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July, 2010
It's been a great year so far for Tourism Cares and it's only half over. And the best is yet to come as we continue through 2010 with more clean up and restoration projects, grants to tourism sites around the world and scholarships to worthy students. Please take a few moments to read on about where we've come so far and where we're going. And please tell your friends and colleagues. That's how we'll continue to grow and do even more.
Thanks for your continued support,
Bruce Beckham, Executive Director |
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 | Tourism Cares for America |
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We Clean Up Well!
On Friday, June 4, hundreds of travel industry volunteers from 100 different companies representing 30 states, and 4 countries, joined forces to help make a difference at Angel Island State Park in San Francisco Bay for the 8th annual Tourism Cares for America restoration event.
Volunteers were involved in a number of projects that would have taken park staff several months to complete. Limited financial resources have curtailed the maintenance of Angel Island's many natural and historic sites. Angel Island is listed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America's ten most-threatened historic sites. The island's Immigration Station and military facilities dating back to the Civil War have suffered from the elements. Volunteer projects ranged from painting restroom facilities to replacing walkways to stacking firewood to heat the buildings on the island, saving thousands of dollars in fossil fuels. Most of the tasks helped to improve the park's aesthetic appearance to the thousands of visitors who come each year.
In his own words, John Poimiroo, a Tourism Cares volunteer and California-based travel and tourism marketing consultant, shares his experience.
"After we arrived at North Garrison, a state park ranger pointed to a monumental pile of cut wood. The wood came from a wildfire that had raged across Angel Island in 2007. He said, 'we'll be stacking this pile over there,' wh ile pointing to a large open area. The shocked look on the faces of the volunteers, reflected their realization of the monumental task they'd been given. But that initial shock didn't last long. They organized themselves into fire brigade-like lines and began moving the pile, piece by piece, into long stacks. What started as stunned realization of what needed to be done evolved into spirited teamwork and eventually to elation and satisfaction at having eliminated, in a day, what otherwise would have taken years to accomplish. We knew we were cleaning up the remnants of a natural disaster, helping beleaguered park employees heat their cabins with the wood, recycling a resource, and giving back to an historic site that many travelers visit. Someone said to me... 'there are no easy jobs with Tourism Cares. We do the things that weren't getting done. That's why we're here.'"
"For me, it was a chance to give back, to be part of something bigger, to connect with people from throughout my industry in ways I wouldn't otherwise have ever had the opportunity to do. A gratifying sense of accomplishment was shared by everyone. That's a feeling you don't get every day, but at Tourism Cares you're assured it's gonna happen. Working side by side with other tourism workers we got to talk and know each other, opening doors for further discussion and collaboration that you just can't get any other way. I don't say you do this because you want to do business at the event, but business happens and it happens in a way that is perhaps more binding than at any tradeshow. There were business owners and accountants, tour operators and hotels, destinations and marketers... all working together toward a common purpose. Aside from the very important service the day provided to that distressed place, it was a shared, satisfying adventure that I'm glad I did. Sure, we worked hard, but our aches reminded us of all we accomplished. I hope to do another and would encourage anyone in the travel industry, regardless of what they do, to join in. Our shirts said it all, "I Clean Up Well!"
Tourism Cares will hold its next volunteer project, Tourism Cares for America Volunteer Day on September 10 in Washington, DC. Click here for more information and to register.
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| Save Our Sites Spotlight |
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| Tourism Cares asked Save Our Sites customers to share their experience with the program. This is what they had to say:
"On a personal level, I believe we learn from history, and we learn better when we experience it. I can't imagine reading about George Washington's home and not being able to visit Mount Vernon, or seeing something online about the Civil Rights Movement and not being able to stand on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. There's something about seeing what others did, smelling the things they smelled and touching the things they touched that reaches into your soul, that helps us understand. I support SOS because we owe it to our children to make sure they have the same opportunity to learn and be moved, to understand themselves and others, and make the world better for it." - Katrina White, Rhode Island Division of Tourism
"SOS is an excellent way to engage travelers in giving back. In fact, they so much appreciate that we give them the opportunity, our tour managers are frequently asked on the first day of the tour if we are still doing SOS!" - Cathy Greteman, Star Destinations
"Save Our Sites has been an amazing experience for our passengers on some of our tours as it brings the individuals of the group closer together in a shared experience."-Allen Glander, Main Street Tours
"Save Our Sites has united our internal team, our tour managers on the road, and management as we all worked together to support such a worthy cause." -Corey Marshall, Anderson Vacations
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| Pledging for a purpose |
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The Tourism Cares Board of Directors have pledged to raise $150,000 for the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center. The Museum, currently being built at Ground Zero in New York City, is designed to honor the victims of the attacks and all of those who risked their lives to save others. It will also further recognize the thousands who survived and all who demonstrated extraordinary compassion in the aftermath.
Ellen "ironman (woman)" Lurz, of BookMyGroup, competed in the Wyckoff YMCA triathlon on Saturday, June 19, swimming 1/2 mile, then biking 17 miles and then running 5 miles. "Competing in this event to raise money in support of this important initiative has touched my life and made crossing the finish line an extra special experience for me. " she said.
From dawn to dusk on June 19, 2010, Derek Hydon of MaCher, rode his 1993 Yamaha GTS motorcycle a distance of 1,000 miles, which was no easy feat. "When Tourism Cares announced the initiative to raise funds for the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center, it was a no-brainer," said Derek, now fondly referred to as 'iron butt'. "I had to get involved, not only for this inspiring cause, but also to further spread the valuable mission of Tourism Cares."
