As the good samaritans of sporting events, parades, and other large-crowd occasions, the St. John Ambulance Brigade has been faithfully providing unbroken service to the community since at least 1931.

Yet how much the community takes its invaluable services for granted.

The few who do remember to thank the organisation tangibly usually do so rather modestly. Most accept the no-charge system under which the Brigade operates as another of life's little bonuses.

And that is part of the reason why St. John is strapped for cash.

Another is the cost of training volunteers (trainers are paid for their services). And then there are taxes, licence fees for its three ambulances, maintenance on the vehicles and Dunrossil House, the Brigade's Paget headquarters, as well as the administrator's salary, all of which represent a significant drain on its financial resources.

A modest annual stipend from Government helps to keep the organisation ticking over, but much more money is needed, not only to meet regular expenses but to allow St. John to expand its premises in order to meet burgeoning needs.

"We have received planning permission to add a large all-purpose room, toilets, a new kitchen, storage space for our supplies and a three-vehicle garage for our ambulances,'' Council member, Lt.Col.(Rtd) Craigin Curtis, explained.

"The building will cost between $225,000 and $250,000, but once we have the facility we will be set for many years and then we can further expand our lectures programme.'' Mr. Curtis said bids for the job were currently awaited, and it was hoped work would begin around June 1.

As the man who some years ago took up the challenge thrown down by a visiting representative of St. John Ambulance headquarters in London and successfully acquired Dunrossil House for the local branch, Mr. Curtis has no doubt that funds for the current project will be forthcoming.

"We have a good track record, and I have no reservations with regard to getting public support and ultimately the money,'' he said. "Although there are a lot of good charities in Bermuda we feel that this is one of the most important. The public needs the facility and the services we provide.'' As a first step since receiving planning approval for the new addition, St.

John decided to turn on the glitz for its initial fund-raiser.

A committee headed by Lady Waddington, wife of governor Lord Waddington, is busy putting the finishing touches to a glamorous Bijoux Ball as part of a two-part event, which includes an informal appraisal of family treasures by specialists from the famous Christie's auction house.

The visiting experts will appraise silver, jewellery, paintings and decorative arts at the National Gallery on May 13, with the Ball following on May 14 in the grounds of Government House.

Cost of a Sponsor's ticket ($1,000) entitles the holder to two dinner tickets to the Ball, one guest ticket to a Ladies' Luncheon at the Tucker's Town home of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Lowenstein, and appraisal of four items.

Dinner tickets to the Ball ($150) include appraisal of two items.

All tickets are available from Mrs. Brenda Meade at Brigade headquarters in Paget (tel. 236-7831, voice mail 291-0808).

Contributing to the splendour of the formal, black-tie Ball will be a multi-course dinner, with each course taking the name of a jewel ( bijou in French).

From Corals (a Mediterranean seafood terrine topped with salmon roe) through Rubies (fillet mignon of beef with tomato-leek sauce) and on to Diamonds (white chocolate mousse) and Opals (coffee and petit fours, ), the menu will be a model of elegance.

Preceding it will be cocktails served by the Government House pool, while after-dinner dancing will be to the music of the local band, Legacy.

In outlining the Brigade's services, which include administering first aid at public events and teaching various life saving techniques to anyone wishing to learn, Mr. Curtis noted that the six-week courses for the latter were "much in demand by businesses and individuals alike''.

In fact, the Health & Safety at Work General Requirements Regulations of 1986 specified, in part, that places of employment should have staff members trained in first aid techniques, the requisite number of which varied according to an establishment's classification as high, medium or low-risk.

Naturally, any organisation is only as strong as its membership, so in addition to expanding the life-saving courses, Mr. Curtis anticipated that the upgraded facility would "generate a tremendous interest in getting new blood into St. John''.

And indeed, new blood is what it must have in order to keep up with the ever-increasing need for its services.

While "motor vehicle sports'' such as powerboat and go-kart racing, required the presence of St. John Ambulance in order to get insurance coverage, other sporting events, such as marathons and End-to-End walks, also found its presence useful.

At present, volunteers attended weekly training classes at Dunrossil House, and spent one day of each weekend on active duty, but it was hoped that with more volunteers a new roster would require each person's services one day a month.

The infrastructure which makes St. John Ambulance Brigade tick is headed by His Excellency the Governor as president of the Council, and includes Mr.

Barrie Meade as its chairman, as well as various committees with specific responsibilities.

"The Council is like a board of directors,'' Mr. Meade explained. "We have an executive committee to manage month-to-month operations, and various committees with specific goals, who report to the Council.

"The Training Standards Committee, headed by Dr. Edward Schultz (Director of Emergency Services at King Edward) for example, constantly looks at the development of first aid training worldwide and how it affects Bermuda,'' Mr.

Meade said. "The Strategic Planning Committee, chaired by Mr. Colin Curtis, is looking at the future of St. John generally.'' The recently-established fund raising committee, headed by Mr. Bill Andrews, will shortly begin what Mr. Meade calls a "grass roots'' campaign aimed at increasing public awareness about the Brigade and recruiting more volunteers.

"Bill will approach small businesses, clubs and regular citizens of the Island to appraise them of (the Brigade's) usefulness, and encourage more people to join, because our present volunteers cannot cover all the sporting events.'' Indeed, the Council has many positive plans to enhance the future success of the St. John, which, incidentally, is a registered charity and not, as many people believe, a Government operation.

"We are trying to make the council more representative of the community and more responsive to the community's needs,'' the council chairman said.

"And we have made wonderful progress (in that direction) in the past year.'' The Commissioner of St. John Ambulance Brigade is Lt.Col (Rtd) Eugene Raynor, while Mr. Arnold Botelho, a registered nurse at King Edward Hospital, is the assistant commissioner.

"Mr. Botelho trained as an emergency medical technician and paramedic in the United States, and we are very proud to have his expertise and that of Dr.

Schultz at St. John,'' Mr. Meade said.

While its roots stretch back to the 7th Century AD, Mr. Meade explained that the Order of St. John was founded at the beginning of the 12th Century, AD.

Driven out of the Holy Land in the 13th century it moved first to Rhodes and then to Malta. The Order was reactivated in Britain as part of the Church of England when Malta became a British possession during the Napoleonic wars.

ON THE MOVE -- Trained volunteers of St. John Ambulance Brigade rush a patient to their ambulance for transport to the hospital. Such volunteers are regularly seen at sporting events and other major functions providing free