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Greetings!
I am constantly in awe of the communal love for this place that so many of us share and am reminded of a quote in our 2025 Impact Report by Dr. Jane Goodall that reads: “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.” All it takes is for lots of individuals to simply show up for us to collectively make a difference in helping protect and preserve Virgin Islands National Park.
This month I heard the care in the questions from community members who attended our Annual Meeting last week, saw the joy in the face of a child learning how to measure a turtle carapace, and felt gratitude for the generosity of our business community that has donated thousands of dollars worth of goods and services to our Annual Gala.
You matter to us! I invite you to join us at our Annual Gala next week or support our programs by trying your luck in a raffle or bidding in our silent auction. Explore, learn and volunteer in the park by attending one of our many events. Register for the Annual Beach To Beach Power Swim that takes place in May. Pass on our scholarship information to a high school senior you know. Share this newsletter with a friend.
Thank you for being a Friend!
Warmly,
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Tonia Lovejoy
Executive Director
| | Annual Gala | Raffles | Silent Auction | | Celebrate inspiration and impact with us! Attend the Friends of The Park Annual Gala, try your luck from afar on one of the awesome raffles, or bid on your next vacation in the silent auction. | | | | |
ATTEND THE GALA
The Gala is an elegant night full of laughter, friendship, and fun at the beautiful Lovango Resort & Beach Club on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
The evening includes great entertainment, delicious food, fine wines, a cigar and rum bar, a kava bar, and a paddle raise.
Boat transportation leaves from St. John and St. Thomas.
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SILENT AUCTION
Bid on amazing packages that include flights, cruises, villa stays, boat excursions, private dining, jewelry and more. Bidding for the Silent Auction is open and will run until February 13 at 3pm EST.
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WINNER TAKES ALL RAFFLE
Win it all for only $25! Over $7,000 worth of prizes to be won including a villa stay, a private dining experience with a chef, gift cards for boat trips, restaurants, gift stores and more!
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LOVANGO EXPERIENCE GOLDEN TICKET
Win a magical escape to the Lovango Beach Club to lounge poolside in a cabana with 5 friends. This fabulous package is valued at $1,400.
| | Beach To Beach Power Swim Registration Open | | | | |
Registration is open for the 23rd Annual Joe Kessler's Beach To Beach Power Swim which will take place on Sunday, May 24, 2026. Participants choose their distance starting at Maho Bay beach and swimming to Cinnamon Bay, Trunk Bay, or the full 3.5 miles to Hawksnest Bay.
Every year, a creative member of our community designs the event logo. The 2026 logo was designed by Alyssa Paris. Born and raised on St. John, Alyssa’s multidisciplinary work is informed by a background rooted in curiosity, experimentation. Thank you, Alyssa for a great logo!
| | Visitor Use Data Collection Call For Volunteers | | | | |
Friends is collecting visitor use data to measure and characterize current Park visitation levels. The data collected will help Virgin Islands National Park update and validate their annual visitation statistics process.
Data collection began with the installation of counters on select roads and trails in December. Through the spring and summer, counting activity by Friends staff and volunteers will be conducted on roads, beaches, trails and moorings.
We need help with counting cars, beachgoers and boats. There is a $50 per 5 hour shift stipend (up to $100 per day) available. Training on February 11 is mandatory with flexibility on shifts from February 12-18 and 21-22.
| | A Day In The Bush With Ital | | | | |
Many of you have met Ital Delroy Anthony, a cultural Ambassador, artisan, teacher, and cofounder of the cultural band, the Echo People. From the bush, Ital harvests natural materials and seeds to craft vibrant art and shares his knowledge and skills with others.
Thanks to a grant from US Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Friends worked with Ital on a book that invites readers to spend A Day In The Bush With Ital. If you see Ital about, be sure to purchase a copy from him.
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Explore, learn or volunteer with us! With hundreds of seminars, hikes and volunteer opportunities on our calendar throughout the season, there is something to do almost daily:
- Cinnamon Campground Chats
- Annaberg Cultural Demonstrations
- Reef Bay Hike
- Turtle Snorkeling and Boat Trip
- Francis Bay Bird Walk
- Maho Turtle Table
- Trail Crew Volunteering
| | Reminder Of Scholarship Application Deadline | | | | |
The deadline for 2026/27 scholarship applications is Friday, March 13, 2026. We invite St. John and St. Thomas youth who are currently high school seniors or undergraduates to apply for the Jeffrey Matheny Scholarship and the Noble Samuel Scholarship and Internship.
Beyond the support at school, Friends works hard to engage scholarship students in our work and encourage their involvement in conservation and community efforts. We are very happy that currently, five of the nine full time staff at Friends were born in the Virgin Islands and three of them were scholarship recipients.
| | 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. | | | | |
GALA PREMIER SPONSOR: BOOKVI
Our thanks to BOOKVI for being a Premier Sponsor of our 2026 Gala. Their support of this important fundraising event matters.
BOOKVI offers a thoughtfully curated selection of villas in the US Virgin Islands designed to cater to every type of traveler. Whether you seek a romantic escape or a grand family vacation, their St. John villas ensure a stay that’s tailored to your needs. We thank them for their support!
| | Local businesses interested in becoming an Affinity Partner or sponsoring our events and programs, should please contact Jennifer Stone at jstone@friendsvinp.org. | | |
Shop online or stop by the National Park Visitor Center & Park Store in Cruz Bay which is open Monday to Thursday from 8:15am to 4pm and on Friday from 8:15am to 1:30pm. Proceeds support natural and cultural resource protection and preservation.
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