This page contains all the lists and resources you will need as we get ready for Appalachia 2026!
Please note that this page will be updated regularly as we move through the planning process - please check back often.
All participants are required to complete a medical form, liability form and tool use form, as well as sign our group behavior policy. Drivers complete additional paperwork, as do those who are lending a vehicle and donating tools. Forms are organized into a single packet based on participant age.
2026 Forms
Please download and complete the appropriate set of forms based on your age, or complete the hard copies you picked up at a meeting.
Forms Due Date
Forms will be due back at the May 28th meeting. Please bring hard copies, and remember that we need TWO copies of the medical form (photocopies are fine).
If you have any questions, please email Katharine (katharine.h.conroy@gmail.com) or Erin (erin.weidman3@gmail.com).
WHAT DO WE EAT ON THE TRIP?
To ensure that we eat heartily and healthily during the Appalachia trip, each participant contributes to our food for the week. Our meals consist of the following:
Breakfast: Breakfast each day is a simple meal of cereal (and fruit or hard boiled eggs, if desired). We purchase dairy and non-dairy milk in Kentucky.
Lunch: Each day, we make a bag lunch to bring with us to worksites. Peanut butter and jelly, cold cuts and tuna will be available for sandwiches, and we supplement the sandwiches with fruit and cookies/brownies/bars. Each worksite has a cooler and ice to ensure food stays fresh.
Dinner: Each night for dinner, we cook a selection of the pre-frozen meals made by our group members. We also make a fresh salad, and cookies/brownies/bars are always available. We also make large coolers of ice tea, fruit punch, etc.
NOTE: If you have any questions, concerns or food allergies, please contact Katharine ASAP. We travel to a remote part of Kentucky and want to keep with our principles of simplicity, so it is very important that we plan ahead, especially for those with allergies, as we don't have access to a wide range of alternative products.
Each participant is required to bring the following items in the following quantities. It works out to be the right amount to keep us fed for the week! If you have questions or concerns, please contact a member of the group leadership, and we will happily work with you. Please follow any instructions given very carefully!
TWO FROZEN MEALS: Each participant will sign up to cook and freeze TWO meals. We will provide tin pans - please use these pans, as it is much easier to pack coolers when all meals are the same size.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cook the meal you signed up for but feel free to use any recipe that you like!
Please cook all components (meat, pasta, etc.) that go into the meals. We reheat them thoroughly in Kentucky, but all ingredients need to be fully cooked (with the exception of a light cheese topping that only needs to melt).
Fill each pan as much as possible - we will be hungry!
Wrap each pan thoroughly and tightly in TIN FOIL. Multiple layers of foil are encouraged. Please DO NOT use plastic wrap.
Write the ingredients of your meal on an index card; place the index card in a Ziploc bag and tape it to the tin foil on the top of the pan. It is best to do this before you freeze your meal - otherwise, the tape won't stick.
Allergens: Please note if your recipe includes peanuts, cashews or walnuts.
Freeze your meals by Sunday, May 31st. This will ensure they are completely frozen by the time we leave for Kentucky.
TWO BOXES OF CEREAL: Pick your favorite type!
~6 PIECES OF FRUIT: Pick your favorite type! We recommend apples, oranges and clementines, as they keep best. (Bananas go by very quickly in the heat, so we will purchase them in Kentucky).
4 DOZEN COOKIES/BROWNIES/BARS: Cookies, brownies, or a similar type of "grab-and-go" baked good are our snack and dessert. We prefer that these be homemade. The best way to pack them is to seal them in large Ziploc bags and then place the bags in a shoebox. This ensures that they don't get crushed during travel!
Dietary Preferences: If you prefer to avoid sugar and would like to make a non-sweet option (homemade protein bar, corn muffins, etc.) please feel free to do so. Note that these will be open to the whole group. If you have concerns, please reach out to Katharine!
Allergies: Please note if your recipe includes peanuts, cashews or walnuts.
View these instructions in printable form!
When we sign up for meals, we will also sign up for "incidental" food items - these are things that we need for the week, but we do not need so much that everyone must bring the items. This includes things like peanut butter, jelly, salad dressing, drink mix and tuna.
