Press

En Español | AARP in The Virgin Islands met with members of the Culture, Aging, Sports, Parks, and Youth Committee of the 35th Legislature of the Virgin Islands and other aging advocates yesterday, September 7, 2023, to discuss recommendations presented by AARP-VI to combat elder abuse and specifically to strengthen the anti-elder abuse law, 34 V.I.C., Act No. 8318, Elder & Dependent Adult Abuse Prevention Act of 2020. This meeting is one subsequent to a first in March 2023, composed of a working group that included US Virgin Islands government agencies, the private sector, and the community at large.

Español | AARP in The Virgin Islands is collaborating with AARP Puerto Rico to offer a series of fraud prevention awareness virtual sessions to educate residents in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on how to protect themselves and their loved ones from fraud and scams after a disaster, during the holiday season, and to recognize financial exploitation of elders.

En Español | AARP in The Virgin Islands collaborated with the VI Department of Sports, Parks & Recreation to help create universally accessible outdoor spaces by installing park benches.

En Español | Today, June 30, 2023, AARP in The Virgin Islands announced one organization in the Territory will receive the 2023 Community Challenge Grant – part of the largest group of grantees to date, with $3.6 million awarded among 310 organizations nationwide. Grantees will implement quick-action projects that help communities become more livable by improving public places; transportation; housing; digital connections; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and more, with an emphasis on the needs of adults age 50 and older.

En Español | AARP in The Virgin Islands commissioned a song featuring local artists and Soca and Quelbe music. The song titled “AARP Makes Me Happy” is an infusion of locally recognized voices such as Eldrige “Edgy” Christian, Nikki Brooks, and Delyno Brown aka Pressure Busspipe, the sounds of the renowned Flautist and VI Music Ambassador Stanley A. Jacobs, Ph.D. of the Ten Sleepless Knights, and backup vocals by Aquila Jackson. The song was written and composed by Luis Ible, Jr. and produced by Malvern Gumbs. The lyrics describe the work of AARP in communities across the nation blending the rhythms and sounds of Quelbe and Soca music.

En Español | AARP proudly observes Pride Month and stands with LGBTQ+ members, non-members, their families, and allies, such as PFLAG St. Thomas and St. Croix Pride, to host events celebrating Pride Month.

Español | AARP in The Virgin Islands, in collaboration with Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights’ will fill neighborhoods across St. Croix with the music of the traditional Christmas Serenade themed the “Crucian Christmas Foreday Serenade.” WTJX VI Public Broadcasting System/NPR is also a sponsor.

Organization Continues to Educate About its Livable Communities Work

Español | On November 16, 2022, AARP State Director Troy de Chabert-Schuster opened the AARP Sponsored Outdoor Fitness Park in The Virgin Islands. The Grand Opening was held at 11:00 am at the Altona Lagoon in Christiansted, St. Croix, VI. Due to COVID-19, a soft opening was announced in 2021. With 15 parks opened in 2019 and more nationwide between 2020 and 2022, AARP sponsored a fitness park in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Español | Beverly Biziewski has been selected by AARP, the nonprofit organization that works to enhance the quality of life for all as they age, to receive the 2022 AARP in The Virgin Islands Andrus Award for Community Service, the Association’s most prestigious and visible state volunteer award for community service.