Stephanie
Abrams--Travel With Stephanie Abrams!
Commentary Week of July 26, 2004
How important is it for
children to travel?
Just ask Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams,
Woodfin Suites Hotels, Thrifty Car Rental, and Choice Hotels!
Let’s start with the end of the story: Eleven homeless children,
rescued from the streets of Tucson by the Giving Tree Outreach
Program, and their chaperones, departed on July 30, 2004, on an
11 day/10 night trip to do something that most families take in
stride. But these children have never been off the streets of
Tucson, have never stood on a beach and have never seen an ocean.
Many of them have spent far too many days living in the back seat
of a car or worse. But something as miraculous as the executive
director of the Giving Tree winning a stay for herself in San
Francisco because she was “Lucky Caller Number 5”
to the nationally syndicated radio show, “Travel WITH Stephanie
Abrams!” on the Business Talk Radio Network, brought the
special needs of the children to my attention.
And here is what happened: On April 25, 2004, when Libby won
her prize, I learned that Libby had promised the children in the
care of the Giving Tree that they were going to California to
see the ocean and to enjoy the attractions there. But Libby confided
to me that she had no concrete plans, no funds other than $1000
they had raised toward this purpose and no idea how they would
make the trip a reality other than their commitment and a lot
of faith!
I believe that early travel experiences enhance the educational
process of a child’s life in more than academic ways. Seeing
the world as a beautiful and wonderful place where caring people
leave enhancements for future generations is a vital lesson for
every child to learn and carry into adulthood. Nothing taught
in a classroom can make the impact of experiences resulting from
travel. Knowing the importance of making Libby’s commitment
a reality, I promised her that this unique group would not be
disappointed. I set the wheels in motion with my “Failure
is not an option” attitude and started the wheels literally
in motion to move 11 children and 5 adults from Tucson to California
and back. . . with a little help from my friends!
And here’s what happened:
Woodfin Suites Hotels, a wonderful chain of all-suites hotels
which offer all the comforts of home, inclusive of extensive hot
and cold buffet breakfasts daily and light meals many evenings,
provided 4 suites for 4 nights in Cypress, California, only minutes
away from major attractions including Disneyland AND 4 suites
for 4 nights at the Woodfin Suites Hotel in San Diego, complimentary.
Choice Hotels provided 4 rooms for one night in Los Angeles to
make it easy for the group to visit other parts of the area without
extensive driving time.
The Hampton Inn of Blythe, CA, provided a super-preferential
rate for the group while they were in transit from Tucson to Cypress,
CA.
Penny Burich, Director of National Sales for Woodfin Suites,
volunteered to assist with admissions for the group and happily
delivered complimentary admissions for them to visit the San Diego
Zoo and Animal Park.
Two weeks before the group left on their trip, their 15 passenger
van was brought in for inspection and servicing to get it ready
to hit the road. Libby Wright, was informed that the van was not
going to pass the emissions test and road service needs in time
for the trip. With all the hotels in place for the group, the
challenge now was to get them there! I made contact with key executives
of car rental companies and was delighted by a positive reply
from Thrifty Car Rental within 24 hours of my conversation with
Bob Thunell at Thrifty’s headquarters. Thrifty provided
2 seven passenger vans complimentary which, in addition to the
one car that a chaperone was driving, covered their transportation
needs. In essence, transportation for the group was now just a
question of covering the cost of gasoline.
Renee Werbin, publisher of the wonderful travel magazine, “travelgirl,”
helped to open the door to get the attention of the Morris Family
Foundation which generously made a donation to the Giving Tree
to be used to defray the costs along the way. Additionally, with
the cooperation of Ti-Kaye Village Resort in St. Lucia, I was
able to provide the Giving Tree with a one week stay for 2 at
the wonderful resort, which I donated in memory of Desmond Skeete,
former Chairman of St. Lucia Tourism. The organization auctioned
the stay on Ebay and raised another $500 toward their trip expenses.
Manufacturer’s Direct of Maynard, Massachusetts, a supplier
of advertising specialties, provided mini-transistor radios, tee-shirts,
and flashlights for each of the children. Hertz Rent a Car sent
Hertz Teddy Bears dressed for the beach, suntan lotion, lip balm
and water bottles. Club Med sent tee-shirts that the Giving Tree
printed their name on so everyone left in matching outfits.
And when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping! We made
it Christmas in July at my office where Santa’s mid-year
helpers were busy preparing and boxing personalized journals for
the kids, glue sticks and markers, new shorts outfits for everyone,
swim suits and shorts outfits with matching sox for the little
girls as well as activity games and bubbles to keep everybody
busy while they made their way to California and back.
Their first morning at Woodfin Suites Hotel in Cypress, CA, Libby
called me to share some of the wonderful things that had happened
in just two days of travel and ended by telling me that Justin,
10 years old, didn’t sleep at all the night before even
though the accommodations were both comfortable and outstanding.
She put Justin on the phone to tell me why. When I asked him about
his sleepless night, he replied, “ I was too excited because
we’re going to the beach today.” Takes your heart
from your chest, no?
Libby got back on the phone and asked, yet again, if I could
come out to California and meet them. I told her it would be great
but was out of the question. I had to cross my fingers behind
my back while I was on the phone because my plans were already
confirmed with the teamwork of caring people at Continental Airlines
to get me the flights I needed to get to California to surprise
the group and turn around and head back home! I am bringing along
our remote recording equipment so that listeners to, “Travel
WITH Stephanie Abrams!” will have the opportunity to share
the joy of seeing California through the eyes of the children
rescued by The Giving Tree.
I have to believe that this very special trip, created by the
generosity of the golden hearts of key executives of major travel
suppliers, will have positive impact on the life-goals of the
children in this group whose beginnings one could only describe
as ‘a rough start.” It’s amazing what can be
accomplished with ‘a little help from your friends!”
On the Fly!tm commentary is presented
by:
Stephanie Abrams
Host of the nationally syndicated
"Travel With Stephanie Abrams!"
on the Business Talk Radio Network
www.sabrams.com
stephanie@sabrams.com
PO Box 2139
Lanesborough, MA 01237
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