Tutu Park Mall

Tutu Park Mall has got it all for the new year Tutu Park Mall plans to include access to K-Mart How Sweet It Is: Mango Melee Breaks out on St. Thomas Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Day McDonalds Celebrates the Month of the Child

Tutu Park Mall has got it all for the new year.

"Tutu Park Mall has it all for back-to-school," says marketing director Pam Morales. "Our tenants can help students and teachers alike get themselves outfitted for school from head-to-toe, and provide the supplies and accessories they need," Morales says. "Some tenants, too, can help students stay healthy, fuel up nutritiously, and have fun after school." Throughout the month of August, many tenants are offering sales up to 50 percent off on selected merchandise, or "2 for 1," or "Buy one and get one free or at half price" specials.

Opened in June 1993 in St. Thomas' Tutu Valley as the territory's first enclosed mall, the management of the new 49-tenant-strong Tutu Park Mall is looking forward to celebrating its eighth back-to-school season in an exciting and entertaining way.

"We'll be hosting a "Back to School Dance" with 2-E-K whip on Saturday, Aug. 19, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.," Morales says. "We want to hype up going back to school because it should be a positive experience rather than something dreaded."...

Tutu Park Mall Plans to Include Access to K-Mart

Tutu Park Mall is planning a few changes to make shopping there easier according to mall marketing

director Pamela Morales. Morales said that expanded weekday hours and an interior walkway between K-Mart and the mall are among plans to improve the mall.

"Construction on the new access will begin in mid-September," Morales said. It will be where Afterthoughts is now, and will connect into the area of K-Mart that is now the Islander Cafe. "Both corporations knew it was something that had to be done to facilitate the entire shopping experience at Tutu Park Mall," said John Palmer, the owner and developer of the mall. Morales said the construction will be done by November.

Also planned are expanded week-day hours so shoppers can visit the mall in the evenings. "Our current mall hours do not really allow for events during weekdays like community meetings, dance recitals or play, which are requests we have received recently," Morales said. "With new hours, we will be able to accommodate these events and as the same time give the public an opportunity to shop with ease after work." Managers have not yet decided what the new hours will be.

How Sweet It Is: Mango Melee Breaks out on St. Thomas

It was not hard to find a mango expert Saturday Tutu Park Mall. Farmers, cooks, and other experts set up stands to sell mangoes in every form imaginable: ripe and green, stewed and baked, juiced and fermented. Some sold mango chutney and jelly, others mango wine and mango cheesecake.

The experts gathered in celebration of the summer's most loved feast: the mango. The University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Office hosted St. Thomas' Mango-Melee on Saturday afternoon, one week after the festival on St. Croix. Eldrige

Thomas explained the secret to his mango juice between serving the last few cups. "It's important you select a good mango with little fiber," he said. "You blend it, find the right consistency, and sweeten to taste."

And the most important ingredient: "You add a little bit of magic," Thomas said. "The magic is in the hands." A member of the West End farmers group "We Grow Food Inc., Thomas said fresh high-quality products are his trademark. "Really," I get the best stuff," he said with a smile....

Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Day to be held Saturday at Tutu Park Mall

St. Thomas-St. John Sickle Cell Disease Association will hold Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Tutu Park Mall as part of its monthly activities. The theme is "Know your Trait Before You Date."

Free sickle cell trait screening by Creston Laboratory will be held and the Sea View Health Care Services will hold blood pressure testing. If you don't know if you have the trait, this is a good time to get tested.

It's important to know if you carry the sickle cell trait. Should you have a child with someone who also carries the trait, the child has a 25 percent chance of having the disease.

Face painting will be provided for children; Mango Miles Cultural Dancers will perform; and a raffle with contributions from Caribbean Travel, America's Paradise Gym and Radio Shack will be held.

Other activities for the month of September include appearances on radio and television talk shows; volunteering time with "Partners for Health;" flea market on Sept. 16 in Emancipation Garden, and a family beach party on Sept. 30 at Magens Bay. For more information call Shirley White or Patricia Penn at 776-3580.

St. Thomas -- With his flaming red hair and matching boots, Ronald McDonald brought smiles to the faces of about 50 children and parents awaiting his arrival. The McDonald's Corp. ambassador was greeted with shouts of glee and laughter Wednesday at the Office Max parking lot near the McDonald's in Tutu Park Mall.

Bea and Bill Bolton, co-owners of the McDonald's franchise on St. Thomas, decided to bring Ronald McDonald to the island for the children to celebrate "The Month of the Child." The McDonald's Corp. has deemed June as "The Month of the Child" and celebrates it worldwide. Bolton said this is the first time she has participated in the event, but she had been planning it for months.

Bolton paid for Ronald McDonald's visit with the help of local sponsors, including Caribbean Auto Mart, Office Max, Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort and Larry Lewis, who provided free music for the event.