Virgin Islands Service combines meaningful person-to-person mentorship and demanding outdoor service that require dedication, selflessness and hard work in a setting of breathtaking beauty. Begin your preparations for a great summer now by organizing your luggage, clothing and gear. As the summer nears, stay active and fit through sports and exercise. The more you prepare, the more you will enjoy your program. Then, once your program starts, commit yourself wholeheartedly to your group and its service projects.

Luggage

Clothing

• Sturdy Sneakers or Light Hiking Boots. 1 pair. Comfortable shoes to wear around all day while volunteering, doing work outside and on day hikes.
• Sport Sandals. 1 pair. Sturdy enough for muddy or wet service projects.
• Flip Flops. Optional.
• Waterproof Raincoat. Your rain jacket must be waterproof (not just water and/or wind resistant). GoreTex is one of the better-known waterproof and breathable fabrics, but there are many of these fabrics to choose from.
• Long Pants. One sturdy pair for service work.
• Fleece Pullover or Sweatshirt. One only.
• Comfortable Shorts or Skirts. Two; one pair of shorts must be suitable for day hikes.
• Shirts. Five short-sleeve shirts or tank tops; one long-sleeve shirt.
• Underwear. Seven pairs.
• Socks. Five pairs.
• Pajamas. One pair.
• Bathing Suit. One or two.
• Towel. One.

Gear & Miscellaneous

• Valid Passport. Also bring a photocopy of the inside front cover of your passport and leave another at home.
• Student ID. Current school identification or driver's license (if you have one).
• Toiletries. All travel size.
• Water Bottle. Any kind, to stay hydrated out in the sun.
• Leather Work Gloves. One pair. For work outside.
• Sunglasses & Hat. With visor (e.g., baseball hat).
• Sunscreen (SPF 30+), Chapstick (with SPF protection) & Insect Repellent (two bottles).
• Flashlight or headlamp. For personal use around the cabana at night. Mandatory.
• Camera/Batteries/Memory Card
Optional. Interested in seeing your photographs or videos on Overland's website next year? Bring a camera with lots of pixels (10 or more) and lots of memory (4GB or more). Buying a new camera? One of our favorites is the Canon PowerShot SD960 IS digital camera.
• Journal & Pen. Optional.
• Reading & Recreation Items. To share with your reading buddy: a couple of your favorite easy-to-read children's books and a favorite children's chapter book (e.g., Charlotte's Web or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
• Spending Money. $50/week is a suggested amount for souvenirs, gifts and necessities (like more sunscreen if you run out, or stamps and envelopes to mail letters).

Note: Please do not bring any type of knife or multi-tool (e.g., Swiss Army Knife, Leatherman).

We do not permit personal electronics on our programs (e.g., cellphones and iPods). We do, however, allow students who fly to their program to carry a cell phone while traveling; on arrival, Overland's leaders will collect all cell phones for the duration of the program and return them for flights home. Perhaps, a better option would be to bring a pre-paid phone card so that the leaders do not have to carry cell phones for the duration of the program.