Doubling your dollars - G.A.P Adventures to match donations to its Planeterra Foundation

September 22, 2005 - Bruce Poon Tip, President and CEO of G.A.P Adventures, Canada’s largest adventure travel company, offering authentic small group tours, safaris and expeditions worldwide, recently announced that the company will match all donations – dollar for dollar – to its non profit organization, the Planeterra Foundation.

“We take great pride in our commitment to making a difference in the communities we work with around the world,” says Poon Tip. “By matching donations, we will maximize the impact of our donors’ contributions and their generous gifts will now be twice as valuable.”

Developed by G.A.P Adventures, the Planeterra Foundation is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of people and communities worldwide through the support of international charities, local organizations and grassroots community-based projects in the areas of health, education, ecotourism development, cultural preservation, environmental conservation and disaster relief. G.A.P Adventures also covers all administration costs so that 100% of each dollar donated goes directly towards the projects that the Planeterra Foundation supports.

About G.A.P Adventures
G.A.P Adventures is Canada’s largest adventure travel company and a world leader in the adventure industry. We offer unique small group adventures, safaris and expeditions on all seven continents with a focus on culture, nature and active travel to more than 40,000 travellers annually. Our unique and varied styles of award-winning trips are ideal for people with a sense of adventure - who want to travel off the beaten path, immerse themselves in the local culture and environment and experience the real world in a sustainable manner. G.A.P Adventures is also the proud owner of the legendary polar expedition ship the M/S Explorer.

For more information, please visit us online at www.gapadventures.com.

G.A.P Adventures
For more information about the Planeterra Foundation, please contact Danielle Weiss, Sustainable Tourism Coordinator at 1 800 465 5600 x122 or danielle@gap.ca.

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Media Contact: Kira Zack
G.A.P Adventures
Small Group Adventures, Safaris & Expeditions to all 7 Continents
Phone: 1 800 465 5600 ext 156
Email: kiraz@gap.ca

Open your homes to victims of Katrina

MoveOn.org: Democracy in Action

MoveOn.Org has provided this online service to help people in need of emergency housing to find people offering to share their homes for a while. I don't think they'll mind if I just copy a little info from their website (follow the link above.)

Offer housing to Hurricane survivors

How it works:

• Your info is hidden. If you offer to host, people looking for housing will be able be able to see your posting, but not your name and email. You can choose whether or not to list your phone number.


• We pass you requests by email. When someone requests housing through our site, we will send you an email with their contact info and their message to you. It's your responsibility to follow up with them by email or phone..


• You remove your offer when it's filled. When you post an offer, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to remove your posting in case you fill it, or no longer have space. People will continue to contact you until you do so.

Guidelines:

• Housing in the Southeast is best. By far the greatest need for housing is within several hundred miles of the affected region. If you live elsewhere, please ask anyone you know in the area to post a housing offer, in addition to posting your own.


• Only list your own housing. Please don't offer lodging that's not actually yours to offer!


• Offers should be free. All housing offered on this site must be free of charge.


• Be smart. We can make no guarantees about the people who contact you. Please use common sense.


• Hurricane survivors need work too. If, in addition to housing, you can connect hurricane survivors with temporary work, please note that in your description

To offer housing, please fill out the Online Form

Those who are not suffering are MAD

This e-mail echos the sentiments I'm hearing all around me this morning in Texas. We're mad at our government for the way they're dealing with, or NOT dealing with the situation in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. We're also humbled by it. "Almighty America" can be devastated by a natural disaster too, but I'm not hearing that expressed yet.

I don't know the lady who sent me this unsolicited e-mail, I know nothing about her business, and can't recommend it for that reason. However, I like the e-mail she sent, and she's offered a lot of helpful links for those who wish to help with the relief effort. - Kim ;-)

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"Despair and Lawlessness Grip New Orleans" - That is the title of a NY Times article that appears in tomorrows newspaper.

It is the truth.

I find what is being allowed to happen in Mississippi and Louisiana disgusting.

The government has let the people down. The President is once again not being truthful. This time, he's not making a BIG enough deal about what's going on. And I'm grateful that the newspapers and TV are allowing us to see what is true so we can do something to help.

