Holiday spirit in the US Virgin Islands is as resilient as ever post-Irma/Maria. A shining example of this brotherly love happened a fortnight before Christmas this year in the tiny community of Coral Bay. The tight-knit town on the island of St. John was not daunted by ninety days without phones and power when it […]
After the destruction of Irma and Maria, Island Dog Rescue evacuated hundreds of dogs and cats out of the Virgin Islands and we are still doing it now. This is our story. Days before Irma hit, the St. Thomas Humane Society was overwhelmed with owner surrenders. I attempted to relocate thirty dogs to safety, but […]
Reposted with permission from The St.John Community Foundation Direction and Activities Happy Thanksgiving week and thank you for your support of and interest in St. John’s recovery! The St. John Community Foundation is honored to be part of the massive and united effort underway to help St. Johnians put their lives back together. We helped […]
Becky Ward will be home on St. John for Thanksgiving, but it’s a homecoming tinged with heartache. Though she; her partner, Patrick Rooney; and their two-year-old daughter, Hazel are returning, Patrick’s 10-year-old son, Jack, is staying behind in Virginia where he is now living with his Mom and grandparents and is enrolled in a new school. […]
Live in paradise and work from home! Imagine working from the sunny deck of your home overlooking the Caribbean sea. You set your own hours, you work in your swimsuit or pajamas, your income is high and steady, best of all, you are accountable to no one but yourself. This can be your bright future […]
When I agreed to write about volunteer tourism, I thought it would be a straight forward article on how to join a group to help rebuild the Virgin Islands. As it turns out, volunteering is a complicated subject. Like most things, you can go through the official chain of command, or you can go directly […]
Here are the latest risk levels on St.John beaches as of November 13th, provided by Love City Strong and the Surfrider Foundation. This post also contains the original press release with the October 31st water quality results. Please heed recommendations for safe swimming. —————————————————————- OCTOBER 31ST PRESS RELEASE FROM: SURFRIDER FOUNDATION AND […]
St. John CommUNITY Update – 10/26/17 This update is brought to St. Johnians by Love City Strong, The St. John Community Foundation, Coral Bay Community Council, St John Rescue, Virgin Islands Relief Fund, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), Kenny Chesney’s Love for Love City Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Help.NGO‘s DIRT. Curfew update: 11p-5a until November 2. Party in the park! […]
Although Coral Bay, St. John has been utterly devastated by hurricanes Irma and Maria, there is no question that this resilient Caribbean town will spring back better and stronger than ever. Scratch below the surface of the bayside bars and snorkel tour outfits and you will find a cowboy spirit as tough and independent as […]
We all react differently in a disaster. Some hit the ground running. Within minutes, action-types are doing something to help. If not clearing roads or checking on injured neighbors, these first responders are making plans to get the basic necessities to the affected. Others step back to reflect, nurture, and plan. These organizers are our […]
The opening of Gifft Hill School to all kids offers more than just education, it allows parents to get back to the work of rebuilding the island. By Andrea Milam Tuesday, September 5, should have been the first day of school for St. John children. Instead, that day was spent in a terrifying rush as […]
Savanna Goodman is a Pennsylvania native who has been living in the VI for the past 7 years. She describes herself as an eccentric with a unique point a view, a trait that has served her well as the owner of Alternate Aspect Photography and the idea person, coordinator and photographer behind the Our colors Will Not […]
“Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success” We are working on expanding strong partnerships with dedicated teams on the ground and in the states so we can identify each partner’s strengths and needs in the unified mission of helping St. John recover and rebuild. By sharing the tasks we will […]
“Today is better than it was yesterday.” … and this momentum, even if it feels like “going back to square one” or starting over, this is an opportunity to not simply fix what is broken, but to try again at giving the island what it truly needs with the support, knowledge and desire to make it even […]
The main message from all community meetings today was – conserve fuel, conserve fuel, conserve fuel! *Information contained in this article is copied with permission directly from SJCF Director Celia Kalousek’s report 9.23.201 Can you hear me now??? Communications improving with more community wifi and hotspots being activated. The trees are beginning to bloom. People are […]
Together we Rise! St. John Strong is not just a catchy phrase, it captures the spirit of our community, but even the strong need support to recover from a disaster like this. This is a team effort and boy what a team that has come together! *Information contained in this article is copied with permission directly […]
“Paradise is not lost!” Message from St.John Community Foundation Director Celia Kalousek *Information contained in this article is copied directly from SJCF Director Celia Kalousek’s report 9.21.2017 Communications are limited, as expected, and teams are in the process of making an assessment of damage to the island’s infrastructure. Intermittent calls and internet exchanges are coming through […]
As communications crackle back to life in St. John, USVI, you can almost hear the island residents take a deep sigh of relief. It will be short lived. This tiny island has taken the worst hit by Hurricane Irma as far as sheer devastation is concerned. Three out of every five homes have been destroyed. […]
