Today Is... World Oceans Day!

Curtain Bluff Makes a Difference

{Some of the 150 kids Curtain Bluff Resort in Antigua have helped send to tennis camp.}

We really enjoyed meeting Ron Sherman, the GM of Curtain Bluff last week. We were charmed by his larger than life personality and impressed upon learning about how much his hotel gives back. 

The resort’s founders, Howard and Chelle Hulford, started the Old Road Fund in 1974, naming it after the village that sits just outside the resort's gates. Initially its purpose was to supply basic necessities to the community’s neediest families, but it quickly out-grew these modest goals thanks to support from the resort and its guests. To date over $US 1 million has been spent on university scholarship assistance, additional college expenses, sending children to the U.S. for summer camp or to work as camp counselors, and providing medical and emergency relief to the local community.

In the last twenty years alone more than 150 children have gone to tennis camp in the U.S. and 45 have received a full university education. Eleven students are currently enrolled in college in the U.S. Over 20 have had major healthcare benefits. Through the fund, computers have been donated to the Old Road Primary School, and new uniforms and sporting equipment purchased for the village football (soccer) and cricket teams.

Book at stay at Curtain Bluff and know that you are helping them help others! 

Cheers,

Cool man shoes for the beach.

I love Toms, don't you? 

Buy here and now.

Peace,

Make a Difference - Coral Reef Alliance

Originally founded in 1994 to galvanize the dive community for conservation, CORAL has grown from a small, grassroots alliance into the only international nonprofit organization that works exclusively to unite communities to protect our planet's coral reefs.





The Coral Reef Alliance: Who We Are from The Coral Reef Alliance on Vimeo.





The Coral Reef Alliance: What We Do from The Coral Reef Alliance on Vimeo.


Take action and help save the our coral reefs! Make a Difference and see what you can do right here.


Peace-

A New Tour Company Comes to the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Treasures are a set of 11 unique, off-the-beaten path experiences run by small local enterprises in the Dominican Republic. From secluded eco-lodges to organic farming to culture and nature walks, the Dominican Treasures network truly has something to appeal to any interest. If you are looking for a travel experience in the DR that gives you a deep connection to the local culture and environment while supporting small community enterprises, then the Dominican Treasures is right for you. As we like to say, when in the Dominican Republic, do more than travel…discover! 

La Caleta Aquatic Center: While the DR has a number of dive sites, La Caleta is unique in its location just a half hour outside of Santo Domingo. Offering all sort of water sports, including some unique wreck dives in the crystal clear waters of the Caleta marine park, your fun in the sun will also be helping the local community. Funds from the enterprise go towards grants for neighborhood community groups. 

Fair Trade Chocolate Tour: About an hour and half outside of Santo Domingo, tourists can satisfy both their sweet tooth and their conscience with a fascinating hands-on experience on a local cocoa farm that culminates with a cocoa-licious feast that includes everything from chocolate marmalade to chocolate wine. 

Salto de Aguas Blanca Ecotrail: It’s the classic experience of pristine nature: bathing under a secluded tropical waterfall. So why not do it at the largest waterfall in the Caribbean?  At Salto Aguas Blancas, a local guide will pick you up from Costanza in Jarabacoa and take you on this stunning trail, all while teaching you about the local flora and fauna. This is truly an experience not to be missed.

For more details on how to book your Dominican Treasures adventure, please visit their website for more information at http://dominicantreasures.com or call (809) 227-0370 or email info@dominicantreasures.com.

Make a Difference in Jamaica!

I was introduced to the Children's Integrity Fund two years ago and featured their cause in this post. Since then, we've continued to support their efforts to educate the poorest of the poor in Jamaica. Being that they are based here in Atlanta, we are able to attend their local events and meetings which helps us feel connected to the cause.