Children and seniors are dying because they haven't had water in 3 days. People who listened to their cities powers to be, and went to the Dome, are being raped, beaten, or are dying where they sit. People are dying in the hospital because no one knew they were there. People driving to the Convention Center in Texas, not being allowed in, having nothing but the cloths they are wearing -- all because they weren't in the Dome in New Orleans. People who don't have medicine. People being transported elsewhere on busses and they have to leave their animals - their only possessions behind. Very sad indeed.

This is not good. This is more than terribly wrong. This is, the USA, after all. We should be helping each other.. and in this situation much faster.

I hope that you join me in helping to save these people. They are going to be without a 'home' for possibly a year. Many will never go home again.

Right now, they need money for supplies. They will also need basic things, like toiletries, food, blankets, etc. And the children, once they are fed, could use toys, like teddy bears - lots of teddy bears and dolls.

So look around your home for these types of articles. Then start looking around your city to locate the organizations that will be collecting them.

And consider giving... and make sure that you designate that you want your money to go to the Victims of Katrina.

A bright light? Texas thank you to the State of Texas for all you are doing for the refugees.

If you know someone who has been effected, who owned a home, have them contact FEMA right away. They can do that even if they don't know what damage has been done to their homes. Have them call, just to get the process started. http://www.fema.gov


And the SBA is the place to contact regarding businesses that need help. www.sba.gov



Here are some of the resources that are trying to help:

Forum to possibly find people http://www.wwltv.com/

Live TV feed from New Orleans http://blogs.king5.com/

Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/

FEMA Charity tips: http://www.fema.gov/rrr/help2.shtm

Episcopal Relief & Development: 1-800-334-7626 or http://www.er-d.org

United Methodist Committee on Relief: 1-800-554-8583 or http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/emergency/hurricanes/2005

Salvation Army: 1-800-SAL-ARMY or http://www.salvationarmyusa.org

Catholic Charities: 1-800-919-9338 or http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster: http://www.nvoad.org

Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: http://www.la-spca.org
Human Society www.hsus.org

Medical Teams being sent to the area from the Pacfic North West www.king5.com/topstories/stories/
NW_083105WABnorthwestresponseDS.11f941a3.html

Maria Marsala
www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com

Dynamic Voluntourism offers aid to Tsunami stricken villages in Sri Lanka

Relief Riders International (RRI) announces its special Tsunami Relief Ride to Sri Lanka.

Following the disastrous tsunami that claimed 30,000 lives in Sri Lanka, Alexander Souri, Executive Director of RRI traveled in April 2005 to undertake a needs assessment trip to see first hand the hard- hit southern coastal areas. Two thirds of the beautiful coastal areas were damaged by the extraordinary waves.

"As a witness to this extraordinary human tragedy, it was absolutely clear to me that we had to respond and do everything we could," Souri noted.

In response, building on its award-winning relief rides to Rajasthan, India, RRI will take 8 horseback riders on a humanitarian journey to bring desperately-needed supplies and medical aid to Sri Lanka. Working with the Ministry of Health, Souri is tailoring the trip to coordinate with on-going relief efforts, details of which are still being developed. Currently there are plans to help schools in four communities, replacing lost educational materials and holding pediatric clinics for the children.

A pioneer and leader in the VolunTourism field, RRI offers its travelers the opportunity to combine 170 km horse-back ride through rare and beautiful landscapes with a life-changing humanitarian mission. Participants will travel on white sand beaches, and through lush jungles and natural game reserves, while visiting Buddhist temples, and learning about local customs.

Please visit our website for more information on our Tsunami Relief Ride http://www.reliefridersinternational.com/sri_lanka.htm

For more information on all of our great adventure rides please visit us on the web at http://www.reliefridersinternational.com

Or call us at: 413.329.5876

Alexander Souri
Executive Director
Relief Riders International
www.reliefridersinternational.com

304 Main St Suite 3-B
Great Barrington, MA 01230

info@reliefridersinternational.com
Tel:413.329.5876