Greetings!
You make all the difference! The Friends of Virgin Islands National Park is honored to have the opportunity to help protect and preserve our beautiful Virgin Islands National Park together with your support. Please watch the short video above from us to you - and know that your membership, your donations, and your time matters!
In his presentation at our recent Annual Meeting, Dr. David Hall, President of University of the Virgin Islands talked of the importance of education, preservation, and social justice. “You can’t preserve without educating,” he said. “We must save trees and people.” I highly recommend you watch the meeting video, it was quite inspiring!
At the core of the Friends mission to protect and preserve is education. It is the thread that unites us to each other, the past and the future. This month as we recognize Black History, our annual Culture Day celebration for schools is coming to life. You may also join a Park Ranger guided commemorative hike to explore events of the 1733 African Revolution on Ram Head.
Everything we do is made possible by your participation in our fundraising events. Our recent successful Annual Gala and the Beach-Beach Power Swim in May (registration open!) are just two of many examples.
Let's keep in touch and enjoy our park together! Thank you!
Warmly,
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Tonia Lovejoy
Executive Director
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CULTURE DAY
Culture Day on St. John for school students continues the 33 year history of Virgin Islands National Park’s Folk Life Festival. This day celebrates and promotes the rich culture of the Virgin Islands every February, Black History month.
On Friday, February 23, 2024, St John schools and homeschoolers and St Thomas Fourth Graders are invited to a cultural celebration in the National Park playground in Cruz Bay from 9am to 2pm. If you would like your class to attend, please contact Taylor White at twhite@friendsvinp.org
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ST. JOHN VOICES
On St. John much of the cultural heritage practices, traditions, and arts are deeply connected with the natural resources including the use of local plants and animals and the physical spaces now defined by the park. Here, St.John is an oral history about Virgin Islands National Park and St. John. It serves to give voice to the heritage, culture and natural history as told by born St. Johnians and resident scientists. These stories recall historical details of the people and the natural life of the island that shape this place.
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PASSING IT ON DOCUMENTARY
Passing It On is a record of the inspirational tales told by Virgin Islands culture bearers who have participated in the Folk Life Festival through the years. From learning about the history of the Mocko Jumbie from Mr. Allan “Ysreal” Peterson to the ways in which Ms. Shandis B. Davis’ family Maubi recipe gets passed along, you will be intrigued and inspired!
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The primary nesting season on St. John runs from July to November and during this time 90 trained volunteers monitor 40 beaches island wide daily. As the season tails off, we still have 30 volunteers monitoring 28 beaches.
The Sea Turtle Protection Team have successfully documented 50 nesting activities, confirmed 27 nests, and had over 2,000 hatchlings make it to the sea this season!
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Seminars, Hikes, Volunteering, & More |
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Educating and engaging community and visitors to the Park is integral to what we do.
We invite you to explore and learn about Virgin Islands National Park and the Virgin Islands through a series of some 200 hikes, nature & culture seminars, boat trips, turtle talks, and more from November to June.
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ARCHAEOLOGY SUNSET CRUISE
Monday | 4:30PM to 6:30PM | February to April
Our NEW SEMINAR set sail this week with great success! Join us on Monday evenings! Archaeology At Sea is a sunset cruise with former Park archaeologists, Ken Wild and Dr. Brittany Mistretta. Explore the rich and colorful history of the Virgin Islands maritime world with these two experts. Their extensive expertise includes everything from the indigenous Taino and the meaning of the petroglyphs, to the abodes of the colonial era and tales of shipwrecks and piracy.
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CINNAMON CAMPGROUND CHATS
Monday to Friday | 5:30PM to 6:30PM | November to June
Learn about the majesty of sea turtles, experience the rhythm of drums, listen to stories of past Cinnamon inhabitants, and explore our coral reefs! We invite you to gather in the Raintree Cafe at Cinnamon Bay Beach & Campground every evening Monday to Friday for a series of free seminars about our beautiful island.
