The “Secret” Recipe Revealed

It’s no secret that Afternoon on the Green has
become a much-loved tradition on St. Thomas,
drawing hundreds and even thousands of
patrons to UVI’s Herman E. Moore Golf Course for
its annual celebration of Virgin Islands culture
and cuisine. Until now, the special recipe for its
success has been kept tightly under wraps in the
files of the Office of Institutional Advancement.

However, due to the auspicious occasion of UVI’s
60th Anniversary, the planning committee has
revealed the unique combination of ingredients,
careful processes and strict quality control
measures that ensure the success and growth of
the event year after year!

Ingredients
• 30 committee members including a dedicated
Committee Chair
• 6 months of planning
• 150+ volunteers
• 80+ cooks
• 26 tents
• 100+ tables
• 10+ entertainers
• 35+ banners and signs
• 1 winning theme
• 2 student scholarship recipients
• 15+ generous sponsors
• 2000+ patrons
• Lots of love and devotion

Since its inception in 1993, Afternoon on the Green has
been centered around community engagement and
UVI’s mission to build strong ties with the local
community that it serves. It is with that goal in mind that
UVI’s Institutional Advancement Office first conceived
the event focused on the Virgin Islands tradition of
cooking.

“We come from a society of great cooks,” says Jose Raul
Carillo, retired UVI administrator and longtime member
of the Afternoon on the Green planning committee. “The
Virgin Islands has always been a society where cooks
would prepare meals for large families, where people
could be fed when dropping by unexpectedly to the
homes of friends or extended family.” Although times
have changed, he notes, “cooks still like to showcase
their expertise and present their best dishes, and
Afternoon on the Green is one way to keep that tradition
alive.”

One of the ways to engage the community in Afternoon
on the Green is through the annual theme contest where
theme ideas are solicited from the public.

“Collecting ideas from the community is an important
part of our planning process. It keeps us connected to
what the public is looking for and helps the planning
committee rally around a popular theme,” said Tamika
Thomas Williams, UVI director of Public Relations and
planning committee member. One year, the “Going
Green” theme challenged event organizers and patrons
alike to make more eco-friendly choices. Another year’s
theme “International Smorgasbord” introduced a variety
of cuisines not typically seen at Afternoon on the Green.
Cooks from the Dominican Republic to the Philippines,
showcased their native dishes in a display of the richness
and diversity of cultures found in the Virgin Islands. And
many still recall the “Man Pots” theme which invited male
cooks to highlight their culinary talents.

One key ingredient of Afternoon on the Green is its focus
on volunteerism and giving. It is in that spirit that an
army of cooks and other volunteers, as well as corporate
sponsors, students, alumni and many others in the
community unite to support the event each year.
Knowing that their time, efforts, and monetary support
will help deserving students receive a college education
serves as great motivation.

All proceeds from Afternoon on the Green go to the
Edward E. Thomas Volunteer Scholarship Fund which
helps defray the college expenses for two entering
freshmen at UVI. What’s more, the students are selected
based on their own commitment to community service,
making the event deeply rooted in the tradition of
volunteerism.

Over the years Afternoon on the Green has remained true
to its origins in large part due to the dedicated efforts of
longstanding committee members who bring years of
experience to the table. “Because many of us have been
planning this event for years, we are able to learn from
past events and make improvements every year,” said
Committee Chairman Dr. Kyza A. Callwood. “We are
always looking at ways to take the event to the next level
whether it’s by enhancing the entertainment or adding
new features such as cooking demonstrations and
expanding activities for the children.”

Beginning each October, the committee meets regularly
to prepare for the following year. Whether it’s to reach out
to potential sponsors or begin brainstorming new ways
to promote the event, the team organizes early to leave
no stone unturned. Thomas Williams, who oversees
event publicity said “The attention to detail, hard work,
discipline and creativity of our team always amazes me.
Our staff and our committee members are the secret
sauce that make Afternoon on the Green the big success
that it is.”

Now in its 32nd year, Afternoon on the Green promises to
bring the community together once again in a
celebration of Virgin Islands culture and its people. Don’t
miss the next installment of Afternoon on the Green on
Sunday, March 17, 2024!