On our trip last year to Jamaica (on the beach, in the villa and around the island), we made a stop in Trenchtown, to visit one of the fund's primary benefactors - the Operation Restoration Christian School:

School was not in session when we visited but we were able to meet some of the wonderful people who run the school:

This is the neighborhood:

These are roller skates:

Nearby the school, in what used to be one of grandest theaters in Kingston, the group conducts weekly worship for area kids. Here are some neighborhood kids coming to join in the sweet singing of hymns:

A volunteer leading the group:

We continued our tour of Trenchtown, kids in tow. We briefly questioned whether we should take our kids with us. Trenchtown is dangerous. This is the part of Jamaica made notorious by dancehall artists singing tales of the gunmen... but we stood firm in our belief that we do not want to shield our children from the realities of the world. It is only when we are truly made aware of reality that we are most inspired to make a difference:

When packing for our trip last year, I realized we needed to upgrade our luggage. Our old luggage had seen better days. Instead of giving it all away locally, I filled one suitcase with school supplies to deliver to the school on our visit. It was an easy way to make a difference.

 If you're inspired to do the same on your next trip to Jamaica, or any other Caribbean island, I'd be happy to help you coordinate the drop off. Contact me here.

If you'd like to donate to the Children's Integrity Fund - go here.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post! 

CaribbeanJourney.com joins ASTA's Green Program

The first reason I like ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) is because of their extreme support for the travel agent community. They have an informative consumer website - Travel Sense - where you can find all sorts of destination info and learn about what individual travel specialists have to offer. 

ASTA also does a good job of explaining to the consumer why it is important to use a travel agent.

We recently joined one of ASTA's newest programs as a GREEN MEMBER. This new program requires that our office practices "greener" internal operations - and we are. We've gone paperless on almost every transaction, replaced our old computers with more energy friendly products from Apple, and last year's office renovation included only non-toxic paint... just to name a few. You can read more about other Caribbean companies we support for their green efforts right here on our Green Travel page.

ASTA keeps their GREEN MEMBERS up to date on environmentally minded efforts by the travel industry as a whole through updated versions of their Green Report as well as monthly newsletters.

Best,

Stylish Sandals for a Cause by Sseko Designs

Meet Sseko Designs, a company created to help bright young women in Uganda continue their education. Read their story here and if strappy sandals are on your list for your next Caribbean vacation, consider these: 

We love shoes that give back... remember this post about TOMS Shoes wedding line - perfect for Destination Weddings.

Order here.

Help for Haiti

This is Haiti:

This is also Haiti:

So is this:

This week's news images showing the aftermath of the terrible Earthquake are for many people, the first images they have seen of Haiti. Yet, Haiti is as lovely as any other Caribbean island only with a fledgling tourism sector. I hope you will keep these images in mind and one day visit Haiti to see all the splendor firsthand.

Haiti needs our help. Yele Haiti is a great place to start. The organization was founded by Wyclef Jean, Grammy Award Winning Artist and native of the island. You can click the logo below to donate or text "Yele" to 510 510 to charge a $5 donation on your cell phone bill. 100% of donations to Yele Haiti go directly to those in need.

This is Wyclef Jean:

Haiti is a rich and colorful dive destination. Recreational dives are minimal in the area and the sea life is flourishing:

Oxfam International is a non-governmental consortia of agencies working together to help poverty worldwide. They immediately launched a Haiti Earthquake campaign and are in need of donations.

Not all beaches in Haiti are deserted crescents of paradise. Welcome to the Barefoot Beach Bar at Labadee Beach:


Doctors without Borders was already active in Haiti before the earthquake. They operate multiple hospitals on the island, all of which have been flattened. Many of their own staff are unaccounted for and yet they have already sprung into action setting up clinics to help the injured. Donate here.

The path less traveled... Haiti has many:

These beautiful photos of Haiti are from Epic Trip, a new and unique travel guide site driven by real travelers.

Want to know more about this gem of an island? Read "Love & Haiti" from Conde Nast Traveler.

Here is a twitter roll call of organizations and folks keeping us informed of the recovery efforts: @CaribbeanTrips, @MSF_USA (Doctors without Borders)@Wyclef,@YeleHaiti

my {heart} is breaking...

for Haiti

follow @wyclef (Wyclef Jean) and Help Haiti Earthquake Relief Donate $5 by texting YELE to 501 501 right now! Go to http://www.yele.org/ for more info.

UPDATE: The easist way to help is to text "yele" to 510 510 and pledge $5 to Wyclef Jean's organization. Also - Oxfam, Unicef, American Red Cross, Ben Stiller's Stillerstrong, & Mercy Corp.