Cathleen Johnson of Edelman in Chicago, is going to work up a sweat on three consecutive Saturdays in June/July, walking the 26-mile perimeter of Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. "I was touched in so many ways by the events of 9/11... what concerns me now is that after almost 10 years, we're starting to forget and become complacent again about those who lost their lives and about the freedoms we lost, and defended on that day. So as part of this pledge, I am challenging my own complacency," said Cathleen.
For more information and to become involved in this initiative, please click here. |
| Remembering Bob Whitley |
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The Board and Staff of Tourism Cares, along with many of his long time friends and colleagues, mourn the sudden passing of Tourism Cares founding member and United States Tour Operators Association President, Bob Whitley this past May 13. He was 66 years old. He was a true icon in the leisure travel industry and led the USTOA for more than 30 years. Bob was an advocate of Tourism Cares and will be sorely missed for his enthusiasm and sage advice. A Bob Whitley Memorial Fund has been set up at Tourism Cares and donations can be made by clicking here. Tourism Cares is also planning to induct Bob, posthumously, into the Tourism Hall of Fame at a gala dinner and ceremony in New York City in October of 2010. Details will be available at www.tourismcares.org in early July. |
| How your contribution helps... |
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... Protect worldwide sites
Tourism Cares is pleased to make a grant to the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC) of Gainesville, FL as part of the 2010 Worldwide Grant Program. The organization is among 6 global recipients this season to receive one of the prestigious grants, which are presented to worthy tourism-related nonprofits in need of support.
Founded in 1959, the Caribbean Conservation Corporation is the oldest group in the world dedicated to sea turtle research and conservation. Its cornerstone program is a model conservation initiative that has fused science-based conservation with community-based eco-tourism.
"Eco-tourism is a great way to encourage environmental stewardship among travelers. Through this grant from Tourism Cares, CCC will build an educational kiosk in Tortuguero, Costa Rica, where visitors can learn more about sea turtles and their habitats just a few steps away from the largest green turtle nesting beach in the Western Hemisphere," said David Godfrey, Executive Director, Caribbean Conservation Corporation.
The Tourism Cares Worldwide Grant will help support the renovation of the Community Information Center, enhancing interpretive exhibits to educate more than 120,000 tourists annually. The vast majority of the local residents in this remote community, located at the edge of the Costa Rican rainforest and Tortuguero National Park, make their living from eco-tourism.
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...Educate the future workforce
In 2010, Tourism Cares, in addition to the $78,000 in academic scholarship awards, has offered a total of 18 professional development internships and scholarships totaling $30,000. Included are new educational opportunities through the Tourism Cares - Luxury Travel Advisor Professional Development Internship that was established in 2010 by Luxury Travel Advisor magazine to help provide an inspiring path for the next generation of luxury travel advisors. It is their hope that once the recipients of this internship are introduced to the dynamic world of luxury travel consulting, they will forge ahead with a career that will lead them to becoming some of tomorrow's luxury travel superstars.
Tourism Cares and Luxury Travel Advisor magazine are pleased to announce the first recipients of the 2010 Tourism Cares - Luxury Travel Advisor Professional Development Internship: Lena Brown from Middlebury, CT, who will be a summer intern at Largay Travel in Waterbury, CT, and Erin Lisenbee, from San Pedro, CA, who will be a summer intern at the TravelStore in Palos Verdes Estates, CA.
Lena Brown:
Lena has enjoyed working in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry for more than 25 years. She has worked for several hotels including The Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Hyatt, Loews, and The Dana Point Resort. She earned Star Quality Employee with The Red Lion Hotel in Seattle and when she was with The Pampered Chef she earned all top level incentive trips for 5 years and top sales for the company for it's Heritage Program.
Lena aspires to grow in her knowledge of places in the world she has yet to visit and hopes to help others see those places and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Lena commented on what receiving this internship means to her: "I am very grateful to be receiving this scholarship. It is a dream come true to be able to start my career in the Luxury Travel Industry."
When Erin was 16 years old, she went to Europe for two weeks with her family, traveling to England, France, and Italy. She explored churches, cathedrals, the Vatican, schools, art galleries, the Louvre Museum, and castles. She attended the opera and ate at exciting restaurants and local pubs. Upon her return, she wanted to share her experiences with everyone. Now at age 21, Erin has volunteered at The TravelStore in an effort to gain experience. The internship she has received will now afford her the opportunity to gain even more experience through the summer. Erin will be mentored by top agents and will be attending many in-house and off-site seminars with luxury travel vendors. She looks forward to learning as much as she can and building a strong foundation for her career as a Luxury Travel Advisor.
Erin shared what receiving the internship means to her: "This internship means a brand new life for me and a career I love! I am very thankful to have been chosen for this great opportunity".
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| Tourism Cares in 2010 |
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Take a look at what's in store for the remainder of 2010.
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| Calling all scholarship alumni! |
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Did you receive a Tourism Cares, a National Tourism Foundation, an ASTA Foundation, or an IATAN Ronald A. Santana Foundation Scholarship? .... Or know anyone who did? Tourism Cares and these now affiliated organizations have awarded hundreds of scholarships to students and professionals of travel, tourism and hospitality since 1982. Tourism Cares is now organizing a scholarship alumni network to find out "where are they now?" and bring them up to date on our many activities. Our challenge is to identify or track down past recipients of these scholarships, so we're hoping that you and our other friends out there will be able to help. If you have received one or more of these scholarships or know of someone who has, please contact Dorota Rudnik or call her at 781-821-5990 x215 and let us know. | |
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