IT seems we have become gluttons for parties since the advent of this New Year of 2003. First it was the 80th birthday bash of Alfred A. Augustus at Grotto Bay. Saturday night Betty Christopher, the former long serving executive member of the Bermuda Public Services Association union had the Police Recreation Club bulging at the seams for her 60th birthday-cum-retirement party.

And on Tuesday night when so many people showed up for the celebration of the 60th birthday of radio and television personality Leola (Lee) Stovell, they caused a traffic jam in and around LaCoquille Restaurant at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute on East Broadway. At one time we had the queasy feeling that BUEI was going to slide into Hamilton Harbour under weight of the celebrants!

It was not surprising Lee had a big problem trying to decide where to make the cut off point on her invitation list. In all she had 400 invitations printed. When they were all gone, she began remembering good relatives, friends and colleagues she felt she could not leave out. So they had last minute word-of-mouth invites. Her birthday is actually Sunday coming (January 12). By then she expects to have embarked on a cruise with 28 friends from Bermuda and eight New Yorkers, to Costa Rica, Belize and the Panama Canal.

There was plenty of good food, and great entertainment at Tuesday's party. Performers sharing the spotlight were Derek (Cousin Juicy) Symonds, Kevil (The Captain) Burgess; the band of Dennis Fox & Friends alternated with the Clay (Bubbles) Darrell Disco, providing music from the '60s on up, hit tunes of yesteryear, rock 'n' roll, calypso, reggae. The Bermuda Selsa Dancers, did their bit, as did liturgical dancer Lillian Robinson; also DoubleS, Malcolm (Lethal Weapon) Smith, Kenneth Cumberbatch and Allan (Youngles) Young.

Lee has hardly been out of the public eye since finishing Ord Road School, Sandys Secondary and Stamford High School in the States. As a winsome young teenager, she was first runner-up in the Miss Bermuda Beauty Pageant, then run by "Speedy" Ming and "Freddie" Matthews (both deceased). She attended the Bermuda School of Charm operated by Marlene B. Landy, and Norma Sherlock's Chryselda School of Charm. She was an award-winning dancer and a much sought after model.

Leola has been in broadcasting 36 years, having previously worked as a sales clerk in a leading Front Street store.

The managing director of the old Capital Broadcasting Company, Everard Davis, recognising her excellent sales skills, million dollar smile and beautiful diction, intercepted her one Sunday morning while she was enroute to a Mothering Day Service at St. Mary's Church, Warwick. Davis gave her a week to make up her mind to join his sales team at ZFB Radio and TV. Soon she was on-air conducting a TV game show called Lingo, became the Weather Girl in the major evening new; and provided colour commentaries for such events as Cup Match, West End Sail Boat Race, Heritage Day parades.

By the time the merger between ZFB and ZBM came about Leola had for some years been ZFB sales manager. Now she is senior sales account executive at Bermuda Broadcasting Company.

Leola's marriage ended in divorce. It produced two children, Malcolm Stovell, Jr., and Maliscia, who is better known as ~Sandy", wife of Peter McGlashan. Their two children are Tyler and Peter, Jr.

In addition to being a gracious grandmother, Leola devotes much of her time to her church. She is Senior Church Warden at St. Mary's Parish Church, Warwick/ Part proceeds from monetary gifts to Leola will be shared between Bermuda Heart Foundation, Physical Abuse Center, and Bermuda T.B & Health Association.

BETTY Christopher believes she's going to be able to take it easy in the foreseeable future, now that she has retired jointly from her job in Government service after 38 years, and her 35 years as an executive officer of the Bermuda Public Services Union (formerly Association), which represents the country's white-collar workers.

Her late sister Verbena Daniels sparked her interest as a trade unionist. Verbena was the first woman to become president of the BPSA. Betty's two terms as president ended in April 2002, when she did not seek re-election. During her tenure, she also represented Bermuda in the Union Network International, which is a global union based in Switzerland. Betty's final post in Government service was in the Tax Commissioner's Office, as a Tax Inspector. She previously worked in the Audit and Social Insurance Departments.

The wife of Mr. Wentworth Christopher, she is mother of Kevin, a police sergeant, and Elizabeth, a barrister. Aside from her union and Government service, Mrs. Christopher has been active on many social and cultural fronts. She partnered with her husband during the many years he was chief promoter of the Miss Bermuda Beauty Pageant. She was president for four years of the Bermuda Chapter of the Continental Society; and was elected by the National body as Parliamentarian for the Eastern Region.