Appalachia Service Project

Trip Information

• 2026 will be Good Samaritan’s 45th year serving at ASP.
• Dates: June 20-28, 2026
• Total cost:  $500 per person. Scholarships are available to help pay the cost of the trip; contact Jan Russell for information.
• Destination: TBD
• ASP 2026 theme: TBD
• If you have questions or would like more information about the ASP 2026 trip, contact Amy Manolis or Jan Russell.

Registering for the trip

• Before registering each participant and parent/guardian of each youth participant must read and understand the ASP Expectations for trip participants.
• To register for the trip complete the ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM 
• To secure your spot on the trip (or a spot on the waiting list if the trip is full), please submit a $100 deposit on your trip fees by January 31, 2026. See instruction in the next section.

Paying for the trip

• To secure your spot on the trip (or a spot on the waiting list if the trip is full), please submit a $100 deposit on your trip fees.
• The remaining balance of your trip fees is due shortly before departure for ASP.
• Pay your trip fees ONLINE. You may pay just your $100 deposit initially then pay the balance of the trip fees at a later date. Alternately, you can pay your full trip cost all at once. When you pay online, a processing fee is taken out of the amount paid. Please consider checking the box to add 2.5% to your payment to help cover the cost of the processing fee so that the ASP trip gets the full amount of your trip fees.
• If you would like help with the cost of the trip, please contact Jan Russell.
• Your trip fees are refundable if you are replaced on the trip roster by someone on the waiting list or in the event that the entire trip is cancelled.

Medical Information

• Immunizations – Up-to-date immunization for tetanus is required for all participants.
• Hepatitis A immunization is strongly recommended. Plan ahead because Hepatitis A requires two shots 6 months apart.
• Parents of youth participants: Adult ASP leaders will keep and give scheduled medications to youth while on the ASP trip.

Important dates – Your participation in all applicable events is crucial to the success of the trip.

• August 12, 2025: ASP planning committee meeting.
• November 3, 2025: ASP planning committee meeting.
• December 16, 2025: ASP planning committee meeting.
• January 18, 2026, at 11:15am in Room 201 (the Youth Room) following the Sunday morning church service: Information and presentation about the ASP trip for all youth, parents, and other adults who would like to learn about the trip.
• January 21, 2026: ASP information table in the Narthex at Good Samaritan.
• January 25, 2026: Take orders for Super Bowl subs at church.
• January 31, 2026: Deadline for completing your registration and paying your $100 deposit for the ASP 2023 trip.
• February 1, 2026: Take orders for Super Bowl subs at church.
• February 3, 2026: ASP planning committee meeting.
• February 8, 2026: Super Bowl subs fundraiser. Make subs at church at 8:30am. Distribute subs that were ordered and sell additional subs at 11:00am after the church service. For all participants.
• March 3, 2026: ASP planning committee meeting.
• April 7, 2026: ASP planning committee meeting.
• April 19, 2026: Culture and Sensitivity training at church at 6:30pm. Balance of ASP trip fees due. For all participants.
• May 5, 2026: ASP planning committee meeting.
• May 16, 2026: Tool Time at church at 9:00am-noon. For all participants.
• June 2, 2026: ASP planning committee meeting.
• May 31, 2026: Team Building meeting (for all participants) followed by Adult Leader meeting (for all adult leaders going to ASP) at church 4:30-7:00pm.
• June7, 2026: “Gas can” fundraiser at church.
• June 14, 2026: “Gas can” fundraiser at church.
• June 14, 2026: Commissioning Sunday. Commissioning of the ASP group during the church worship service. For all participants.
• June 19,2026: Departure meeting, 6:30pm. Drop off your gear for the trip at the church. For all participants.
• June 20, 2026: Depart for ASP. Arrive at the church no later than 4:55am. Load the vans and depart by 5:30am.
• June 28, 2026: Return from ASP.
• TBD: ASP Sunday. Highlights of the trip during the church worship service. For all participants.

Departure preparation

• ASP Packing List– What you should take to ASP and what you should leave at home.

ASP’s Required Reading for All Volunteers – What must I know before going to ASP? 

All ASP volunteers must read the “ASP Required Reading for All Volunteers”. This document contains important information about:

• ASP Mission Vision, & Guiding Principles
• ASP Volunteer Expectations, Rules, and Regulations
• ASP 3 S’s – Sensitivity, Safety, and Stewardship
• ASP Safety Manual for Volunteers

Other informative reading and viewing

• Check out our ASP Reading and Viewing Suggestions to discover additional background material about the area of Appalachia where Good Samaritan serves at ASP.
• Check out ASP’s material for learning more about Appalachian culture at Appalachian Cultural Resources.

New to ASP or need an inspiring refresher? – Below are some suggestions for familiarizing yourself with the ASP experience.

• Visit the ASP web site.
• Read the “required reading” documents (see above).
• Sample the “optional reading and viewing” resources (see above).
• Read about ASP Summer Mission Trips.
• Curious about what happens each day at ASP? Learn about the typical daily schedule at ASP and other topics for volunteers in the information for Group Members.
• Watch some of the many educational and inspirational videos on ASP’S YOUTUBE PAGE.
• Browse through a wealth of information about the ASP experience in the Trip Coordinator Resources.
• Pick up construction tips and learn about ASP home repair projects in the ASP Construction Videos.
• Browse through the ASP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL, the how-to guide for the types of home repair projects encountered at ASP.
• For all adult group leaders: Attend the adult participant meeting, held just before the trip, where you can ask questions and learn about the trip from all the other adults who are going to ASP.
• View the presentation about our ASP PROGRAM AT GOOD SAMARITAN.

Questions? If you have any questions about ASP 2026, contact Amy Manolis or Jan Russell.