5 months ago... mid-August. The phones in our little office were quiet and the stifling Atlanta humidity had drained the last drop of motivation from me and I could no longer remain at my desk. I closed up shop early, grabbed the kids, towels, cool drinks, and my most recent issue of Conde Nast Traveler and headed down the street to the cool relief of the pool. To the back drop of laughter, rounds of Marco Polo, and constant splashing, I read the story that made me think I love Haiti too...

Love and Haiti by Amy Wilentz

"You can call Haiti the Cleopatra of countries—its ravishing natural assets, thrilling history, and magnetic culture have long made select visitors swoon. Its tortured past, however, has made it the Caribbean nation that tourism largely forgot... more"

I read CNT and most other travel magazines from cover to cover every month. Not a one has shown Haiti in this light, if at all. Publications avoid it like the plague. Perhaps no one wants to sponsor a press trip to a destination that doesn't sell. Who goes to Haiti, after all? Amy Wilentz didn't care. She went and she loved and her story is incredible... so delicious that I've revisited it countless times. When I closed my magazine that day, rolled onto my stomach and stretched out on my towel, I was thankful. Thankful of the view of my happy, healthy children, cool and hydrated, doing what all children deserve to do - be kids. I was smitten with this place... a new place I had to visit, a place I knew I too would fall in love with... a place maybe I could help. I could picture myself sitting at my desk and breathing my excitement into the phone, convincing a few well qualified clients to take the same trip. {stay tuned}

And now, today... the earthquake. 7.0! I know this is serious. I found myself 6 miles from a 6.9 earthquake in 2004 and to this day, I'm still spooked. Help now.

Meet JoJo - Turks & Caicos Resident Charmer

If you've been to Grace Bay on the isle of Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos you've likely met Jojo and if not, you have certainly heard of him.

JoJo is male, wild and free. He is intelligent and curious and can majestically imitate the movements of a great Manta Ray or perfectly mimic the songs of whales. He brings back treasures from the ocean such as turtles, lobsters, starfish and even sharks. He is keen on searching for glass objects that Dean (his human companion) hides for him. Or listening to the sound of Chinese chimes.
JoJo is a lone and sociable Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) weighing 400 kg and is approximately 3 m in length.

Want to know more? Read about the Dean & Jojo Story. A true-life, one-of-a-kind story. The Dean & JoJo Story is about a unique and special friendship between a wild dolphin known as JoJo and his human companion, Dean Bernal.

Secrets Resorts helps save the Sea Turtle

Check out this cute little guy! Secrets Silversands tiniest guest! Now through the early fall, mother Sea Turtles will visit the beach at Secrets Silversands to lay eggs. We take every measure to ensure the continued safety and protection of the turtles through involvement with local protection agencies... Read More

Make a Difference - AA's Miles for Kids in Need

How Your Miles Can Help!

American Airlines is one of the top producers of flights to the Caribbean. Their Miles for Kids in Need program provides worldwide support for children and their families, as well as for organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with needs for medical, educational, social services issues and/or for those that heighten public awareness of children's issues.Since 1989, AAdvantage members have donated miles to help kids in need. Last year alone, members generously donated over 30 million of their unused AAdvantage miles to help provide transportation to over 500 kids through this program. If you can help us replenish some of these miles, we (and the kids) will really appreciate it. Please check your mileage balance and consider making a donation today. More details...

Make a Difference - The Sandals Foundation

Its been a while since I featured a "Make a Difference" campaign, but now more than ever, Caribbean charities need our help. So take a look at all that is good about the Sandals Foundation.

The Sandals Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International. It is the culmination of three decades of dedication to playing a meaningful role in the lives of the communities where we operate across the Caribbean.

By definition, our responsibilities to family reflect our corporate social responsibilities. We believe things can be better and we want to make them better. We believe we have contributed much to the Caribbean over the years but we want to do more. We know that as World’s Best it’s our plans, hard work, skills and innovations that put us there – but we have a responsibility to put them to work beyond our resorts too.

The Sandals Foundation is our way of better enabling us to take on more of what needs to be done in the islands where we operate by making the Caribbean the best that we can be. It is not just about gathering and spending money. We also harness our passion, energy, skills and brand power to tackle issues under three broad headings; Community, Education, & Environment.

To learn more or DONATE, please visit their website.