Good Morning, Good Morning! Are we all feeling that holiday spirit yet? Ok, great! Because I have some fantastic news to share with you today that revolves around celebrating and getting into the season of giving. This winter, St. John’s only non-profit clinic, The Island Health and Wellness Center, will host their first annual gala at ZoZo’s at Caneel Bay! Oh, and it’s a masquerade theme…So, picture yourself dancing under the stars on the beach at Caneel Bay after a luxurious three course dining experience in masquerade attire. Sounds incredible, right?
This gala, the first of its kind for Island Health and Wellness and for ZoZo’s at Caneel Bay, will take place on Saturday, February 11 from 5:30PM-9:30PM. Attendees will don masks for the masquerade-themed gala, and enjoy an evening of gourmet ZoZo’s food, drinks and merriment with a 3-course chef’s dinner, signature cocktails and full bar at ZoZo’s followed by dancing under the stars at Caneel Bay Beach. And a very limited number of tickets are currently on sale. So, if you are going to be on St. John on February 11, act now to reserve your seat(s)!
We have talked a lot about Island Health and Wellness over the past few years. This clinic offers an invaluable service to the residents of Love City. Did you know that purchasing individual health insurance is impossible for a Virgin Islands resident? The only way to carry medical insurance as a resident here is to be insured by your employer OR keep your stateside residency and claim insurance under your home state. Which leaves hundreds (perhaps thousands?) of St. Johnians without access to affordable health care. Island Health and Wellness provides quality, compassionate, and affordable healthcare to the St. John community and never turns away someone in need for lack of payment.
This important fundraising event will help Island Health & Wellness bridge the gap between what it costs to medically serve the St. John community and what patients actually pay. Island Health & Wellness opened its doors in 2017 and has provided over 9,000 appointments since then. The cost to patients is a set fee of $50 per visit. However, no care-seeker is turned away or denied services due to inability to pay. Island Health & Wellness subsidizes $400 on average for each appointment and provides over 2,000 visits per year. And all of these costs are funded by donations and grants.
In addition to covering the cost of medical visits, patient labs, and other services to the community, the proceeds from this inaugural gala will also go towards the expansion and renovation project currently underway at Island Health & Wellness, enabling the clinic to increase the capacity of service within the community.
“Since opening, Island Health has grown to see more patients for a larger variety of services,” says Sandy Atwood, Island Health & Wellness founder and president. “We are excited to expand our physical space and continue to meet the needs of our community.”
Ticket sales are currently OPEN, with a limited number of tickets available for this intimate and special event. These tickets just went on sale to the general public last week and the VIP tickets are already gone. So, if you are contemplating joining in the fun this February, act now:
- General Admission is $350 for one person and includes a three-course chef’s menu from the premier dining establishment on St. John. Attendees will also enjoy live music, signature cocktails and an open bar for the evening.
- VIP Tickets for the above and including an arrival in style on Kekoa are currently SOLD OUT!
- A Full Table Ticket ensures that you and your party will all be seated together for dinner. A table for eight is $2800 and includes all of the drinks and festivities as listed above.
All tickets and donations are 100% tax deductible.
If you will NOT be on island that weekend but would still like to join in the fun, Island Health and Wellness will launch an accompanying online auction on February 1 as part of the fundraising efforts. The auction will feature a range of impressive travel packages, coveted concert tickets, and unique experiences and products generously donated to help raise funds. I have it on good authority that the prizes will include everything from vacation packages and experiences in St. John to…. Taylor Swift tickets with airfare!!
I’ll be sure to update you all once the silent auction is live so follow along here on News of St. John. But also follow Island Health and Wellness on Facebook to get real time updates on ticket sales and exciting online auction items.
Enjoy the day everyone! And Happy Holidays!
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