8/14/08 - Governor John P. deJongh Jr. and First Lady Cecile deJongh will honor grandparents and families during ceremonies to be held on St. Thomas and St. Croix in recognition of Grandparents Day, as proclaimed by Governor John P. deJongh, Jr. According to the proclamation, the first Sunday of September is traditionally observed each year for this importance commemoration.

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Governor and First Lady hold Children and Families Council meeting, Members charged to improve services territory-wide

8/14/08 - Governor John P. deJongh, Jr. opened the first meeting of the Children and Families Council Wednesday afternoon at Government House, St. Thomas. Chaired by First Lady Cecile deJongh, the Council will convene quarterly and seeks to improve the standard and quality of services available to children and families in the Territory. As Chairperson of the Council, Cecile deJongh provided an overview of the goals in place, with particular reference to creating delivery systems that are streamlined and integrated. Both the Governor and First Lady charged the members of the Council with taking bold steps in leading this inter-agency, public-private effort.

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8/5/08 - First Lady Cecile deJongh, together with a delegation from the Virgin Islands, returned to the Territory Tuesday afternoon after spending two weeks in Rwanda as part of an educational and humanitarian effort to assist children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and genocide. The group spent time working in five separate orphanages and traveled the countryside to learn more about the country’s history and culture. The group was greeted warmly by a welcoming committee of family members and friends upon their return to Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas. Governor de Jongh was among those greeting the returning delegation.

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7/17/08 - On Friday, July 18th, First Lady Cecile deJongh will join a delegation of eleven students and five adults to travel to Rwanda in an effort to assist children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The initiative was first launched by a group of students at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School who showed concern about the events taking place in Rwanda and the plight of its people.

"The children of Rwanda, especially those affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, face tremendous challenges that we can only imagine. It was only fourteen years ago that the country was devastated by genocide, with nearly one million lives lost in the war, and over 500,000 children orphaned by parents afflicted with HIV/AIDS," First Lady deJongh said. "It is in the spirit of cooperation and peace that I am proud to be visiting Rwanda and joining this Virgin Islands delegation to spend time with some of the orphaned children of this proud nation. I also look forward to meeting with the President and First Lady of Rwanda," deJongh continued. 

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