Photo Essay: Crowds Gather for Earth Day at Frank Powell Park in Cruz Bay

By Amy H. Roberts
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Hundreds of children and adults gathered in Cruz Bay’s Frank Powell Sr. Park to celebrate Earth Day on Friday.

Gifft Hill School students take a break for lunch among the Earth Day activities in Frank Powell Park. (Amy H. Roberts photo)

Organized by the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park, the event included 17 booths with hands-on activities to delight and educate participants of all ages.

Ricardo Garcia-Sanchez and Armani Pickering listen attentively while Shelby Adkins from Iowa State University explains how to identify the three types of mangroves. (Amy H. Roberts photo)

“That was the first big community event I’ve been to after a long time,” said Kathy Hilliard, who helped out with the St. John Historical Society’s coloring activities. “Being in the park added to the pleasantness.”

The St. John Historical Society’s table was especially popular with younger children who enjoyed coloring pictures of historic scenes. The old Custom’s house (left) was once located in the park where the Earth Day Fair was held; the simple wooden structure later became the first ranger station for the Virgin Islands National Park; it was torn down in the early 1980s. On the right is a drawing of the old Keating family home. (Amy H. Roberts photo)

“I was there from early on. It was very well organized,” said Lisa Etre, who was distributing children’s books. ” There was lots of participation.”

Sherita Flowers, who teaches art at the St. John School of the Arts, paints a flower on the face of De’Janique Brathwaite. (Amy H. Roberts photo)

The fair was not the end of the activities sponsored by the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park for the week. On Saturday, they’ll be holding a Cruz Bay trash pickup starting at 9 a.m. at the VINP Visitor Center.

Tasha Gumbs leads first graders back to JESS after the litter parade. (Amy H. Roberts photo)

Then at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Bajo El Sol Gallery will be hosting a book signing to celebrate the new book of photography by Kayden Richards, a young ancestral St. Johnian who is the photographer-in-residence with the Friends of the VINP. You can see his work here: https://tsunamisshop.com.