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Learn To Swim Lifeguard Training |
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Friends of Virgin Islands National Park and St. John Rescue are hosting an American Red Cross In person lifeguarding course March 7 to 9 at the St. John Rescue Building with Pedro Altieri of Total Aquatics of Puerto Rico as the instructor.
Space is limited to the first ten to twelve people to sign up. The Friends will cover the cost of $385 per participant for those willing to sign a letter of intent to be involved with the Friends Learn to Swim Program in a paid capacity, whether as a lifeguard, water safety instructor, or beachside presenter.
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Power Swim Registration Open |
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Are you ready for an awesome open water swim! Registration for the 2024 Beach To Beach Power Swim is open!
Every Memorial Day weekend, swimmers take to the beautiful waters in Virgin islands National Park on St. John to raise funds for kids swim programs, marine conservation, education outreach and more! One of the most beautiful swims in the world, the Power Swim includes the beaches of Maho, Cinnamon, Trunk and Hawknest. The swim is number 23 on the list of the World’s Top 100 Open Water Swims and number 7 on the World’s Top 100 Island Swims.
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Welcomed off boats by moko jumbie and the Love City Pan Dragons, guests at the Friends Annual Gala had fun, danced and, along with supporters from afar, generously donated some $147,000 to support the protection and preservation of the natural and cultural resources in Virgin Islands National Park! |
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Education, preservation and social justice and the roles they play in community and the long term care of natural, cultural and historical resources were recurring themes at the Friends Annual Meeting held at Cinnamon Bay on Saturday, January 27. The meeting was public and open to all. Some 70 attendees gave Dr David Hall, President, University of the Virgin Islands a standing ovation for his talk on common missions and hopeful visions between UVI, Virgin Islands National Park and Friends. He stressed that all three organizations are caretakers of natural and cultural resources and as educators must tell stories that embrace everyone—all people need to feel connected for the park to be preserved for generations to come. |
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Board business conducted by Board Chairwoman Audrey Penn included the retirement from the Board of Cid Hamling. A 25 year member of the board and pillar of the St. John community, Cid is beloved and will stay engaged as an advisor and volunteer. Lila Uzzell who has served as a Young Professional honorary member of the board for the past two years was sworn in as a new Board member. All Board members volunteer their services. We are thankful and indebted to them for their dedication and commitment to Friends. |
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LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FINALIZED
A land exchange between the Virgin Islands government and the U.S. Interior Department has been finalized, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. announced.The trade of Whistling Cay to the National Park Service in exchange for a portion of an Estate Catherineberg parcel paves the way for a new PreK-12th grade school for St. John students. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has committed $133 million toward construction of the school, which will also serve as a hurricane shelter for the island. Read VI Daily News article here.
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RAM HEAD HIKE
Come out and celebrate Black History Month on the Island of St. John with a commemorative hike on Friday, February 23 to explore events of the 1733 African Revolution. A Park Ranger will introduce you to the meaningful history of Ram Head, including events of the 1733 African Revolution, while you explore and connect with each other and the unique landscape of this popular hiking trail. More info here.
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Community engagement is key to our ability to protect and preserve our park today and tomorrow. We would not be able to do the important work that keeps our Virgin Islands National Park thriving for visitors and residents alike without the generous support of local businesses. Here we highlight a business that regularly contributes to support programs that protect and preserve the natural and cultural resources in your park. |
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In addition, they donated a cabana day with friends to the raffle, a fabulous three night stay at any one of their Little Gem Resorts located on Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Lovango to our live auction, and introduced the great promotion below! Thank you Lovango for your fabulous support!
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SPECIAL LOVANGO PROMOTION: Book an overnight stay at Lovango for you, your friends or family anytime this season through July 20, 2024 and 10% of the cost of the accommodations booking will be donated to Friends of Virgin Islands National Park! To be eligible, at the time of booking, you must use, in all caps, the Promo Code: PARK
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