Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
Caroline Brown (left) explains to Glen and wife Marva how they've just been conned as the party she's hosting is really for them. They were truly surprised by the gesture.

Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

"Surprise fi who?" a startled Glen Christian said as he and wife Marva entered to a resounding shout of "Surprise"! from guests.

"A wha dis?" he blurted out again as the realisation that they were the guests of honour finally sunk in. "Him get ketch man; him get ketch," laughed a few of his old friends who know when the old boy is truly stumped.

Let's rewind. Glen Christian is the founder of Cari-Med Limited, now the island's premier distribution company. This was the only part of the Cari-Med 20th anniversary celebrations that he didn't know about. And so old schoolmates from days in Brandon Hill, Clarendon and those who knew him from the early days of Cari-Med, all came to celebrate with Mass Glen. And not to be left out was Marva who has done her part in holding both home and business together.

Slide shows depicting both of them from the 'early days' to the present, brought smiles and guffaws from the guests. There was even a web camera tribute from Glen's sister Fanny who lives in New York and couldn't make the event. But it was the tributes which caused the most hilarity and feeling as every speaker gave it from the heart.

Larry Change told how Glen would teach the boys at the St. Augustine Boys' Home in Chaplet, helping them to become something of themselves. Collate Advise, a young woman who Christian helped to attend the HEARTTrust/NTA and then gave her a job at Cari-Med spoke to his generosity.

Marva had her own share of the kudos as friend Cecil Williams spoke of her work as a probation officer and her mentorship of young boys. Marva's sister, Lorna Wint, remembered a sister who was always combing her hair and selecting her wardrobe and who later took those leadership qualities into the business world.

Toasted in song

The Christians were even toasted in song by the excellent Nomaddz duo of Sheldon Shepherd and Oneil Peart and a skit from some of CariMed's longest-serving employees. Of all the positives that were spoken, one remained constant; that neither of the two had forgot where they came from!

Among the guests were: Ron Evans, Val and Marlene Morris, Dr. Verna Reid and Eva Reid, Juliet and Aubrey Chang and Victor Lumsden.