Grace Bay Resorts on Providenciales introduces Adopt-a-School
As part of their new Community Foundation to foster guest involvement in education and community outreach in the Turks and Caicos region, Grace Bay Resorts, the parent company for Grace Bay Club and The Veranda Resort, has introduced their first Adopt-A-School initiative.
Through the combined efforts of Grace Bay Resorts, the Turks and Caicos government, and local contractor Projetech Ltd, guests of both Grace Bay Club and The Veranda now provide long term repair and refurbishment assistance supporting over 395 students in elementary and high schools that were not only damaged from Hurricane Ike, but also have been historically neglected due to lack of local funding.
The Adopt-A-School program, launched in fall 2009, currently operates on a quarterly basis and invites guests to join staff on day excursions to the North and South Caicos Islands delivering much needed supplies and labor.
Due to the growing interest in volun-tourism initiatives, Grace Bay Resorts expects to increase this initiative to operate on a monthly basis in late 2010. To date, the adopted schools include: Iris Stubbs Primary School, Marjorie Basden High School, Charles Hubert James Primary School and Adelaide Oemler Primary.
Grace Bay Resorts has committed an initial donation of $100,000 for a minimum of one year for the Adopt-A-School and Community Foundation. Once the refurbishment of these schools is complete, funding will go to support the upkeep of the equipment and educational programs on-site.
Grace Bay Resorts’ Community Foundation Program has also identified additional areas in need of guest outreach including the re-development of local community parks, a scholarship program for staff members and breakfast programs for underprivileged children in the Providenciales area.
In addition to the Community Foundation, Nikheel Advani, COO of Grace Bay Resorts recently announced a partnership with The Bodhi Tree Foundation, a non-profit organization charged with mobilizing support from travelers and the tourism industry to protect places and people around the globe. Founded on the “Power of One” philosophy, Advani, an advisory board member on the foundation, has pledged to match each $1 guests donate per room night towards the cause. For more information visit www.thebodhitreefoundation.org.
Read more at HotelsMag.com.