Island Happenings: Thank a Veteran, Help Cafe Roma & More

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the goings on this week and weekend:

Happening Now: Team River Runner and the Wounded Warriors 

Team River Runner is currently on island with a group of very special veterans, and we’d like to publicly thank them all for their service. We’d also like to thank the Barefoot Cowboy Lounge for hosting and welcoming the group to the island last Sunday, Skinny Legs for hosting them for dinner this Friday night and Homer Hickam for holding a private screening of his movie October Sky for the group. (You can read more about that here.) If you’re in Coral Bay Friday night (November 8), please stop by Skinny Legs, say hello and let them know how appreciative we all are of their service.

Saturday, Sunday & Monday: Free Admission to all National Parks

The National Park Service is honoring America’s veteran’s this weekend with free entrance to all National Parks. This includes Trunk Bay and Annaberg.

Saturday: Cafe Roma Needs Your Help … and it includes some manual labor.

Cafe Roma’s new equipment has finally arrived, which means the restaurant is one step closer to reopening. (Thank goodness because we’ve really missed Roma’s food and hanging out with Luke at the bar. Oh and how can we forget those incredible back rubs from Marilyn in the kitchen. To.Die.For. Sorry, went off on a tangent there…)

But seriously, owner John Hiebert has put out a plea for help. The new restaurant equipment is at Penn’s trucking yard, which is over by the new Pine Peace basketball court. He is looking for volunteers who can help shuttle equipment this Saturday (November 9) around 11 a.m. from Penn’s to Cafe Roma. So if you have a truck, van or any type of vehicle that can transport items and you are willing to help, John could really use you.

He is looking to coordinate two groups of volunteers – one at Penn’s and a second at Cafe Roma. John is asking those who can help to send him a private message over on Facebook. You can do that by clicking here.

Saturday: St. John’s 2nd Annual Dinghy Poker Run Supporting the St. John Cancer Fund 

Now we have a feeling that this is going to be a good time. The 2nd annual dinghy poker run is happening Saturday, November 9 at 10 a.m. It’s a fun little event where you boat around St. John and collect five cards along the way. You can play your hand at High Tide at 2 p.m.

The entry fee is a minimum donation of at least $25 and all proceeds will support the St. John Cancer Fund. This event is for boats 21 feet and under. Participants can register at Noah’s Little Ark’s dinghy rentals through Friday or at High Tide until 9 a.m. Saturday.

Here’s a quick video from last year’s event:

Saturday: Paddle in the Park  

Paddle of the Park will be held this Saturday, November 9 after being postponed last weekend due to rain. The race kicks off at 9 a.m. at Maho Bay. This year’s race will have two courses – and open course and an elite course. The Open Course will be a roughly three-mile race from Maho Beach to Whistling Cay and back. The Elite Course will also begin at Maho Beach and will head out to Whistling Cay, then to and around Cinnamon Cay, back behind Whistling Cay and then back to Maho Beach. The Elite Course is approximately 5.5 miles. Spectators are welcome.