You can start bringing in non-perishable food items during the last few meetings. We have space to store these at St. George. Your frozen meals, fruit and cookies/brownies/bars should not be brought in until the day we leave for Kentucky!
Over 43 years, we have developed a detailed packing list to help you get ready for the trip! Please follow the list as closely as possible - this will ensure you have everything you need (but not too much!).
KEY REMINDERS
Use ONLY soft luggage - NO suitcases with hard bottoms, wheels, etc.
We will attend (2) or (3) masses during the trip. You do not need fancy clothes, but please bring 1 - 2 outfits that are neat, clean and appropriate for church.
During the trip, we are representing St. George & St. John Bosco - please do not pack:
Shirts with inappropriate logos/imagery/phrases.
Spaghetti strap tank-tops.
See-through shirts or shirts with lots of holes.
Everyone MUST WEAR SHOES AT ALL TIMES. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule.
On the worksite, you must wear work boots or steel-toed hiking boots (see Worksite Attire section)
Around the Rec Center/garage, you may wear sneakers or sandals/flip-flops.
Bring flip-flops for the shower. Choose a pair that dries easily - it is very humid in Booneville.
WORKSITE ATTIRE
These guidelines are meant to keep you safe while on the work site. There are no exceptions - if you are not wearing the appropriate clothing, you will not be allowed to work.
On the work sites, you MUST wear:
Jeans or heavy work pants with no holes.
Work boots or steel-toed hiking boots (NO sneakers or light hiking boots).
T-shirts or tank tops with thick straps (at least 1" wide).
NO giant armholes and NO spaghetti straps.
It is also HELPFUL to wear:
Bandanas - it's very hot.
Sunglasses, at times.
Heavy socks (or two pairs). This helps prevent blisters.
Other Tips
Bring sunscreen and bug spray to wear on the sites.
In order to complete our construction projects and keep our costs low, we pack and bring all of our tools. The Tools Committee will run a sign-up during a meeting to ensure we have everything we need. Please review the list below to see if you have any of these items at home.
{ OPEN THE TOOLS SIGN UP SHEET }
LABEL, LABEL, LABEL!
Many people have the same brands/types of tools. To ensure that you get back the tools that you contribute, please LABEL YOUR TOOLS CLEARLY. We recommend that you use masking tape and permanent marker and write your last name. Be sure to attach the label somewhere out of the way, to reduce the risk of the label falling off/being torn.
INDIVIDUAL TOOLS
Each person will be asked to bring:
Hammer
Tool belt
Utility knife
Tape measure
Safety goggles
Please DO NOT pack these items in your suitcase. Bring them to St. George when indicated (we'll let you know at the meetings) - we pack all tools together in a pickup truck or the cargo van. This keeps us safe while unloading our luggage during travel!
There are many small items we need to ensure our week runs smoothly - this includes everything from sandwich bags and dish soap to napkins and Lysol wipes. We also bring items to make our living spaces home for the week (everything from shower curtains to kickballs and wireless speakers).
Links to this year's lists will be posted after we sign up for items at meetings.
Note: We will never exclude someone from participation for financial reasons.
If, after good faith effort, you are not able to complete any of the fundraising requirements, please talk to any of the trip leaders.
Everything you share with us will be held in strict confidence!
Each participant contributes to our fundraising efforts. Each year, as a group, we raise enough money to cover all of the costs of our construction materials, gas and incidental supplies. We raise this money a few different ways:
Participant Commitment Money
Each member contributes $150 in commitment money - his or her own money to demonstrate investment in the trip.
Participant Fundraising Money
Each member is also required to raise at least $250 of fundraising money. This is money that you have raised from friends, family members, and others you know who would like to support us. This money can come in the form of cash or checks, or you can use your custom BetterWorld link (check your email!).
TIP: You can use your participation in the group fundraisers to help you raise this money. For example, if you are coming to the car wash, you could ask someone to donate $0.50 per car (we aim to wash 100 cars).
TIP: Usually, people are really happy to donate once they know what we do! Feel free to share our trip summary with people if you need some "talking points."
Group Fundraisers
Each member is required to participate in one of our three group fundraisers. For more information on the fundraisers themselves, you can visit the Fundraising page of this website.