CRUZ BAY — St. Johnians and their friends are planning a day of activities to celebrate the inauguration of a new governor and lieutenant governor. The chief organizer for those events, set for Jan. 7, said celebrations start by mid morning and include a church service, youth performances and a chance to meet Governor Kenneth Mapp and Lieutenant Governor Osbert Potter.
Laurell Hewitt Sewer, chair of the Mapp-Potter St. John Inaugural Committee, offered a glimpse of the festivities as she and a group of volunteers got ready to spruce us the Battery, which serves as the island’s official Government House.
“On Wednesday we’re going to have an ecumenical church service. We’ve invited clergy from the various churches on St. John to participate,” Hewitt-Sewer said. “ There’s going to be a post inaugural program to follow at 12:30 pm at Frank Powell Park in the bandstand. “We have mostly students particiating in that program so we have given our young people a chance to showcase their talent.”
The Wednesday morning and mid-day public events resume after a private luncheon for the governor and the lieutenant governor and attending dignitaries, she said. From 2 to 4 the battery is open to the public. lots of refreshment, food and light entertainment. get an opportunity to meet with the governor and the lieutenant governor.
Dinner and dancing cap off the celebration schedule,to be held at the Westin Resort.
The St. John inaugural events are expected to conclude three days of festivies that begin with a Jan. 5 swearing-in ceremony and military parade on St. Thomas and celebrations coinciding with Three Kings Day, Tuesday on St. Croix.
Hewitt-Sewer said planning and organizing the activities have consumed her time for the past several weeks, aided by the work of 13 planning committee members. “I think we have a pretty good program planned and its coming together nicely, “ she said.
