Many of you made donations this past year to help with a home rebuild for Miss Carol, our cook of 25 years in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Carol has been our cook for teen volunteers every summer, but also a “house mom” and close friend. She gets to know our kids, sometimes teaches how to make local dishes, and she’s also been a liaison to much of the island community. This summer, our Island Passage middle school program helped rebuild a home for Miss Carol.

Last year, Carol’s house burned down when a truck hit a nearby power line. After VISIONS heard the news, we led the charge in fundraising. Thanks to the many donations from past leaders and participants, Miss Carol has received several hundred dollars to go towards a rebuild.

VISIONS original intent was to build Carol a new home from the ground up. However, after working with Carol and members of her Tortola community, the decision was made to renovate and refurbish a different home for her. The extensive work began in earnest with our Island Passage middle school volunteers who cleaned, scrubbed, prepped, and painted the exterior of the house; gutted parts of the interior that were beyond repair; cut and secured new interior paneling and an insulating barrier; built new cabinets; patched the tin roof; and helped with plumbing repairs, just to name a few…

While some work remains, both Carol and our BVI participants were pleased to accomplish so much and help get Carol settled into her new home.

Thank you to all who contributed so the Miss Carol Fund!