honeymoon Beach, and Alex's miniature garden railway.We'll do it again sometime soon.

Again, Thank you!

Please share our appreciation of everyone's assistance to your group. Tell Bob  and Mercy that we'll keep in touch; and to please join the hibiscus society."

Mario A. Francis
STHS President

Water Island Civic Association Membership

Posted January 22, 2010

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT JOANNE BOHR

The Water Island Civic Association—and why we want you to join us!

This year, we would like you to consider joining WICA as a member.  Some of our neighbors are not members and we want to fix that.  Some think WICA does not affect them, or we are some exclusive group who do not want to include every member of our community – This is WRONG….the more of us who join together in the association, the stronger we will be. If we can do something differently, join us and make WICA better.

Here are a few reasons why you should join us:
1.    Honeymoon Beach - WICA has executed a Memorandum of Understanding with the VI Commissioner of Housing Parks and Recreation.  This MOU give WICA operational authority over the beach vendors and the facilities on the beach.  Beach vendors and WICA share the cost to clean the bathrooms daily.  WICA pays to keep the bathrooms functional with additional support from Parks and Rec. Renters of the pavilion must get keys from WICA after obtaining approval to use the facilities from Parks and Rec.  At WICA's request, Parks and Rec installed 4 new cisterns at the beach and WICA paid to have the cisterns enclosed and downspouts repaired to catch all the water we can.  Cisterns are refilled when WICA calls Parks and Rec
In 2009   WICA spent  $10.516.00 FOR OUR BEACH to include
a.    repairing the swim buoys
b.    care and pruning of palm trees and coconuts
c.    Beachy Clean to thoroughly sweep the beach and filter out debris
d.    Maintenance of the restrooms with support from the vendors and Parks and Rec.
e.    Tiki Huts repaired (with additional work needed)
  (Water Island Search and Rescue paid to have the swim raft repaired)
2.    Roadside Cutting - Jim Wilkinson provided direct coordination between WICA and the Commissioner of Public Works resulted in the roadside cutting crews coming over 4 times a year.    
3.    Roads - Chuck Gidley and Jim Wilkinson’s committee. Yes this is a sore point.  WICA has obtained some pothole patching support form Public Works-not enough but some.  The VI Government recently completed action on a $75 Million Bond Issue.  Included in the bond issue is $341,000 to pave Limestone Road from the dump intersection to the upper Sprat Bay gate and $165,000 for repairs to Fort Hill Road.  WICA also spent $9.803.00 to execute emergency repairs on Fort Hill Road, Dump Road, Catchment Hill Road and the road from the Firehouse to the Dump Road.    
4.    Security - Joe Mancino is the chairperson of this committee.  Because of WICA’s member support we have a committee to coordinate, report and deal with security problems and interact with the proper agencies on STT.  The calls are accepted from non-members and members and provide alerts to the community.      
5.    Government Liaison -  Joanne Bohr has worked with our administrator to have issues raised with both the Legislature and Governor’s office for problems faced by the community. Mail Service is just one issue.
6.    Land Use -   Chuck Gidley has provided maps and information on alerted the community for potential issues that will affect the zoning on Water Island.
7.    Community Outreach Committee  -  Barbara Archibald’s committee works to include the Breakfast with Santa for children and Senior events sponsored by the WICA members
8.    WISAR - Tom McCoy is President and Red Cross instructor. WICA provided the initial funds to start up and each year, WICA provides funding to support OUR Water Island Search and Rescue.  This organization has responded to many incidents and assisted many of our neighbors and visitors alike.  
9.    Auction -   Marion Wilkinson’s committee works on our community auction.  It is a fun-filled day when many of our WICA volunteers shop, cook, solicit and collect donations for this fundraiser.  Since the annual dues are not sufficient to cover the work WICA does, the WICA auction has become a fun way to raise funds to support our island.
This list does not cover all the other WICA volunteers who spend unbelievable amounts of time to make our island life better for ALL. (Example, Bob Blosser who does our membership and sends out all news for WICA and Non-WICA events.)
 
The purpose of this letter is to show that ALL Water Islanders (as well as your guests) benefit from the work funded and time donated by WICA members. 

This year, we ask that you please Join WICA and help make Water Island an even better place to live.

Training With WISAR

Posted January 18, 2010     WISAR sure knows how to recruit volunteers! Above we have Wally & Joanne, 2 "victims", during 1st Aid training recently that decided to turn the training into a dance class!

WISAR In Action!

Posted January 13, 2010     We received this letter and were asked to post it here;

To Marion Wilkinson, Joanne Bohr and Mary Dunakey, and anonymous friends on the beach:

While I was snorkeling in Honeymoon Bay on Saturday, January 9, 2010 I began to have intense problems with breathing.

My friend Peggy yelled “emergency” and within moments three WISAR volunteers arrived and plunged to my rescue. (Sorry, Marion, about the wet shorts.)

The speed and professionalism of their response was most impressive.

Thank you, Jackie Rengers

Important Announcement!!

Posted January 5, 2010     Due to circumstances beyond our control, the WICA Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 16th, will be

Held at the Water Island Firehouse

Almost Auction Time Again

Posted January 2, 2010